WALES will prepare for their Euro 2012 double-header against Monte-negro and England from their new training base in Newport.

Gary Speed and his players have ditched their long-term home at the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel in favour of the Celtic Manor and will train at Newport County’s Spytty Park ground next week.

Wales have been based at the Vale, off junction 34 of the M4, for nearly a decade under previous managers including Mark Hughes and John Toshack.

But, having seen his side slip to a record low of 117 in the latest FIFA rankings, Speed has decided it is time for a fresh start as he targets qualification for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

And, having watched Europe’s fantastic victory over USA in the Ryder Cup last year, Speed is perhaps hoping that some of the positive vibes can rub off on his young squad.

“We’re just freshening things up and giving the players a bit of a change,” said the Wales boss as he named his squad at Celtic Manor yesterday.

“We’re very pleased with what the Vale has done for us but a change is as good as a rest and hopefully the players can respond to that.

“Nothing is set in stone yet, the future is undecided but it’s a change of environment and we will be training at Newport Stadium next week.”

Next summer’s European finals in Poland and Ukraine are out of reach but Speed is looking forward to testing himself against group frontrunners Montenegro at the Cardiff City Stadium on September 2 and England at Wembley on September 6.

He’s hoping for an improvement on the performance in the recent 2-1 friendly defeat to Australia.

“We didn’t create as much as we would have liked against Australia and that was disappointing,” he said.

“It’s something we’ll be working on. We’re trying to get the ball up the pitch a little bit quicker and get into the positions to score goals.”

Speed is not concerned about Jack Collison’s commitment to the Welsh cause.

The Essex-born midfielder, who qualifies through his Bedwellty grandfather, has won nine caps since making his debut in 2008 but has yet to make a competitive appearance for Wales, meaning he could still opt to represent England if the opportunity arises.

The temptation for Speed must be to do all he can to get Collison on the pitch at some stage during the next two games but he insists he has no doubts about the 22-year-old’s loyalty to his adopted nation.

“It’s not in my mind one little bit,” he said. “Knowing him over the last seven or eight months he’s fully committed and the way he played against Australia in the second half when he came on I’m sure he will be pushing for a starting place against Montenegro.

“We’re fortunate to be in a position where we have a lot of quality in midfield and Jack is an important part of that.”

Wales squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Montenegro on September 2 and England on September 6: Hennessey (Wolves), Myhill (West Brom), Blake (Cardiff), D Collins (Stoke), J Collins (Aston Villa), Eardley (Blackpool), Gabbidon (QPR), Gunter (Nottm Forest), Matthews (Celtic), Taylor (Swansea), Williams (Swansea), Allen (Swansea), Bale (Tottenham), Collison (West Ham), Crofts (Norwich), King (Leicester), Ledley (Celtic), Ramsey (Arsenal), Robson-Kanu (Reading), Vaughan (Sunderland), Bellamy (Man City), Church (Reading), Earnshaw (Cardiff), Morison (Norwich).