Defeat costs Wales 5.9m

WALES soccer chief David Collins warned that his association would have to tighten their belts after the failure of Mark Hughes’ side to win their way to the Euro 2004 finals.

Wales lost agonisingly 1-0 at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium against the Russians, and the FA of Wales’ secretary general said: “This has cost us a minimum of Stg£3.5 million (5.9m).

“That is the prize money we would have got for qualifying. Now there will have to be a re-assessment on the financial side as this is going to have a major impact. It will not affect the squad, but there will have to be belt tightening,” he said.