Welsh football icon John Toshack has been diagnosed with dementia. His son, Cameron, disclosed the heart-wrenching news in a conversation with the Daily Mail. Currently serving as assistant manager at Buriram United in Thailand, Cameron confessed his father has “good days and bad days”.

However, he added that he can still remember entire team line-ups from matches he participated in many years ago. “It’s a terrible disease,” Cameron explained. “It’s the short-term memory where we’re seeing it – I speak to him most days and if we chat in the afternoon, he might not remember that we also spoke in the morning.”

“But if I ask him about the Liverpool days, or Sociedad or Madrid, the detail is amazing.

“The other day he was recounting a Real Madrid match against Arrigo Saachi’s AC Milan and precisely how he adjusted his midfield to counter Marco van Basten.

“The game could have been yesterday, his memory was so vivid.

“I’ll discuss with him what we’re doing in Thailand and he still offers great advice.

“As a manager, he could always anticipate two or three moves ahead, and it was always in the genes for me, really.”

Toshack was a bona fide football superstar during his playing career, having moved to Liverpool in 1970 in a £100,000 deal from Cardiff City.

At Anfield, he would secure nine trophies, including three First Division titles and a European Cup.

He then transitioned to Swansea City as player-manager, guiding the club to three promotions in four seasons.

The achievement of guiding them from the Fourth Division to the First Division prompted former Liverpool boss Bill Shankly to describe Toshack as the “manager of the century”.

Following his departure from south Wales, one of British football’s most diverse managerial careers would ensue.

Throughout his managerial career, he took charge of some of Europe’s most prestigious clubs – including Sporting Lisbon, Real Sociedad, Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruna, Besiktas and Saint-Etienne.

In Madrid, he secured the La Liga title in 1990.

He also enjoyed two spells as Wales manager. Initially on a brief part-time basis in 1994 and subsequently between 2004 and 2010, helping nurture the talents of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen during that second period.

The 77-year-old had experienced health complications in recent years after being admitted into intensive care in 2022, whilst battling pneumonia from complications arising from Covid.

Last year, he was recognised in a rare public appearance, receiving the Diamond and Gold badge – the highest accolade the La Liga club can bestow – from his former club Real Sociedad.

The poignant moment occurred before a match against another of his former clubs, Real Madrid.

The Welshman was given a standing ovation.