Close menu

Aaron Ramsey replaced as Wales captain by Ashley Williams

Last updated on .From the section Wales comments 83

Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has been replaced as Wales captain by Swansea City defender Ashley Williams.

The 28-year-old Williams, who has captained his country four times, will take over for the World Cup qualifiers against Scotland and Croatia.

Chris Coleman has not won in four games as Wales boss - including a 6-1 loss in Serbia - and his team have scored once.

"I think he has felt the pressure of it," Coleman said of 21-year-old Ramsey.

"We need to go in another direction because what we have been doing has not been working. I wanted to make some changes and that was the biggest one really.

"It was not an easy decision. Of course he was disappointed. I spoke to him yesterday and he was incredibly mature about it - and a little bit relieved, if I'm honest, because it is a big pressure.

"I was very impressed with what he had to say and his reaction. He was very professional."

Ramsey was appointed skipper by previous manager Gary Speed in March 2011 - aged just 20 years and 90 days - and made his first appearance as captain in his 12th Wales cap in their 2-0 Euro 2012 qualifying defeat by England.

The Caerphilly-born midfielder led Wales 12 times, winning five and losing seven games. But Coleman, who took over in January following Speed's death, external-link has opted to replace Ramsey with the more experienced Williams.

Raymond Verheijen, the former Wales assistant manager under Speed, has criticised Coleman's decision to strip Ramsey of the captaincy.

"Can't believe today's news: Aaron Ramsey is no longer the captain of Wales," said Verheijen on his twitter account.

"Aaron was a great captain in 2011. Extremely mature for his age.

"Gary's decision to appoint Aaron as captain was one of the main reasons for our success. Now this part of the legacy has also been destroyed."

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hopes Coleman's decision will not have a major impact on Ramsey's confidence, the midfielder having come off the bench to score in the midweek Champions League win over Olympiacos.

"It is a big decision always to take an armband away from a player," said Wenger, whose side travel to West Ham tomorrow.

"Aaron is a bit young with such a responsibility, but on the other hand, it could put maybe too much pressure on him that he is responsible for the big defeat they had in Serbia.

"You leave that to his Wales manager, and to have a talk with Aaron. I think he will be a captain again for sure."

Swansea City captain Williams will now take over from Ramsey for the rest of Wales' World Cup qualification campaign. The 36-times capped centre-back will lead Wales in their World Cup qualifier with Scotland in Cardiff on 12 October.

"As a captain of your country, everyone wants to do it but not everyone can," added Coleman.

"I've no doubt Aaron will be the captain again one day. When I took the job, I was very mindful that whatever Gary had done was working and as much as I possibly could I kept it the same. But now it is not working and I want to go in another direction, which I will do.

"Ashley will be the skipper. He is a natural leader. He is a very good player who has great experience."

Wales have lost their opening two World Cup qualifiers and host Scotland before visiting Croatia in Osijek on 16 October.

Wales Squad: Jason Brown (Aberdeen), Lewis Price (Crystal Palace), Owain Fôn Williams (Tranmere Rovers), Darcy Blake (Crystal Palace), Ben Davies (Swansea City), Chris Gunter (Reading), Joel Lynch (Huddersfield Town), Adam Matthews (Celtic), Sam Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers), Ashley Williams (Swansea City, capt), Joe Allen (Liverpool), David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Andy King (Leicester City), Joe Ledley (Celtic), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), David Vaughan (Sunderland), Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur), Simon Church (Reading), Steve Morison, (Norwich City), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading), Sam Vokes (Burnley).

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

83 comments

  • Comment posted by nmorgan346, at 10:12 5 Oct 2012

    Sadly the progress made by Speed & his coaching staff has been thrown into the dustbin by an inept manager whose previous track record is especially poor (and getting poorer by the game). Very sad that the "I'll do it my way" blinkered approach by Coleman was so predictable & that his pride has got in the way of Welsh progress. He could so easily have continued the legacy..............

  • Comment posted by Medieval-Evil, at 10:18 5 Oct 2012

    Typical knee-jerk reaction from a poor manager. Changing the captain will have little to no impact on the performance of the team as a whole, but will seriously undermine the relationship between Ramsay and Coleman.

    Certainly, Ramsey has a lot to learn and needs to improve multiple areas of his game to be a top midfielder, but he remains one of the country's best prospects for the future.

  • Comment posted by User0775136987, at 09:07 5 Oct 2012

    something has to change... but it's not the captain!

