WALES youth supremo Brian Flynn believes this week was an excellent one for Welsh football, despite his Under-21 side suffering a heavy defeat.

Flynn's side were beaten 4-0 by Germany in a World Cup qualifier in Wrexham, but the senior side enjoyed better fortune, recording a 2-0 win over Hungary in John Toshack's first game in charge.

Toshack was critical of the performance of the under-21s after the senior match, commenting that they had endured "a bad day at the office" but Flynn believes both he and Toshack can take many positives out of their first competitive week at the helm.

Flynn explained: "Looking at everything, it was a very encouraging week for a number of reasons and I think we can be pleased with how things went.

"Players such as Sam Ricketts who made their senior debuts acquitted themselves extremely well and showed that we have talent coming through who will be able to fill the gaps in the squad created by the retirement of certain players.

"Not all players who come through the ranks will be ready at a young age like Danny Gabbidon. Some boys like Ricketts (who is 24) and Danny Collins (also 24) will be late bloomers like Mark Delaney was and it was important that we took a chance on them and they didn't let anyone down.

"The entire performance by the senior side gives us cause for optimism. It was nice to get off to a good start in what was a good competitive fixture.

"But I was also very pleased with how the under-21s bedded in as a group, despite the fact that James Collins, for example, had a very strong claim for a place in the seniors.

"They all got on with their jobs very professionally, which augers well for the future with the club atmosphere we are trying to create.

"Players like Joe Ledley showed that we have under-19 players with the ability to step up a level and they all realise that if for the next game they find themselves back with the under-19s, it is not a demotion, it is just a case of looking at the best way to further their long-term international development.

"It may still be early days, but I firmly believe that what we saw this week gives us real cause for encouragement. Things have started well."