CRAIG Bellamy has dropped a major hint to departing Wales boss Mark Hughes to restore him to the front rather than sticking him out on the right wing again.

Speaking at a press gathering yesterday, which after the mauling in Manchester by England resembled something like a funeral parlour, Bellamy was downbeat but outspoken as usual.

He said: "I am playing that position for my club at the moment (Newcastle United) but I am not a winger, anyone who knows football knows that.

"But you've got to do a job to the best of your ability and I tried to do that but at the end of the day, I fell short because Ashley Cole (England's left back) is too good a full back."

Bellamy should be restored to the frontline for tomorrow night's make-or-break clash with Poland at the Millennium Stadium.

And after three morale-busting results on the bounce ellamy is hoping to ease the pain.

He said: "We are disappointed but the best thing about football is that you have a game straight away and a chance to restore some pride because it really took a dent on Saturday.

"There is no doubt that this is a must-win game because if we don't win there's a chance that it (the World Cup) would be all over for us."

Many critics have slated Wales for not showing typically Welsh values, hwyl and passion, at Old Trafford on Saturday but the livewire forward believes there is more than that required.

He said: "Not only pride and passion gets you through. You need ability on the ball and to make decisions at the right time.

"We haven't done that in the last three games but hopefully we can on Wednesday."

Meanwhile tough-tackling full back Ben Thatcher, who was involved in a couple of clashes with David Beckham which resulted in the Real Madrid star breaking a rib, admitted that he is "hurting" over the pitiful display against England but does not feel the play-offs are beyond Wales.

He said: "After all the build up for Saturday's game, it was disappointing.

"I had been looking forward to it since the draw came out, but it has been and gone now.

"There is no major panic, no doom and gloom. England are a very good international side who expected to win.

"We would have liked to pick up a positive result but it just means that it is vitally important to win on Wednesday and get ourselves right back in the group."

He added: "I am not sure if it is last-chance saloon just yet but if we do win, we would be back in the race. "Then if we beat Austria home and away we are right in it.

"It is just a shame we had those two draws with Azerbaijan and Northern Ireland because it make things look worse that they are.

"Every other country in the group are in the same boat bar England and we need to scrap it out for second place."