  • Comment posted by Caludrup, at 09:52 5 Oct 2012

    As a Scotland fan I'm a fairly pessimistic fellow, so I feel your pain! May the least worst team win!

  • Comment posted by Stannis Baratheon, at 08:54 5 Oct 2012

    Why did Coleman wait 5 games to make this decision? This will embarrass a player already short of confidence...

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 09:46 5 Oct 2012

    Wow. What a stupid thing to do. Chris Coleman is struggling.

  • Comment posted by User0590509200, at 22:03 5 Oct 2012

    When Speed made Ramsey captain he was one of the best young British players and he saw him as Wales long-term leader.
    After having his leg snapped in two, a year out, and then struggling on his return, it is only now that he is beginning to show a return to his oast levels.
    In typical Coleman fashion this decision seems both ill-timed and ill-judged.

  • Comment posted by User0879166479, at 12:56 5 Oct 2012

    This is a clear shift of the blame on to Ramsey, (even after you stabbed him in the back, and tried to get shawcross for a second time- just embarrassing). Good players do not turn bad overnight- clearly Coleman has lost the changing room, hence why we are having players drop out all the time again, just like the Toshack days. Do us all a favour and step aside so we can enjoy watching Wales again.

  • Comment posted by D1679441577000, at 11:15 5 Oct 2012

    Surely this is not the best thing to help build Ramsey's confidence back. He always gives his all for his country and this is a knock that was not needed. It seems very poor timing to change a captain selection at this point.

    [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]

  • Comment posted by User0135190135, at 14:47 5 Oct 2012

    As an Englishman living in Cardiff, I thought Wales were doing well under Speed and it was inspiring to see a number of players becoming more than the sum of their parts. Coleman has ruined all of the exceptional work Gary Speed put in, and I fear Wales shall continue to be whipping boys unless Coleman resigns.

    I couldn't care less individually, but the likes of Bale should be at a World Cup!

  • Comment posted by mr dancing gecko, at 10:15 5 Oct 2012

    @ 7.

    Stagflationis: Absolutely atrocious syntax, BBC! Run a spell check

    I suspect you meant grammar check.

  • Comment posted by User0718181750, at 10:10 5 Oct 2012

    Look at the state of that squad is that really the best Wales have at the moment? If you take Bale out that would be a League 1 squad at best.

  • Comment posted by User0223206467, at 00:21 6 Oct 2012

    Ramsay is the best welsh central midfielder for a generation a hero under Speed now all is wrecked by Coleman and this stripping of the captiancy is just to deflect from the inept management, Speed had us turned into a team with a game plan from 130 to 40 ranked now we probably be ranked 200, get rid and get someone in like Speed maybe a Rush/Giggs partnership. Coleman just sucks uninspiring!!!

  • Comment posted by User0116258463, at 21:53 5 Oct 2012

    Coleman has made this decision to show everyone he is in charge. Ramsay was a good captain when Gary Speed (RIP) was the boss. Coleman has ruined this Welsh team, long gone is the optimism we all had as Wales supporters and unfortunately long gone is the great football we were playing. Coleman should do the honourable thing and resign now before he puts Welsh football into the dark ages.

  • Comment posted by Jack, at 14:10 5 Oct 2012

    Does 'who is captain' really matter?! Let's not turn this into a big debate like what happened over the border.

    Truth is, the only person I want replaced is Coleman. He is totally inadequate as a manager, let alone an international manager.

    If I was at the Welsh FA, I'd ask Huw Jenkins for advice on who should manage Wales as Huw has a knack of picking excellent candidates.

  • Comment posted by charlessy, at 14:59 5 Oct 2012

    I love how Ramsey has been stripped of the captaincy and his role was put under question but no one has ever questioned Chris Coleman's position. Gary Speed (RIP) had made welsh football standards a lot higher and Coleman has destroyed them within half a year. If the FAW had sense they would've sacked Coleman by now

  • Comment posted by User0801081940, at 10:43 5 Oct 2012

    I think Coleman should have only replaced one person, himself! Wales need more than a change of captain which I think is a wrong move anyway.

  • Comment posted by User0183513851, at 09:24 5 Oct 2012

    Big mistake. You can't blame the captain if he has a poor team to try and lead.

  • Comment posted by loz, at 12:31 5 Oct 2012

    @39 alarch.... I think you'll fing Williams is a defender! He played midfield last time out because Allen was injured I think

  • Comment posted by User0168589706, at 11:17 5 Oct 2012

    RAMBO Big mistake in my opinion think he will be sacked shortly would love to see hartson