Special - Part 1 BBC Wales Today


Special - Part 1

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They inspired a nation - now, Wales' footballers are heading

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Welcome to this special programme from BBC Wales.

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# When Gareth Bale plays, we can beat any side

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# With Ashley Williams, we can win any fight...

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I hope you've got the afternoon off, because there's a party planned

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for the Wales football team, and you're all invited.

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So stay with us here on BBC One Wales

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as we bring you the story of the Wales

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Their plane is expected to land at Cardiff Airport any moment now,

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followed by an open-top bus parade in the streets, before arriving

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here at the Cardiff City Stadium for a special show.

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Over to our man Iwan Griffiths. And I have just heard word, we are

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expecting the plane to arrive at about 2.30 five. We have had a

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little false start. Another plane has actually just arrived from

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Greece. As you see, the crowds are gathering, the atmosphere is lovely

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here this afternoon. They will be walking in this direction, down

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through arrivals, greeted by these wonderful scenes, local children

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from a local primary school and another school mile from Freetown.

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They have been practising singing the anthem for the last few minutes.

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They are ready to greet the team as they arrive. -- from Barry. And here

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is a lovely banner to welcome the team. Chris Coleman, the manager,

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has been speaking to the press this morning in Dinard, basically saying

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how much of a bubble they have been in over the last four or five weeks.

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I have been in that bubble as well, unaware of what this success has

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meant to the nation. Well, this is what it means, and thousands more

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fans will be lining the streets over the next hour or so as the team

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arrives. So, yes, the first flight has arrived from Greece. Not the

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players, as you see. But in about four or five minutes, they will

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arrive to be greeted by the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, before they

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embark on that historic, memorable, I'm sure, tour of the city centre.

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For now, back to you. Thank you very much, Iwan. We will be back to you

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throughout the afternoon. The Wales players started the day in their

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base in Brittany, Dinard, which they have called home for the last five

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weeks. Let's see what Chris Coleman had to

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say at his final press conference. We need to keep washing. That means

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we need to start straightaway. August, September comes around and

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we are back into it. So we have got to work pretty quickly. I think it

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is great for Welsh football, for the Wales nation. Forget football, as a

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nation, but we can feel proud. We were watching the game last night,

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and you feel a twinge of jealousy because those two teams are still

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going at it. You see them celebrating at the end. That's where

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we wanted to be. It is a compliment to our boys, because we have not

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just sat there and thought, we have got to the semifinal. There is still

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not a disappointment - and I quite like that. The players will return

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as heroes. For the fans, well, they expected maybe a fortnight in

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France. Many expected just a fortnight

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in France, but Chris Coleman's men went further than anyone

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could have imagined - He's scuffed it, but it's the best

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scuff you will ever see! And so now at Euro 2016,

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a very British affair. He's played it in low -

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and it's into the net! We are confident, we

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are in good spirits. Oh, it's an own goal,

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Gareth McAuley has steered Robson-Kanu, what a fantastic

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piece of skill from him. One of the greatest performances

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in the history of British football. Could they repeat their

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heroics in Lyon tonight? Wales take the game to

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Portugal straightaway. And it's turned past

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Hennessey in for two. All over in Lille,

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all over for Wales. There's lots of positives for us,

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there's loads to take back. I think this team has got

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more success in them. We've just got to make sure we go

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and get it. Keeping me company is the chief

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executive of the FA W Trust. And also a former manager and

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commentator. Starting with you, Mark, did we ever think this day

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would come? Absolutely unbelievable, for Wales to reach a semifinal of a

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European Championship was beyond my dreams, and I think everybody else's

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as well. Just to interrupt you, the plane is now landing at Cardiff

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airport. So many people have waited for this moment. Schoolchildren

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waiting with flags to cheer them on. The Wales squad, who have achieved

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so much over the last few weeks, now finally arrived home here in Wales.

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Let's talk to you, Neil ward - how far did you really think Wales would

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get in this tournament? I heard Chris took about it kill could times

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and his target was to get out of the group. He felt that was achievable.

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So to progress to the semifinal was beyond our wildest expectations,

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really. How will you capitalise now on this success? We have got a

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number of projects planned which we have been working on in the lead up

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to the tournament and throughout the tournament. We have been having club

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recruitment days, we have launched a pack for primary schools to work on,

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which has achieved 10,000 downloads in the last few weeks. Incredible

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feedback we have had from schools on that. We are trying to encapsulate

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the enthusiasm behind this. We are not going to do anything different.

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We think this will give it an extra catalyst to drive forward what we

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have been doing and planning for the last ten years, really. The FA W

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will have earned earned millions and millions of pounds during this

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tournament. Will you be asking for the chief executive to get out his

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cheque-book to make sure that the grassroots will do well over the

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next few years? I'm always asking that question, believe you me. But I

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think Jonathan will point out that the tournament itself has been

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costly in terms of the resources going into prepare the team and give

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them everything they needed to be successful. I think that has proved

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dividends. I think now the team are back, once the dust settles, there

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will be some consideration about how we invest those monies in the

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future. Mark Jones, a former manager in the Welsh Premier League - do you

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expect to see a surge in interest in the Welsh Premier League, or is that

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completely separate from the national team? I don't think it is

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completely separate. There is an early bit of good news, that one of

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our clubs qualify for the second round of the Europa League last

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night. They won out in Norway 1-0. So they have started it off. Let's

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finish it. It's fantastic what they have done. And I hope it goes down

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to the grassroots. At the moment, it is a dream to be part of Welsh

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football. I just want to ask you, would it help if more players went

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on to reach the highest level and represent their country? Of course

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it would. We did have a centre forward, Tom Bradshaw, from Walsall,

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in the Welsh squad. He was touted as, he may have gone to France, but

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he was injured before the start. That is basically what the Welsh

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Premier would really need, somebody from the Welsh Premier League to

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actually make the national squad. Mark, with the plane just taxiing

