 John Toshack is confident the new Wales structure will reap rewards |
New Wales manager John Toshack has set himself the goal of qualifying for a major championship. "I will be bitterly disappointed with myself if we don't qualify for either the 2008 European Championships or the 2010 World Cup," Toshack said.
However, Toshack has written off the current World Cup campaign with Wales on just two points from four games.
"I think we're all realistic enough to know that this World Cup qualifying campaign has slipped away from us."
Group Six leaders England lead on 10 points and Poland are second on nine, with both having already beaten the Welsh in Mark Hughes' last two games in charge.
Wales have not qualified for a major championship since the 1958 World Cup.
Former Real Madrid boss Toshack expects to have critics gunning for him after radically changing the Wales management set-up and says people are waiting for him to fail.
 |  I just felt this structure was right for us |
"All managers are judged on criteria and the most important one of all is results," Toshack said.
"I know there will be a lot of people out there just sharpening up their bayonets, but that doesn't concern me - it motivates me more than anything."
Ian Rush, Glyn Hodges, Mark Aizlewood, Kevin Ratcliffe and Clayton Blackmore have all lost their coaching positions, while Neville Southall resigned from his role with the Under-19s.
In instead as first-team assistants have come former Liverpool boss Roy Evans and Toshack's former number two at Real Sociedad, Salva Iriarte.
Ex-Wrexham and Swansea boss Brian Flynn will be in overall charge of Wales' Under-21, Under-19 and Under-17 sides.
Flynn will be aided by two part-time assistants, Swansea youth coach Alan Curtis and one other to be named.
Joey Jones had been asked to fill the role, but turned it down as he felt his fear of flying would limit his usefulness.
"We're just looking for another assistant for Flynnie (Brian Flynn) now and then we'll have a team that hopefully will be able to bring some success," Toshack added.
"I just felt this structure was right for us and hopefully by doing this we'll bring all the four teams closer together.
"I just can't wait to get started now."
MMIX
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