WALES hitman John Hartson says Gwent's Paul Parry can fill Ryan Giggs' boots and be the man to supply him with the ammunition to sink Azerbaijan in the opening World Cup 2006 qualifier on Saturday in Baku.

Hartson said: "He has done brilliant. Obviously I haven't played with him yet and this is the first time I have met him because I have been out through injury, but I have watched him in the friendly games and he has done brilliant.

"He is in the Cardiff City side and getting league football and looks to be comfortable on the ball and very strong going forward.

"So I don't think there will be any problem if Sparky (Mark Hughes) plays him because I have no doubt he can handle it."

Parry, from Monmouth, has not started a match for Cardiff this season but Hartson believes he can establish himself in the Bluebirds side and continue to improve as a player.

He said: "He has made the jump from non-league to the Championship and that is not easy and he can stay in the Cardiff side now because other people have shown that it can be done.

"Mark Delaney came from non-league as well and he has moved on again. So if Paul keeps doing well at Cardiff or wherever, he will move on a level as well."

The 29-year-old striker made a scoring return to the Wales side in the 2-0 victory in Latvia two weeks ago after a three month lay-off with a back injury.

He is fit and raring to get Wales off to a flier in Baku and put the disappointment of the Euro 2004 play-off defeat to Russia behind them. He said: "It is the start of a new campaign and all the boys are optimistic. I am looking forward to it.

"I think we need to get off to a right good start like the last campaign and it will give us a chance of qualifying.

"It was disappointing at the end last time out but that's all behind us now and what we have to cling to is that if we get in that position again (the play-offs) we can use the experience that we gained."

England may be on the horizon but Hartson is sticking to the footballer's mantra of taking each game as it comes.

"Obviously it will be in the back of people's minds because it is such an exciting game to look forward to. "But that game is three games away so we will think about that when it comes around.

"We have to take it game by game. Even the Northern Ireland game on Wednesday has to be put off because we have a job to do on Saturday."

He added: "It will be a difficult game for us. They have a new manager and will be a better side than the one we beat home and away last time out.

"We don't want to be playing catch-up right away and relying on other teams doing a job for us. We will be aiming in to win the group.

"We will have to wait and see how the group progresses but there are no thoughts about going for second place."