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here at Cardiff airport, and the firefighters, is that a guard of

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honour for the Miller when the Wales team left for the tournament. Of

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course they went to Sweden first for that friendly, and then straight to

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France. I can remember the England rugby World Cup squad coming home,

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Heathrow airport, decked out with English flags and everything. Well,

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our lads have gone, they have not won the European Championships but

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they have done everything bar when it. And that's why there are going

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to get the reception they deserve. I don't think the players will

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understand what is going to hit them now. They have been in a bit of a

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bubble out in France. You're not quite sure what the reaction will be

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at home. When they get out of the plane and go through the terminal

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and get onto that bus journey, I think they will be blown away with

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the reaction they will get. What will this mean to them? I think come

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as Neil said, it will bring it all home. The amount of support they had

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in France was absolutely unbelievable. I was lucky enough to

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be there at the semifinal, and the crowd reaction, when they got beat,

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they were in tears. The French people could not believe the amount

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of passion that the Welsh supporters were showing for their team. We are

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just moments away now. Over to you, Iwan. A flight has just landed from

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Greece, so crowds coming through here getting cheered. What a welcome

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home from holiday! And another funny moment - a young gentleman wearing a

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Swansea City shirt being booed slightly, in a funny manner. One

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quick point, in France over the last month, it appears that the Welsh

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football fans have really gathered around this Welsh team. It has

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brought some unity within Welsh fans. It has been four weeks of

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festive fun, really. The crowds and supporters have been really well

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behaved and just enjoyed the festive party atmosphere in France. As you

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see, the flags are out, the local school children here from Penarth

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are waiting for the arrival of the squad. As you have said, they have

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arrived, but we are waiting for them. It is a special day, isn't it?

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It is a very special day, especially for these children from school who

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have been invited to come and welcome the Welsh team home. It is

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something they will remember for years to come? Definitely, for some

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of these children this is the chance of a lifetime. And when it comes to

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looking forward to the future, the success the Welsh team have had, is

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it something to inspire young boys and girls to go on and play? Most

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definitely. Lots of these young children are already playing

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football in school. Did you enjoy the tournament? Yes. And who is your

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favourite player? Gareth Bale. Would you like to go on and play more

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football yourself? Yes. I will keep an eye out for you. How excited are

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you at this moment? So excited. Back to you.

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So, we are now waiting for the players to emerge. I understand they

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will be fast tracked through the system. No queues for the Wales

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players. Just River Severn idea of the backroom staff, Neil. What does

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it take to get this team out performing well on the pitch? --

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just give us an idea. There is a group of staff who have been working

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tirelessly throughout the tournament, making sure everything

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is in place, making sure the hotels are ready, the travel connections

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work correctly. And then obviously, you have got the coaching staff

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behind them - conditioning coaches, mental skills coaches,

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physiotherapists, it is a very significant backroom staff.

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The red carpet being put in its place. The wider -- the weather in

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Cardiff is cloudy, much better in Lyon yesterday. The dignitaries are

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getting in place. The First Minister Carwyn Jones ready to greet the

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players as they come off on the official photographer, who has been

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taking snaps of the players. You may have seen them on social media over

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the last few months. Unbelievable, David Griffiths there, the president

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of the Welsh FA, Jonathan Ford, Jonathan came home yesterday but

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obviously very proud to be stuck there. That's a great moment because

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he was with the football club for about 30 years and he's been a Welsh

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FA member for 30-40 years, so proud moment for David Griffiths. He must

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have enjoyed some pretty bad times when it comes to Welsh football over

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the years. Definitely, he is lucky because they change the president

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every two years and after all this time, as they were saying, met him

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the other night, Dave, you hit the jackpot, you got on at the right

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time. He was lucky. We've had some barren years but this is absolutely

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unbelievable. We are just waiting now for the players to emerge. Who

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will lead them out? The manager Chris Coleman, taking Wales further

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than any other Wales manager, to the semifinals of the European

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Championships. The technical director behind him, his assistant,

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walking down the steps, all smiles. I wonder whether they truly

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appreciate what's about to happen, the crowds that are waiting for them

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in a centre of Cardiff. Ashley Williams there, a goal-scorer

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against Belgium. It took Wales through to the semifinals. People

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wondered whether his tournament was over when he injured his shoulder

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against Northern Ireland, but he powered on through, he was

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determined not to miss that game. It's great to see the assistance,

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and unsung heroine many ways, the technical director, he makes a huge

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contribution to the Trust and the coaching programme that has been put

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in place is recognised as world class. He's a great supporter of

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Chris, he's a student of the game, he studies all aspects of the game,

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always looking to increase his knowledge and understanding of it,

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always looking to make those small marginal gains that people talk

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about really essential to be successful in high-performance

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sport. It's good to see him there beside Chris, enjoying the moment.

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Now for the photocall. It was only a few weeks ago they were having this

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very same photo ahead of the tournament. Back then, no one knew

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how far they would go. Just 90 minutes away from a major tournament

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final. It's been a busy few days for them.

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Mark, what do you make of that video which emerged on social media, some

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of them doing a haka, half naked? They've earned the right to do what

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they want, they work so hard, they have worked tirelessly over the last

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five weeks, they have to have some down time and there are way of

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enjoying it is by being together. You can see how close they are, and

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unbelievable close-knit group of players. When you are cocooned in a

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hotel for a number of weeks you find different ways of entertaining

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yourselves. I don't think there was any disrespect meant behind it. It

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was just part of the entertainment they put on for the evening. And

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Aaron Ramsey there, that blonde hairdo. I suspected at one point

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that all the players had that hairdo done before the tournament, just to

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emulate the Romanian team from a few years ago. When he had his hair dyed

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blond, but Ramsey, if it makes you play as good as Aaron Ramsey, there

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will be a lot of hairdressing salons being, getting footballers asking

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for blonde dies in the next few weeks because Ramsey was tremendous

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in the tournament. A big loss in the semifinal. A big loss in the

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semifinal, his stock has gone up, Arsenal will be aware of Barcelona

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and Real Madrid, they will be coming for Ramsey. Do you see him going

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abroad? Absolutely, the standout midfielder of the tournament for me.

