The Football Association of Wales has announced that when Wales play host to Costa Rica on the 29th February, it will not only be an international friendly, but also a memorial to Gary Speed.
Wales boss Speed, who was found hanged at home last November, made the first of his record 85 caps for Wales when they won a friendly against Costa Rica in 1990 with Dean Saunders scoring the only goal at Ninian Park. Speed, who was then 20 and a midfielder for Leeds United, was a 76th minute substitute, replacing Glyn Hodges in the match in May 1990 that set him on his way to his illustrious international career.
The Welsh FA confirmed that their first friendly since the death of Speed would be held at the Cardiff City Stadium. The return of Costa Rica will undoubtedly be a very emotional first international fixture for Speed’s team since he took his life on the 27th November. The FAW have also said that 10% of the profits from the friendly will go to charities chosen by Speed’s family.
The statement from the Welsh FA said that this was the perfect opportunity to celebrate both the life and the career achievements of someone who had been an excellent servant to Welsh football, as both a player and a manager. This is only the second time that Costa Rica have played Wales, and drew 2-2 against the European and World Champions Spain in November, and currently stand at number 65 in the FIFA world rankings.
Wales, who are currently in 48th place in the world rankings, are expected to name Speed’s successor as manager just before kick off at the Cardiff fixture. The Welsh FA have also confirmed the process they are using to select the 13th full time manager of Wales international team, and they have charged a managerial panel of 6 men, head by Phil Pritchard, the teams president, to appoint the replacement for Speed.
Speed’s assistant manager was Dutchman Raymond Verheijen, who has posted on Twitter that he thinks the FAW should give Speed’s hand picked back room team the opportunity to carry on his good work. Welsh star Gareth Bale has also backed both Verheijen and Osian Roberts to stay part of the Welsh management set up that was thrown into disarray due to Speed’s shocking and untimely death.
Bale, a winger at Tottenham Hotspur, has said that it would be absolutely ridiculous to make radical and significant changes to the management team. He told BBC sport that he knew personally that most of the players wanted to keep the same team in place.