Source: FOOTYMAD
Adams Should Have Walked
Gary Speed accused Charlie Adams of causing severe injury to Sam Vokes Wales manager Gary Speed was not best pleased that Charlie Adam was not sent off for elbowing Sam Vokes on Wednesday night when they played Scotland at the Aviva Stadium. Wolves striker Vokes was unable to eat solid food on Thursday after a clash with the Scotland and Blackpool midfielder early in the second half of their Carling Nations Cup game in Dublin. Speed felt his players were given little protection by Northern Irish referee Raymond Crangle throughout the game which Wales 3-1 after going ahead in the first half. Vokes, winning his 17th cap, managed to play on until being substituted in the 72nd minute but was still feeling the effects the following day. Speed said: "He's on liquids only - he can't eat solids. That is how he is - that says it all. It's not good. He can't move his jaw, unfortunately. I am not one of these people who like to see yellow and red cards bandied about, but what I do want is my players protected and they weren't - not at all. There were about five or six fouls that went unpunished that if it had been a competitive game would have been yellow and red cards, definitely. He (Adam) should have gone. When it happened at the time, it was quick and I thought it could have been one of those things that happen but then I saw the video and it was a red card." Wednesday's game will have given Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington little insight into what to expect tonight as Speed has decided to make 10 changes for their final game of the competition. Swansea defender Neil Taylor - available because his domestic suspension precludes him from the Championship play-off final next week - is the only player retained the starting line-up. West Ham midfielder Jack Collison - who could still switch his allegiance to England - will win his eighth cap but his first for 14 months after overcoming a serious knee injury. Danny Gabbidon will win his first cap since coming out of international retirement following Speed's appointment last December. Leading forward Craig Bellamy will also start after overcoming a hamstring injury. Wales team v Northern Ireland: Hennessey, Gunter, Gabbidon, D Collins, Taylor, Vaughan, Collison, Ramsey, Cotterill, Morison, Bellamy.