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Was it a risk by the FAW, they had a participation fee, they spent all of

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that, was that a risk for the FAW? Should they have kept a bit of money

:20:34.:20:37.

back, because back then we didn't know how well they would do? I think

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Jonathan sat down with Chris and decided what would it take to be

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successful, to give the team the best chance possible. We didn't want

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to be happy tourists. We wanted to go out there and give it our best

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shot. In order to do that you need to fund it proportionally. That was

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what we aimed to do and it stood them in good stead. OK, let's head

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to the airport. Have you managed to catch a glimpse of them yet?

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Not yet, the anticipation is building. We are hearing they are

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moments away. I see the local school children here with their banners,

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with notepads as well, they are hoping to grab may be an autograph

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from some of the stars, some of the heroes from the last four weeks and

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all with phones in hand as well, waiting for that picture, maybe a

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selfie with Aaron Ramsey, maybe with Gareth Bale, Joe Ledley, those who

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have been playing so well over the last months in Paris. We are now

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seeing the snappers coming through, I imagined the arrival of the Welsh

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football squad is imminent. It's interesting to see these young

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children here today. Who knows, these may be the footballers of the

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future, something that Chris Coleman spoke about this morning. This isn't

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the end of the journey for Wales, for the Wales football squad. He

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once this current squad to be in place after he leaves as manager,

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but he also wants to make sure that Euro 26 isn't just the end of the

:22:19.:22:24.

road for Wales in major tournaments -- Euro 2016. He wants to qualify

:22:25.:22:28.

for the World Cup in 2018. He wants to qualify for major competitions on

:22:29.:22:35.

a biannual basis, by then hopefully these kinds of scenes, well, they

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will be accustomed to them, but it's been special, hasn't it? These

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scenes, I hope, I know, we'll really resonate with the Welsh players as

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they come through, they are special scenes. We turn quickly to a

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gentleman here, I know that you have been following the team for years?

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Yes, I've been for 30 or 40 years. It's the best feeling I've ever had.

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Do you remember 1958? I do, exactly, and that was brilliant. It was

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brilliant. This really surpasses it, to be honest. This is different,

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just because we all know by now that the players came back from the World

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Cup in 1958 and nobody knew really what had happened. They didn't. It's

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amazing, coming back, watching them come back. When we started with a

:23:35.:23:40.

qualifying in this tournament I thought right, they are on the road

:23:41.:23:44.

here, let's go. But to get to the semifinal is absolutely brilliant.

:23:45.:23:52.

I've been in a bubbling byes-macro in France for the last two years --

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I've been in a bubbling Dinard. What's it be like here? It's been

:23:59.:24:04.

grabbing a sandwich and back to the telly, what time are Wales kicking

:24:05.:24:10.

off? We get sad points where we lost to England, we overcame that. We

:24:11.:24:15.

forget about that today. A word about the squad. Chris Coleman? He's

:24:16.:24:19.

been brilliant. He took over from Gary Speed. In difficult

:24:20.:24:27.

circumstances. He lost a few matches when he first came, Chris Coleman,

:24:28.:24:32.

and they didn't have a side together as they had today. We have three or

:24:33.:24:38.

four world-class players now, haven't we? And there is hope for

:24:39.:24:42.

the future, this isn't the end, this current side. Like Coleman has said,

:24:43.:24:49.

he wants to carry on, they are going to a World Cup now. If we can win a

:24:50.:24:54.

few of those first matches in a World Cup we are on our way again.

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In September they will play games, we are still waiting, let's turn for

:24:59.:25:02.

a quick word I suppose you've been enjoying. A few years. Really? Tears

:25:03.:25:16.

of joy? Let's turn now, the -- from the Cheers I assume the arrival of

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the team is imminent. They will be ushered through this area, this

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narrow channel of screaming schoolchildren, then they will pose

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in front of a banner that is behind me, welcome home, boys, we are so

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proud of you, that is the message. Dinard speaks WELSH. That's the

:25:37.:25:45.

bilingual message, there will pose for a photo opportunity, they are

:25:46.:25:49.

ushered out and outside of this arrival area here, local

:25:50.:25:53.

cheerleading group from the Vale of Glamorgan, they will give us some

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cheerleading dance, another element of this wonderful day in Cardiff,

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and they will be ushered on the bus, taken to Cardiff Castle, before the

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end they embark on a great tour of the city on an open topped bus.

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Let's just enjoy this atmosphere, the champs have started, the Wales

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squad are nearing the arrival area of Cardiff.

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As we see there, the snappers in our sights, so just around the corner,

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the players have grabbed their bags, they are ready to be welcomed here.

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There will be some singing as well, the local school children from

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Fairfield Primary School will be singing. We're enjoying this as

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well, Chris Coleman in Dinard this morning in the press Conference the

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gain was reiterating the message that this shouldn't be the end of

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the line for this squad, we need a new generation of players to carry

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on, to make sure that Wales develops as a footballing nation. And once

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they go through this area, outside there is more people waiting for the

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Wales squad. Again, waiting with their phones, hoping to get a

:27:24.:27:30.

glimpse of the players. As you can hear, there is some chanting...

:27:31.:27:36.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE CROWD NOISE DROWNS SPEECH some

:27:37.:27:51.

autographs... Those who have enjoyed the experience... Now enjoy this

:27:52.:27:53.

moment. CHEERING I think Chris Coleman is

:27:54.:29:18.

going to run out of ink, isn't he, so many autographs to sign. He knew

:29:19.:29:24.

the squad was coming because of the crescendo, the noise, the atmosphere

:29:25.:29:27.

building up there at the airport. Incredible scenes, I don't know

:29:28.:29:30.

about you guys but I've got goose bumps watching this. Absolutely, it

:29:31.:29:35.

goes to show you the type of character he is. Like Neal said

:29:36.:29:39.

earlier on, he's been like it from the start of the campaign. He's

:29:40.:29:43.

attended schools, charity functions and some of these managers when they

:29:44.:29:47.

reached the top like that they may want to get whisked through but look

:29:48.:29:51.

at him, absolutely fantastic. A nice little kids as well, made her day.

