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INFLUENTIAL: Gwent's West Ham pair James Collins, left, and Danny Gabbidon are crucial to John Toshack's World Cup plans but both defenders are still struggling with long-term injuries

Wales boss John Toshack fears his World Cup plans will be wrecked by the long-term injury absences of four of his top stars as his team gets ready for their away friendly with Luxembourg tonight (kick off 7.15pm).

And he has now virtually put a May deadline on knowing whether he will have his key men for the opening qualifiers for South Africa 2010, with crunch games against Russia and Germany at the beginning of next term.

Toshack will send out an experimental side tonight in the Stade Josy Barthel for a friendly that will give him the chance to run the rule over a host of fringe players from the lower divisions.

But it is his three West Ham players - Craig Bellamy, Danny Gabbidon and James Collins - plus youngster Gareth Bale at Tottenham, who are giving him serious concerns.

And Toshack revealed that before he names his squad for two friendlies in May against Iceland and Holland, he aims to have held crunch talks with their respective club managers over their fitness prospects.

Collins is not expected back until October after a cruciate knee operation, Bellamy is still fighting for fitness after yet another groin operation, while Gabbidon is still suffering from a long-term groin problem.

Bale has a long-term ankle injury that has ruined the beginning of his Spurs career.

The quartet are vital to Toshack, and he is growing increasingly concerned about whether he will see any of them for the big games coming up.

Toshack said: "We are very concerned about the Collins-Gabbidon injury situation in central defence. While our top striker Bellamy has also been out for a very long time.

"We have spent three years working on a defensive plan and it is worrying and disappointing that we are without them and they have the problems they have.

"There seems no real sign of Gabbidon coming back at all, Collins we know will be out until at least September with his cruciate knee injury.

"The centre-back situation has become an area where we need to be concerned. We have thrown in Craig Morgan, but it is a big step up from where he is playing (at Peterborough) to face the likes of Russia and Germany in the qualifiers next season.

"We also have Gareth Bale out long term, it's five months since he last played for us.

"Any international team would miss four players of that quality, but for us it really is a major blow."

Hull goalkeeper Boaz Myhill and Stockport defender Ashley Williams are expected to make their Wales debuts here. That will make it 28 players that Toshack has capped in his 31 matches as Wales boss.

* The match is on live on S4C with coverage starting from 7pm

10:42am Wednesday 26th March 2008

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