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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Katie Sands

Wales and Liverpool legend John Toshack 'through initial crisis' but remains in intensive care

Welsh football legend John Toshack is hoping to be coming to the end of his stay in intensive care before moving to a hospital ward to recover from Covid.

The 72-year-old former Wales boss is being treated in hospital in Barcelona after being admitted last weekend with breathing difficulties. He has been battling pneumonia, brought on by Covid.

After spending days being intubated - where a tube through the mouth or nose keeps the airways open for air to pass through - there is now a positive update.

"Relative good news about John Toshack," Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague tweeted.

"After contracting Covid, he spent last six days intubated. Tubes have now been removed, but he's still requiring assistance with breathing John is expected to remain in intensive care next 3/4 days before being moved into the other wards

"Although he has now come through the initial crisis, it is likely to be a slow process before he recovers completely His wife Maite wants to thank the numerous messages of support from all over the world."

Toshack lives in Spain, following spells in management with Real Sociedad and two stints with European giants Real Madrid in the 1980s and 1990s.

He was last employed in football by Tractor in 2018, who operate in the Persian Gulf Pro League.

The former striker was also Wales manager briefly in 1994 and then from 2004 to 2010.

He has also worked all over Europe, with jobs in Turkey, France and Macedonia over the course of a 40-year managerial career

During his playing days, Toshack represented Cardiff City, Liverpool and Swansea City with distinction, helping the latter rise from the bottom tier all the way to the old Division One and come close to winning the league title whilst manager.

Cardiff-born Tosh earned 40 caps for his country, scoring 13 goals.

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