:29:52.:30:00.

Quiz has been such a lot of -- been through such a lot in his short

:30:01.:30:05.

managerial career. He has made it clear how difficult some of the

:30:06.:30:09.

disappointments have been, this is a huge achievement for him. I'm

:30:10.:30:12.

pleased for him, I know everyone else will be pleased for him because

:30:13.:30:17.

he's such a genuine guy. He's very open, he leads the team extremely

:30:18.:30:22.

well and the thing that sets Wales apart is the openness between the

:30:23.:30:27.

team and the fans. A word about this man, Gareth Bale, his profile is

:30:28.:30:32.

such a boost to Welsh football. I would have brought him through on a

:30:33.:30:36.

magic carpet, myself! What a player, having watched him, he's immense,

:30:37.:30:39.

he's immense. He's right up there now. I think if we had won the

:30:40.:30:43.

semifinal the other night he would have been favourite for the Ballon

:30:44.:30:48.

d'Or. He may not get the Ballon d'Or especially of Ronaldo and Portugal

:30:49.:30:52.

win the tournament but he's brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

:30:53.:30:55.

What a moment for these children, the missing school this afternoon

:30:56.:30:59.

but frankly, who cares? They get an opportunity to meet Gareth Bale.

:31:00.:31:04.

Yes, for them it's very much a day that they remember, won't it? This

:31:05.:31:08.

is what we need to capitalise on, this adoration, this huge and easy

:31:09.:31:15.

as for the game. As far as the Trust is concerned that it something we

:31:16.:31:18.

will look to capture, something which is part of the incidental

:31:19.:31:22.

things we have seen. We had a club recruitment day and over 2000 people

:31:23.:31:24.

turned up, unbelievable. Because of the attention on Gareth

:31:25.:31:37.

Bale, a truly global star at around Madrid as well, he has somebody who

:31:38.:31:41.

follows him when he is with Wales as well. But of course we love doing

:31:42.:31:46.

the campaign, but this team is not just about Gareth Bale. Definitely

:31:47.:31:53.

not. Of course he will have a lot of the attention because he cost ?80

:31:54.:31:56.

million or whatever it was. He is the man. But we always make sure

:31:57.:32:02.

that everything is shared out between the group. The goalkeeper

:32:03.:32:05.

there, Wayne Hennessey, coming through. I think everybody is as

:32:06.:32:11.

important as everybody else. It's what they brought to the squad.

:32:12.:32:17.

Together Stronger has really caught on. I think they have dispelled the

:32:18.:32:23.

myth that they are a one player team. We were speaking the other day

:32:24.:32:30.

about, everybody agreed. It shows you how good the performances have

:32:31.:32:34.

been from the other players as well. Captain fantastic there, he smashed

:32:35.:32:40.

his shoulder. I bet there were a couple of Welsh rugby players

:32:41.:32:45.

looking at him, those rugby boys have been fantastic on social media.

:32:46.:32:49.

We saw him pleading with the management team that he was fine, on

:32:50.:32:54.

that pitch against Northern Ireland. He wanted to carry on and represent

:32:55.:32:59.

his country right to the last. Writes to the last - and that's

:33:00.:33:03.

everything you want from a captain. A brilliant leader. And Chris

:33:04.:33:09.

Coleman, he is expecting a second child. His wife is heavily pregnant.

:33:10.:33:13.

He has time this perfectly. If they had got to the final, it would have

:33:14.:33:20.

been some nervy moments. Definitely. She was out watching the game at the

:33:21.:33:24.

semifinal. I think his young lad was out there as well. We spoke about it

:33:25.:33:30.

earlier on. You can tell there is a togetherness about the whole thing.

:33:31.:33:33.

And that's testament to him and to the Welsh FA for building such a

:33:34.:33:40.

tight squad. Hal Robson-Kanu, currently without a club. I guess he

:33:41.:33:46.

will find one, no problem? I don't think there is any doubt about that.

:33:47.:33:50.

What he has been keen to point out is that it was his choice not to

:33:51.:33:54.

renew the contract. Leaving Reading was by mutual consent. Clearly that

:33:55.:33:59.

has been the right decision for him because there will be many clubs

:34:00.:34:03.

knocking on the door hit his performances, particularly that goal

:34:04.:34:06.

he scored in the quarterfinal. Yes, what a goal that was...? They were

:34:07.:34:15.

trying to call him cry for. It was against Belgium, in the

:34:16.:34:20.

quarterfinals. I think he surprised everybody, including his own

:34:21.:34:25.

team-mates. And I think he surprised the difference as well.

:34:26.:34:31.

Unbelievable, it was a brilliant finish against Courtois, the Chelsea

:34:32.:34:34.

goalkeeper, one of the best in the world. And that goal will stay with

:34:35.:34:41.

Hal Robson-Kanu for ever. We got a glimpse of Owain Fon Williams, one

:34:42.:34:45.

of the goalkeepers, who plays for Inverness Caley Thistle. When you

:34:46.:34:48.

have got a player from Inverness Caley Thistle, and a player from

:34:49.:34:56.

