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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hartson ruled out of Cyprus tie | Hartson ruled out of Cyprus tie |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Striker John Hartson will not be added to Wales' squad for Wednesday's Euro 2008 game with Cyprus in Cardiff. | Striker John Hartson will not be added to Wales' squad for Wednesday's Euro 2008 game with Cyprus in Cardiff. |
| Manager John Toshack spoke to him after the 5-1 loss to Slovakia, but the West Brom star was not deemed fit enough after just 45 minutes play last month. | Manager John Toshack spoke to him after the 5-1 loss to Slovakia, but the West Brom star was not deemed fit enough after just 45 minutes play last month. |
| Toshack will not try to entice midfielders Robbie Savage or Gary Speed back into the national squad either. | Toshack will not try to entice midfielders Robbie Savage or Gary Speed back into the national squad either. |
| Ryan Giggs' hamstring injury has, as expected, ruled him out again, meaning Craig Bellamy continues as captain. | Ryan Giggs' hamstring injury has, as expected, ruled him out again, meaning Craig Bellamy continues as captain. |
| That is despite the fact that the Liverpool front man faces an assault trial in Cardiff starting on Tuesday that is expected to last for three days. | That is despite the fact that the Liverpool front man faces an assault trial in Cardiff starting on Tuesday that is expected to last for three days. |
| There is no point now in looking back to people and then in 12 months time having to change them and start again John Toshack | There is no point now in looking back to people and then in 12 months time having to change them and start again John Toshack |
| Wales' young squad are short in defence, with James Collins, Mark Delaney and Sam Ricketts still out injured, and Rob Page having recently retired. | Wales' young squad are short in defence, with James Collins, Mark Delaney and Sam Ricketts still out injured, and Rob Page having recently retired. |
| Cardiff midfielder cum wing-back Joe Ledley could come into contention, but if he was used in defence his favoured position would be on the left where Gareth Bale was one of the few to impress against Slovakia. | Cardiff midfielder cum wing-back Joe Ledley could come into contention, but if he was used in defence his favoured position would be on the left where Gareth Bale was one of the few to impress against Slovakia. |
| Another Cardiff man, Paul Parry, is pushing for a place up front, with Rob Earnshaw under threat having been replaced by Parry at half-time on Saturday. | Another Cardiff man, Paul Parry, is pushing for a place up front, with Rob Earnshaw under threat having been replaced by Parry at half-time on Saturday. |
| Wigan striker David Cotterill, 18, is also in contention for a first competitive start. | |
| Veteran keeper Paul Jones will also be sweating on his place after a nightmare display against the Slovaks, with youngsters Lewis Price and Jason Brown eager to claim his jersey. | Veteran keeper Paul Jones will also be sweating on his place after a nightmare display against the Slovaks, with youngsters Lewis Price and Jason Brown eager to claim his jersey. |
| Midfielder Carl Fletcher faces a fitness test on his ankle on Monday and is a major doubt for Cyprus. | |
| Hartson is still keen to revive his international career and will be considered for forthcoming Euro 2008 ties. | Hartson is still keen to revive his international career and will be considered for forthcoming Euro 2008 ties. |
| People keep asking the same old questions about Speed and Savage, but it would be a backward step Former Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe Ratcliffe on Wales v Slovakia | People keep asking the same old questions about Speed and Savage, but it would be a backward step Former Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe Ratcliffe on Wales v Slovakia |
| "John Hartson is the only one who has rung me to say he wants to come out of retirement, there have been rumours about Gary Speed but I have not heard from him," said Toshack. | "John Hartson is the only one who has rung me to say he wants to come out of retirement, there have been rumours about Gary Speed but I have not heard from him," said Toshack. |
| "We cannot go backwards, there is no point now in looking back to people and then in 12 months time having to change them and start again - we have to push on now." | "We cannot go backwards, there is no point now in looking back to people and then in 12 months time having to change them and start again - we have to push on now." |
