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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ian Mitchelmore

Simon Jordan slams Wales players for lacking 'class' in startling radio blast and says he'll be supporting Scotland in play-off

Simon Jordan wants Scotland to beat Wales in the World Cup play-off final following the reaction of Chris Coleman's side to England's Euro 2016 exit.

The Three Lions were beaten 2-1 by Iceland as they exited the European Championships at the last-16 stage in France six years ago. In the same tournament, Wales progressed to the semi-finals before losing 2-0 to eventual winners Portugal in Lyon.

Roy Hodgson resigned from his post as England boss immediately after the defeat to Iceland, and footage emerged on social media of Wales players celebrating the result. With Rob Page's side due to host either Scotland or Ukraine for a place at this year's Qatar World Cup, radio pundit Jordan has stated he will be supporting Steve Clarke's men should they make it to the Cardiff final on June 5.

Read more: Gareth Bale declared fit for Real Madrid's Champions League final with Liverpool as Ancelotti hints at dream swansong

"If you're asking me who I would like to see qualify in the Battle of Britain, I'd like the Scots," he told Talksport. "I don't particularly appreciate the Welsh and their ridicule of our performance at the 2016 European Championships. It might well have been funny, but there's a class.

"Fans go one way and players go another. We were seeing the Welsh national team celebrating the demise of the English national team. We weren't seeing the fans or idiot pundits, we were seeing the players themselves."

Wales are unbeaten in their last 18 matches on home soil and will be playing at a World Cup for the first time since 1958 if they emerge victorious in the June final. Gareth Bale is expected to be fit for the contest at Cardiff City Stadium, despite playing just 20 minutes of football for Real Madrid since Wales defeated Austria in the semi-finals on March 24.

And Jordan has said it will be the "end of Wales" if Bale does not once again deliver the goods for his country in the play-off final.

"They're a team that are carried by Gareth Bale, who, with respect, despite the fact I think his agent [Jonathan Barnett] is ghastly, with that to one side, I think Gareth Bale carries them, and I'm not a huge admirer of what he contributes to football in this last couple of years," added former Crystal Palace chairman Jordan.

"I think, Gareth Bale, once upon a time, going to Spain and performing at a level for Real Madrid, was phenomenal to watch.

"I think the last two or three years, he's wasted everyone's time, including his own. If he doesn't turn up in that game against Scotland, that's the end of Wales."

Bale is expected to be included in Real Madrid's squad for their Champions League final clash with Liverpool on Saturday. The Paris showdown could see him make his final appearance for the Spanish giants given that his contract expires in the summer.

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