Real Madrid, it is a wide range, but a mixed together, don't they? I

:34:57.:35:01.

think it comes from the top, they have made sure that nobody is dealt

:35:02.:35:06.

with in a better way than the other players. From Bale downwards, the

:35:07.:35:08.

togetherness is absolutely brilliant. David Vaughan, he did not

:35:09.:35:13.

get time on the pitch in the tournament, but he was brilliant in

:35:14.:35:17.

the corner fine campaign. And look at that young fan. He's so lucky,

:35:18.:35:23.

because he has only known Welsh football success. He has not endured

:35:24.:35:30.

decades, like as! I have now been working for 17 years in the game,

:35:31.:35:35.

and there will be many supporters in the intervening period between 1958

:35:36.:35:38.

and now will not have experienced anything like this. This will be a

:35:39.:35:44.

new role for them and the challenge for us is to make sure that this

:35:45.:35:47.

success is replicated for the future, that it is not just a

:35:48.:35:52.

one-off success, that we continue to build on, qualify for tournaments on

:35:53.:35:56.

a regular basis. We heard some funny stories during the campaign. Neil

:35:57.:36:01.

Taylor there, he missed a Beyonce concert because they thought they

:36:02.:36:05.

might have been home by then. Chris Gunter missed his brother's wedding

:36:06.:36:08.

in Mexico. Sacrifices of varying degrees! Joe Ledley had to postpone

:36:09.:36:15.

his own wedding as well. Well, you know, some things in life have to be

:36:16.:36:21.

done first of all. I think a semifinal, it will not be popular

:36:22.:36:25.

with women, but this is a absolutely massive. He had to carry on playing

:36:26.:36:30.

for his country. I'm sure he can get married again next week! I am just

:36:31.:36:42.

hearing that Joe Ledley isn't here. I think he has gone. I think he has

:36:43.:36:46.

got a lot of preparation work to do head of his big day. I think he left

:36:47.:36:54.

in advance to get across to make his wedding on this occasion. He will be

:36:55.:36:59.

disappointed to miss this. You can see on the players' faces come they

:37:00.:37:04.

are really enjoying this moment. And Joe Ledley has been a real

:37:05.:37:08.

character. We have seen his dance. How much of a character is he in the

:37:09.:37:12.

dressing room? Well, has taken everyone by storm, just with his

:37:13.:37:19.

beard and his dancing. I was in a school the other day and they were

:37:20.:37:22.

all doing the Joe Ledley Downs, singing the Joe Ledley song. It

:37:23.:37:27.

captures the imagination and it is good to have characters like that in

:37:28.:37:31.

your team and you're away in a tournament for that length of time.

:37:32.:37:35.

You need people who can lighten the mood and bring people together,

:37:36.:37:38.

diffusing everything perhaps in the heat of the moment. You need

:37:39.:37:42.

characters who can bring everyone together, as well as the strongly

:37:43.:37:48.

desirable in stark contrast to other nations, Wales have kept it pretty

:37:49.:37:52.

relaxed, they have been photographed on the beach, having a kickabout

:37:53.:37:56.

with locals in Brittany, having an ice cream, we saw Gareth Bale having

:37:57.:38:01.

a milkshake and it has been pretty relaxed? I was at the rushing game

:38:02.:38:07.

and they came off and almost shook everybody's hand. They were

:38:08.:38:12.

absolutely... They came over, enjoyed the moment with the fans,

:38:13.:38:18.

which is why I think the fans pay them so much respect. Plenty of fans

:38:19.:38:23.

waiting for their turn to have just a five second moment with their

:38:24.:38:29.

heroes. An autograph, a selfie... Plenty of cameras, plenty of

:38:30.:38:36.

attention. I think that is key as well. A lot of teams would have been

:38:37.:38:42.

whisked through here. And forget, they have been away for five weeks.

:38:43.:38:46.

They have families waiting to get to and holidays waiting to go on. But

:38:47.:38:53.

that for is testament to how they have come together as a squad, and

:38:54.:38:59.

they've got time for the supporters. This is absolutely brilliant. Did

:39:00.:39:03.

not expect them to be signing autographs for this long. They are

:39:04.:39:07.

just there to please the fans. And that smile says it all. They have

:39:08.:39:12.

been waiting there for over an hour. They were so excited even before the

:39:13.:39:19.

plane arrived. Another chance to have a photo with the players. In

:39:20.:39:23.

terms of the media scrutiny, a lot of our Premier League footballers

:39:24.:39:28.

are used to the cameras and the interviews and the demands upon

:39:29.:39:33.

them. But in terms of Wales, we have seen the media and press mushrooming

:39:34.:39:37.

throughout the tournament - how difficult is it to manage the expect

:39:38.:39:42.

nation from the media? Credit to our media team, they have done a

:39:43.:39:47.

fantastic job in the way they have set up a media centre and created

:39:48.:39:53.

the atmosphere. And I think again, what you're seeing amongst the

:39:54.:40:00.

players is replicated amongst the staff. The warmness, wanting to

:40:01.:40:05.

engage with whoever wants to engage with us. That's what sets us apart.

:40:06.:40:09.

It is what Wales is apart. This is what makes us different as a

:40:10.:40:14.

country. Our attempt in the build-up to the tournament was to become

:40:15.:40:17.

everyone's favourite second-team. And really to raise the profile of

:40:18.:40:23.

Wales and Welsh football throughout the world. Not just Europe, but

:40:24.:40:29.

internationally. I can tell you, having spent five weeks in France,

:40:30.:40:35.

the Wales fans were teaching charts to fans from other nations. Yet I

:40:36.:40:40.

think there is some truth in that. I saw local French people supporting

:40:41.:40:45.

Wales in the latter stages. They were the favourite team with many

:40:46.:40:50.

people in France. I think it is because our first major tournament

:40:51.:40:54.

and we have really gone and enjoyed the tournament. Well, we will just

:40:55.:41:03.

pause now and go back to Iwan Griffiths at the airport. He has got

:41:04.:41:06.

the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, with him. Yes, the squad has now

:41:07.:41:13.

left this area. I am joined by First Minister Carwyn Jones. What an

:41:14.:41:21.

experience? Yes, you can see what it has meant to them. After this it

:41:22.:41:28.

will be the open top bus, and then the stadium. Thousands of people

:41:29.:41:34.

from all over Wales will be in the city tonight to celebrate. You were

:41:35.:41:37.

in France - from your point of view, what was it like and what has this

:41:38.:41:44.

meant to Wales? I was in Lens, that was not so good. I was in Lille

:41:45.:41:50.

joker that was fantastic. The red wall, wherever they have gone, they

:41:51.:41:54.

have left a real impression for Wales. They deserve a lot of credit.

