Wales vs Slovakia reaction: Stand-in goalkeeper Danny Ward hails 'crazy year' after unexpected Euro 2016 appearance

Ward’s appearance ensured this has been a 12-month season for him having begun it on 2 July playing a Europa League first qualifying round in Macedonia for Aberdeen

Glenn Moore
Bordeaux
Sunday 12 June 2016 17:52 EDT
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(Getty)

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At the start of this season goalkeeper Danny Ward had never kept a clean sheet in a senior match, not that he had played very many, just five, on loan to League Two Morecambe in the spring of 2015.

On Saturday he was handed the gloves for Wales’ biggest match in more than half-a-century, their Euro 2016 opener against Slovakia. First capped in March this was his maiden international start.

While not quite as meteoric a rise as Marcus Rashford’s it has been, admitted Ward after Wales had achieved a historic win through goals from Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu, ‘a crazy year’.

Ward failed to keep a clean sheet on Saturday too, but could not be faulted for Ondrej Duda’s goal and otherwise gave a mature, solid performance behind a resilient Welsh backline. Whether he gets a second chance against England in Lens on Thursday depends on whether Wayne Hennessey recovers from the back spasm that kept him out of the Slovakia tie.

Hennessey’s bad night was capped when he missed the post-match celebrations as he was chosen for a drug test, but he was positive about his prospects for Thursday. "It is one of those things, but it is a quick turn around. You go from broke to mended in about 24 hours. I had a similar (spasm) and missed the Liverpool game at home for Crystal Palace. So I'll have an injection now and I will probably be back in 24 hours, which sounds crazy.”

Manager Chris Coleman was, however, less certain. “Wayne tweaked his back and was in no condition to play, but he has had it before and recovered quite quickly. I hope he can play some part [in the rest of the group stages].”

“I am not expecting anything,” said Ward. “I will just go about my business again as normal, whether Wayne is fit or I play or Owain Fon Williams [the squad’s other ‘keeper] we will all support each other.”

Ward’s appearance ensured this has been a 12-month season for him having begun it on 2 July playing a Europa League first qualifying round in Macedonia for Aberdeen. That was a 1-1 draw, the following week he achieved his first clean sheet as the Dons eased past Shkendija on away goals.

“Times have changed,” he said with a grin. “That’s football, it can change in a blink of an eye. It has been a crazy year. Hopefully I can keep getting more experiences.”

His performances at Aberdeen won him inclusion in the Welsh senior squad, a debut, and a recall to Liverpool and first start for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Nevertheless, it is a thin ledger of experience to draw upon when thrust into a match as huge as Saturday’s.

“I wouldn’t say it was intimidating, more excitement,” he said. “As a player you want to be involved in big occasions like this, on the world stage, and the fact you are doing it for your country is a special feeling.

“It became clear I was playing about a couple of hours before the game. I knew Wayne was struggling but regardless of whether he is 100% fit, 50% fit, or completely out you have to go about your business as normal, go out and train hard all through the week and hope you get the chance - and when you do you have got to grab it with both hands.”

He did that. Coleman said “For Danny to come into that atmosphere and perform like that was outstanding.” Hennessey added: "I thought he did really well. Obviously it is a big situation for him to come in but I thought he was tremendous.”

So unexpected was his inclusion Ward’s family were not in France, “I didn’t ring them,” he said. “I just fired a message over. I didn’t really fancy a phone call. They were probably more nervous than me knowing my old man.”

Ward insisted the identity of Wales’ next opponents did ‘not make the match any bigger’. He added: “It is just another game of football, you have to go out and give your all to get the three points.” It sounds a cliche, indeed, he admitted it was, but given the composure he showed on Saturday it may, for Ward at least, be true.

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