MEMBERS of the Wales squad are united in their support for under-fire manager Mark Hughes, pictured, with Celtic's John Hartson describing any potential change in management as "a massive step backward for Welsh football".

Wales tackle Belarus at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday in their final Group Five qualifying match and the players are desperate to avoid the unlucky 13.

Hughes side have now gone 12 matches without a win, one of the worst sequences of results in Welsh football's history, and the players are desperate to win with their manager under pressure.

After Wales' 3-2 defeat to Norway last month, when they twice gave away the lead, local radio stations' switchboards were jammed with frustrated callers demanding Hughes' resignation and the squad as a whole is desperate to ease the pressure on him.

Wales' Player of the Year Hartson may be warming his club's bench behind in-form strikers Chris Sutton and Henrik Larrson, but he was passionate about any criticism aimed at the national manager.

"I think if anything was to happen to Mark in a managerial sense, it would be a massive backward step for Welsh football, I really do," he said.

"He has only been in the job for 18 months, Alex Ferguson needed time when he went to Manchester United and Mark also needs time to adjust.

"He must be given time and although he hasn't had the results, and let's face it people will look at the results, but if you ask any of these players they will tell you he is the only man for the job."

Wales' Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy even described Hughes as having the 'hardest job in football' and added: "He has got very limited people he can pick from and it's virtually impossible to lay any blame at his door because he has one of the hardest jobs in international football."

Captain Gary Speed was indignant when asked if he backed his manager, pointing out: "The lads are excited about the progress that has been made within the team and hopefully we can make all the hard work Mark has put in pay off."

Aston Villa defender Mark Delaney said: "What the gaffer has done is introduce new players into the international fold, like myself. We've now got vital experience."

Goalkeeper Paul Jones leant his weight, adding: "I cannot pinpoint a reason for our bad run. No team has hammered us - our defeats have only been by the odd-goal."