:41:55.:42:00.

All those years of going abroad and people saying, Wales, is that part

:42:01.:42:04.

of England? That has gone. In five weeks we have really made sure that

:42:05.:42:08.

people know that Wales is a country in ourselves. It has been said that

:42:09.:42:14.

this has potentially done more to promote Wales than anything else

:42:15.:42:19.

could? That's right. Football is the biggest sport in the world and this

:42:20.:42:22.

is one of the biggest tournaments in the world. To be in the semifinal -

:42:23.:42:27.

people have heard of you. I was in Paris on Wednesday night, and as I

:42:28.:42:33.

was in the Metro, I could hear people talking about Wales on the

:42:34.:42:36.

Paris Metro. It shows how much people know about Wales now. What

:42:37.:42:41.

can be done now to ensure that this can be built on? We are already on

:42:42.:42:46.

to that. We have got a programme in place to build on the profile. We

:42:47.:42:51.

want more people to take an interest in Wales, to visit and spend money

:42:52.:42:56.

in Wales. Bring jobs to Wales. You can't buy this kind of publicity. It

:42:57.:43:00.

has been incredible to see the awareness about Wales which has

:43:01.:43:03.

flown across the continent and the world. I know you're a sports fan -

:43:04.:43:07.

this is not the end, Wales needs to develop and get to the World Cup

:43:08.:43:12.

next? This is a young team. They have still got a lot in the tank. We

:43:13.:43:18.

have to remember that. Russia next in 2018, and who knows where from

:43:19.:43:21.

there? The experience they have gained will stand them in good stead

:43:22.:43:27.

in the competitions which I know they will qualify for in the future.

:43:28.:43:31.

And to finish this, Carwyn Jones, how will you look back on the last

:43:32.:43:37.

four weeks? A combination of wonder and disbelief - but happiness. I

:43:38.:43:41.

know Wednesday night was maybe a game too far, but look at the whole

:43:42.:43:46.

thing. If I had said to you in May that we would get to the semifinals

:43:47.:43:50.

of the Euros, people would have said, a politician talking nonsense.

:43:51.:43:54.

I was there for the Belgium match, and that was the best I have ever

:43:55.:43:58.

seen a Wales team play against a quality team. For such a small

:43:59.:44:02.

country to get that far in the Euros, we can take some pride in

:44:03.:44:06.

that. Yes, they have made a nation proud. As you say, this is the

:44:07.:44:12.

start. And now onto Cardiff, where the party will go on. For now, back

:44:13.:44:19.

to you. Thank you very much indeed. What do you make of the scenes we

:44:20.:44:27.

have just seen, boys? Incredible. One thing to look at is the average

:44:28.:44:32.

age of the group could be 26. They could be getting stronger as a team,

:44:33.:44:36.

and they will definitely want this again. They say success breeds

:44:37.:44:41.

success. The memories they will have from France, they will want it to

:44:42.:44:49.

happen again. Aaron Ramsey there signing autographs. Chris Coleman

:44:50.:44:55.

has said that this is not the end of the journey - there is more success

:44:56.:44:59.

to come from this side. Qualifiers for the World Cup will be starting

:45:00.:45:04.

here at the Cardiff City stadium in September against Moldova - what are

:45:05.:45:07.

their chances, do you think they will make it to the World Cup? It's

:45:08.:45:11.

going to be tough, people must not it to be easy. What has happened,

:45:12.:45:16.

before, people would have just come and played openly against Wales.

:45:17.:45:21.

Because we got to the semifinal of the competition, they will come here

:45:22.:45:26.

for Wales to break them down. So success can bring you a different

:45:27.:45:30.

sort of problem. But I'm sure we the players to make the next World Cup.

:45:31.:45:36.

We are mindful that it is important we do not catch a cold after this

:45:37.:45:40.

unprecedented success. We have got to build on this now and be ready

:45:41.:45:44.

for September. That's going to come around very quickly. As soon as this

:45:45.:45:48.

finishes, the planning will be going in to making sure that we are ready

:45:49.:45:52.

again for September. So we get a good start, and I think that is

:45:53.:45:58.

important, on the back of this success, that we get a good start

:45:59.:46:01.

and we are ready to go for that match in September. The players now

:46:02.:46:06.

just making their way to the bus. That bus will be heading to the

:46:07.:46:09.

centre of Cardiff, towards Cardiff Castle. Therefore asses Kate Morgan.

:46:10.:46:16.

-- there for us is Kate Morgan. Hundreds have fans have arrived at

:46:17.:46:29.

Cardiff Castle. They are all dressed in their Wales tops, lots of Welsh

:46:30.:46:33.

flags to see. There are 66 Welsh flags on top of the castle alone,

:46:34.:46:37.

the gentleman whose job it was to put them up said it was a long task

:46:38.:46:41.

but well worth doing for this occasion, and what an occasion it

:46:42.:46:44.

is. We are expecting the arrival of the team in the next hour at the

:46:45.:46:49.

castle. When they get here they will board two open top buses just over

:46:50.:46:59.

there. They will head down High Street, onto St Mary Street, also

:47:00.:47:01.

lined by fans, they will turn onto Wood Street near the station and

:47:02.:47:03.

then to Westgate Street, where thousands of fans watched the

:47:04.:47:06.

semifinal earlier this week in the Principality Stadium. They will head

:47:07.:47:09.

over the River Taff onto Leckwith Road with the final destination

:47:10.:47:13.

being their home here, Cardiff City Stadium, for a special concert. Most

:47:14.:47:17.

of the fans are here because they want to glimpse their heroes, this

:47:18.:47:21.

means so much to them. There was a massive cheer not too long ago, when

:47:22.:47:25.

actually the two empty buses arrived. They have turned down onto

:47:26.:47:31.

