Toshack goes with youth

1:38pm Friday 16th May 2008

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WALES have produced a squad for two end-of-season friendlies that underlines the revolution John Toshack has doggedly masterminded according to coach Dean Saunders.

With the first World Cup qualifier in September, the Wales boss has got to a stage now when it is clear that the major decisions have been made in a massively rebuilt squad.

Wales have named 35 players for friendlies in Reykjavik against Iceland on May 28 and in Rotterdam against Holland on June 1.

And nobody can have much doubt now about who he wants to be with him during the campaign to reach South Africa 2010.

There are probably just five other players now who could seriously come into the reckoning.

Injured trio Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Gareth Bale will be welcomed back with open arms while the door is still open for out-of-touch Robert Earnshaw and Sunderland's young defender Danny Collins, named the fans' player of the year at the Stadium of Light.

Earnshaw has been left out for the second successive squad, while Collins has yet to tell Toshack whether he wants to play for his country again, having opted to concentrate on establishing himself in the Premier League with Sunderland.

But Toshack's quest for youth in three and a half years in control, has produced a squad with seven uncapped players, six in for the first time.

And there are 16 players with ten caps or less, eight teenagers and 13 others aged under 23.

Coach Saunders said: "I have been pleased to be here and seen how Tosh has done it. He has taken a lot of criticism but come September when the qualifiers start, we will see what he has been trying to do all along.

"A lot of the decisions have been made. We have got the average age right down.

"This squad is probably the one that we will be going into the qualifiers with, give or take a couple.

"It has been a remarkable turnaround. And watching what Tosh has been trying to do has been educational.

"He lost a lot of players who retired, and has given 29 players their first caps.

"It is a master class watching him build a new team. Instead of us stumbling from one failed championship to another failed championship, always starting again.

"We have a group of players now, average age 23, who can take Wales forward. It is going to happen. I may not be here to see it, but it will definitely happen.

"If we do not qualify for the next World Cup this same group will still be around when they are all 25, 26 or 27 together and with the best years of their careers ahead of them.'' Saunders continued: "The amount of players we have coming through will ensure that. A lot of these lads must be encouraged that Tosh has been prepared to give them their chance.

"None of them have let us down, and some have even got good transfer on the back of playing for the Under-21s and gone into the Premier League.

"That is what we want is for them to be playing against the best players in the world every week.

"We are now aiming for the starting line in September for the first World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan, knowing everything about everybody.''