| Toshack's thinking was supported by former Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe. | Toshack's thinking was supported by former Wales captain Kevin Ratcliffe. |
| "People keep asking the same old questions about Speed and Savage, but it would be a backward step," Ratcliffe told BBC Sport Wales. | "People keep asking the same old questions about Speed and Savage, but it would be a backward step," Ratcliffe told BBC Sport Wales. |
| Toshack will have to do without skipper Giggs again | Toshack will have to do without skipper Giggs again |
| "Toshack has set his stall out, he's trying to build and give his young players experience." | "Toshack has set his stall out, he's trying to build and give his young players experience." |
| The Wales boss had held onto the slim hope that Manchester United star Giggs might return for the Cyprus match, but those chances have now been dashed. | The Wales boss had held onto the slim hope that Manchester United star Giggs might return for the Cyprus match, but those chances have now been dashed. |
| "I called Ryan, he was supposed to be starting training on Monday," said Toshack. | "I called Ryan, he was supposed to be starting training on Monday," said Toshack. |
| "But he told me he'd been in bed with a fever for two days and may not even be able to do that. He won't be joining us." | "But he told me he'd been in bed with a fever for two days and may not even be able to do that. He won't be joining us." |
| Wales squad for Euro 2008 qualifier against Cyprus (11 Oct; Millennium Stadium, Cardiff; 2000 BST): | Wales squad for Euro 2008 qualifier against Cyprus (11 Oct; Millennium Stadium, Cardiff; 2000 BST): |
| Goalkeepers: Paul Jones (QPR), Jason Brown (Blackburn), Lewis Price (Ipswich)Defenders: Gareth Bale (Southampton), Danny Gabbidon (West Ham), Richard Duffy (Portsmouth), Rob Edwards (Wolves), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby), Ryan Valentine (Wrexham), Craig Morgan (MK Dons)Midfielders: Mark Jones (Wrexham), Andrew Crofts (Gillingham), Simon Davies (Everton), Carl Fletcher (Crystal Palace), Jason Koumas (West Brom), Carl Robinson (Norwich), Joe Ledley (Cardiff), David Vaughan (Crewe), Paul Parry (Cardiff), Arron Davies (Yeovil), Chris Llewellyn (Wrexham)Strikers: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool, capt), David Cotterill (Wigan), Rob Earnshaw (Norwich). | Goalkeepers: Paul Jones (QPR), Jason Brown (Blackburn), Lewis Price (Ipswich)Defenders: Gareth Bale (Southampton), Danny Gabbidon (West Ham), Richard Duffy (Portsmouth), Rob Edwards (Wolves), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby), Ryan Valentine (Wrexham), Craig Morgan (MK Dons)Midfielders: Mark Jones (Wrexham), Andrew Crofts (Gillingham), Simon Davies (Everton), Carl Fletcher (Crystal Palace), Jason Koumas (West Brom), Carl Robinson (Norwich), Joe Ledley (Cardiff), David Vaughan (Crewe), Paul Parry (Cardiff), Arron Davies (Yeovil), Chris Llewellyn (Wrexham)Strikers: Craig Bellamy (Liverpool, capt), David Cotterill (Wigan), Rob Earnshaw (Norwich). |
| Cyprus squad: | Cyprus squad: |
| Goakeepers: Michalis Morphis (Apoel), Antonis T. Giorgallidi (Anorthosis)Defenders: Marinos Satsias (Apoel), Lambros Lambrou (Anorthosis), Loukas Louka (Anorthosis), Andreas Constantinou (AEK Larnaca), Christos Theofilou (Apollon), Ilias Charalambous (PAOK Thessaloniki)Midfielders: Georgios Theodotou (Omonia), Chrysostomos Michail (Apoel), Konstantinos Charalampidis (Panathinaikos), Marios Ilia (Apoel), Alexandros G. Garpozis (Xanthi), Konstantinos Makridis (Apoel)Strikers: Ioannis Okkas (OIympiakos), Michalis Constantinou (Olympiakos), Yiasoumis Yiasoumi (PAOK Thessaloniki), Efstathios Aloneftis (Larisa), Nektarios Alexandrou (Lasrisa). | Goakeepers: Michalis Morphis (Apoel), Antonis T. Giorgallidi (Anorthosis)Defenders: Marinos Satsias (Apoel), Lambros Lambrou (Anorthosis), Loukas Louka (Anorthosis), Andreas Constantinou (AEK Larnaca), Christos Theofilou (Apollon), Ilias Charalambous (PAOK Thessaloniki)Midfielders: Georgios Theodotou (Omonia), Chrysostomos Michail (Apoel), Konstantinos Charalampidis (Panathinaikos), Marios Ilia (Apoel), Alexandros G. Garpozis (Xanthi), Konstantinos Makridis (Apoel)Strikers: Ioannis Okkas (OIympiakos), Michalis Constantinou (Olympiakos), Yiasoumis Yiasoumi (PAOK Thessaloniki), Efstathios Aloneftis (Larisa), Nektarios Alexandrou (Lasrisa). |