St Mary Street. They had a huge picture of both teams on the side of

:47:32.:47:36.

them and the words together we are stronger. It's a chance to say thank

:47:37.:47:42.

you for the team, a chance to share in the experience, because they have

:47:43.:47:47.

been on it all of the way. I've been out in France and most of the fans

:47:48.:47:51.

here have made a big journey. They have made the journey out there,

:47:52.:47:54.

they are here to say farewell and thank you and I guess if this

:47:55.:47:59.

journey goes on, it's loud here, it's noisy, people are getting

:48:00.:48:02.

excited, they are swept up in the moment, lots of horns beeping,

:48:03.:48:07.

children cheering, a huge range of ages outside the castle which has

:48:08.:48:12.

been part of the campaign Together Stronger. There were some lifelong

:48:13.:48:18.

fans, a gentleman with his flag and scarf, cheering, singing songs. I'm

:48:19.:48:21.

sure there will be lots more joining in and a little while. There's a

:48:22.:48:25.

sense of anticipation almost as well. They can't quite wait to get

:48:26.:48:29.

the party started here. It won't take too much longer.

:48:30.:48:35.

Kate, not long to go now. Let's pick up on a point that cake made their

:48:36.:48:44.

summer together we are stronger. -- a that Kate made there. What do you

:48:45.:48:50.

make of the language on the shirts, how is -- how important is it for

:48:51.:48:59.

the FAW? I think the FAW can talk about it better than I can but it's

:49:00.:49:03.

been in place for a long time, it's brilliantly both languages being

:49:04.:49:06.

used. There is a deliberate strategy to embrace the language and culture

:49:07.:49:10.

and very much promote that because that is what Wales is about. That is

:49:11.:49:14.

what distinguishes us from other countries. It has gone down

:49:15.:49:18.

extremely well with the public, hasn't it? It's created an identity,

:49:19.:49:22.

that sense of belonging, that sense of working together for the common

:49:23.:49:27.

cause and that's what it's about. That has created an energy and

:49:28.:49:30.

dynamism within the squad and across the fans as well, hasn't it, and

:49:31.:49:35.

proved to be hugely popular. We saw Welsh being used in a press

:49:36.:49:38.

Conference at a Uefa tournament, I saw some of the foreign journalists

:49:39.:49:43.

looking around pretty bemused when questions were answered in Welsh.

:49:44.:49:46.

That's fabulous, it's the language that said -- sets Wales apart from

:49:47.:49:52.

other countries, it makes us different. The media team won a lot

:49:53.:49:57.

of plaudits by using French, by even using baton, so there have been four

:49:58.:50:02.

languages used and that shows you the determination of the leadership

:50:03.:50:07.

team to ensure that we make a good impression on Wales and the rest of

:50:08.:50:13.

the world -- Breton. Joe Allen, a proud Welshman, he speaks Welsh at

:50:14.:50:18.

the press conferences. Let's talk about the players' families. We saw

:50:19.:50:22.

the lovely images of Gareth Bale chasing after his daughter after a

:50:23.:50:28.

match, people taking penalties, cheered on by the Welsh fans but

:50:29.:50:33.

Uefa said there were not happy. Disappointed by that? Disappointed,

:50:34.:50:39.

yes, we'll understand security issues around all games and the FAW

:50:40.:50:44.

has been charged by Uefa on that but we've put in a lot of mitigation on

:50:45.:50:48.

this because obviously it is about that future generation, it is about

:50:49.:50:52.

the inclusivity and it was hugely popular amongst the people in the

:50:53.:50:55.

ground, to see those young kids on the pitch. Some of those goals that

:50:56.:50:59.

were scored in front of the fans got as big a cheer as some of the other

:51:00.:51:04.

goals scored in the game. It was magical to see and it shows you that

:51:05.:51:07.

squad, that openness, that togetherness. The players have blown

:51:08.:51:12.

away those myths of the modern professional player they have shown

:51:13.:51:17.

huge courage, they have shown huge passion, leadership, friendliness

:51:18.:51:20.

and embracing the family ethic as well. It's an important point, that

:51:21.:51:25.

even being out in France for a couple of games the amount of

:51:26.:51:28.

youngsters, you were out there all the time, the amount of youngsters

:51:29.:51:32.

at the game, obviously there was a bit of trouble with time off school

:51:33.:51:37.

but there were thousands of under 15s and under 16s and that is key to

:51:38.:51:42.

the development of Welsh football. The memories of being a live games

:51:43.:51:46.

and seeing all this happening, that is key for the future of Welsh

:51:47.:51:49.

football. How will we gauge success? We speak

:51:50.:52:09.

about legacy. If we come back in a couple of years' time, how will we

:52:10.:52:13.

gauge success? Will it be the number of schoolchildren playing the game?

:52:14.:52:17.

For us, it is about participation as you say. We said two years ago that

:52:18.:52:22.

we were setting ambitious targets for young people to be playing the

:52:23.:52:26.

game, 50% of children playing football at least once a week,

:52:27.:52:29.

increasing our number of junior players playing twice a week from

:52:30.:52:35.

40,000 to 60,000. We have now got a recreational base in the adult game

:52:36.:52:40.

of 300,000 people as well. It is about the health of the game. There

:52:41.:52:48.

are successes and challenges as well. Especially in the senior game.

:52:49.:52:52.

I think these will some of the priorities identified with a funding

:52:53.:52:56.

that's now available through winning the prize money. Talking about the

:52:57.:53:01.

health of the game - we know that there are high levels of obesity in

:53:02.:53:06.

Wales - how does this play into making Wales a healthier nation?

:53:07.:53:11.

That's something we are talking very closely about... I will have to

:53:12.:53:16.

interrupt you, because the bus is leaving. The players and staff are

:53:17.:53:20.

on the bus. Let's hope they have not left anybody behind. With the words

:53:21.:53:24.

Diolch - Together We Are Stronger on the side. For the fans, who waited

:53:25.:53:30.

for quite some time, it has been a moment they will never forget. The

:53:31.:53:35.

bus will make its way to the centre of Cardiff, around 45 Minutes Drive

:53:36.:53:40.

from Cardiff airport. And if you think those crowds were big, well,

:53:41.:53:45.

in Cardiff there are many, many thousands of people lining the

:53:46.:53:49.

streets ready to welcome them. There are some holiday-makers pushing

:53:50.:53:55.

their trolleys off to the check-in. A rather bizarre experience for

:53:56.:53:59.

them. After Magaluf and they have got the Wales team here as well! --

:54:00.:54:08.

off to Magaluf! I am told that the players, and also the support staff,

:54:09.:54:12.

psychologists, physiotherapists, will be involved. Give us an idea of

:54:13.:54:18.

the scale of the operation? I think overall we have had about 100 staff

:54:19.:54:22.

out in France, either. Working with the east with the media, in terms of

:54:23.:54:27.

stakeholder engagement, in terms of logistical work as well to make sure

:54:28.:54:31.

that the squad can get to where they need to be and get into the hotel

:54:32.:54:36.

and up and running straightaway. It is a big operation. We are not a

:54:37.:54:40.

huge team, by any means. It is about making sure that all the staff have

:54:41.:54:46.

pulled out the stops to make sure they are working extremely hard.

:54:47.:54:48.

There will be a lot of tired people after this. They have got the

:54:49.:54:53.

euphoric nature of the tournament, but now they will be tired after

:54:54.:54:56.

this. Neil Warnock, thank you very much. What an afternoon. Children

:54:57.:55:01.

here, meeting their heroes. And they have been speaking to Iwan

:55:02.:55:07.

Griffiths. Iwan, over to you. Thank you, Tomos. Yes, it is starting to

:55:08.:55:13.

get a bit quieter now. We have got some passengers as well arriving,

:55:14.:55:17.

going through the arrivals here in Cardiff. I am joined by pupils from

:55:18.:55:22.

Fairfield primary school. What have you been up to over the last half in

:55:23.:55:27.

our? Well, Wales football team has just come out of their aeroplane,

:55:28.:55:34.

because they have been in the Euros. We have got all our books and shoes.

:55:35.:55:40.

Let's have a look at that shoe you have got on. Who has signed it?

:55:41.:55:46.

Bale, Ramsey, Williams... A bit of everybody. Yes. Is that something to

:55:47.:55:54.

treasure for ever? Yes. Who has signed your book? Bale, Ramzi...

:55:55.:56:02.

Describe exactly what was happening when they were coming through, the

:56:03.:56:08.

chanting and the singing? It was special, wasn't it? What have you

:56:09.:56:13.

made of the last four weeks did you enjoy it? Yes. Thank you very much

:56:14.:56:19.

for your time. I think you will remember it for ever. The players

:56:20.:56:24.

are moving on to the city and it is getting a bit quieter here. Let me

:56:25.:56:30.

just take you now to the centre of Cardiff. The scenes are pretty

:56:31.:56:41.

amazing. The news that the team have left the airport will no doubt

:56:42.:56:46.

excite this crowd. There are hundreds of Wales fans here. More

:56:47.:56:51.

are still arriving. You can get a sense that the team are getting

:56:52.:56:54.

nearer, the excitement and anticipation is building. There are

:56:55.:56:58.

absolutely loads of Wales football kits and flags out here. I have even

:56:59.:57:05.

seen a dog in a Wales football top. There were a few empty buses, they

:57:06.:57:11.

got a massive cheer. I can only imagine what reception the team will

:57:12.:57:14.

get when they arrive here soon themselves. Back to you come Tomos.

:57:15.:57:25.

I just want to thank my guests this afternoon, marked Jones to keep

:57:26.:57:28.

Jarju commentator and former manager. And Neil ward, from the FAW

:57:29.:57:36.

Trust. So, the players are back on home soil. Now the party can begin.

:57:37.:57:42.

Throughout the campaign, Wales have made new fans, from all over the

:57:43.:57:48.

country. The good luck messages have been pouring in. From all of us

:57:49.:57:56.

here, good afternoon. It has been a massive achievement

:57:57.:58:00.

what you boys are doing out there in France. Long may it continue. Pob

:58:01.:58:11.

lwc. Hopefully get the job done against, and go all the way. Good

:58:12.:58:20.

luck! Pob lwc! Together, stronger - let's do this. We are all rooting

:58:21.:58:36.

for you. Unbelievable! Aaron Ramsey for Wales!

:58:37.:58:54.

Keeping a welcome in the hillsides, I just want to wish all the lads

:58:55.:58:57.

You have made me and the rest of the country so incredibly,

:58:58.:59:01.

Hey, Wales, get ready to party your Hasselhoff,

:59:02.:59:04.

They have played superbly, and we wish them all the best.

:59:05.:59:16.

Good luck Wales in the semifinals from everyone at Y Gwyll,

:59:17.:59:18.

# Davies, Ledley, Taylor, Richards...

:59:19.:59:24.

Come on, boys, we can do this.

:59:25.:59:26.

I can't believe I've still got my Ledley beard this far

:59:27.:59:33.

We're going to Cardiff to see the fans back home,

:59:34.:59:51.

to be welcomed home as heroes, as they are, all of them.

:59:52.:59:54.

Chris Coleman and the boys are magic.

:59:55.:59:59.

COMMENTATOR: Gareth Bale strikes again!

:00:00.:00:03.

This piece of film is 100 years old. Anything familiar about it?

:00:04.:00:07.

"God speed the plough and the woman who drives it."

:00:08.:00:11.

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