Wayne Hennessey(left) and Boaz Myhill leave Wales with a goalkeeping dilemma

By Peter Shuttleworth

The Welsh national team is in safe hands.

Wales, for the first time in a dozen years, can boast two top-flight goalkeeping regulars - a selection headache many of John Toshack's managerial predecessors could only have dreamed about.

And the battle of the Welsh internationals takes a new twist at Molineux on Saturday when Wayne Hennessey goes head-to-head with Boaz Myhill for the first time as Wolverhampton Wanderers host Hull City in the Premier League.

This year will be a massive mental test for Wayne as he must deal with the criticism from the almost inevitable mistakes he will make as a young keeper Goalkeeping great Neville Southall

Hennessey, 22 and 6ft 5in, has been hotly tipped as a top-class keeper and this season, when he will be against some of the world's finest players in arguably the world's best league, is crucial for him at Wolves.

Myhill, meanwhile, excelled when the Tigers roared at the start of their first Premier League season last year but was dropped as Hull slipped into freefall.

So the 26-year-old will want to prove he has learned lessons.

"Two Welsh keepers playing regularly in the top-flight has been a long time in coming," said Welsh great Neville Southall, once regarded as the world's best keeper.

"But it has got to be good for Wales as the higher up a player is in the English league, the better the player develops into."

Wales were spoilt with Southall but the number one jersey has often been their problem position.

Not since Southall was between the sticks for Everton and Nottingham Forest's last line of defence was Mark Crossley in the 1997/98 season, were there two Welshmen playing consistently in the top flight.

Hennessey's footballing hero is Southall and the Wolves number one still cannot quite believe that Wales' most-capped international is now a fan.

Neville Southall was, at his peak, arguably the world's best goalkeeper

Hennessey has played more than 100 professional games and is a renowned shot-stopper as well as boasting a commanding presence.

And Southall, a two-time English league and FA Cup winner, says Hennessey must spend as much time in the classroom as on the training field to reach the next level.

"Wayne will find it a huge step up this season," said Southall.

"The quality into the box will be better, the strikers are more deadly and more intelligent and the whole matchday, including the build-up and aftermath, is far more intense and mentally exhausting.

"Every Premier League game will be more intense and better quality than most internationals games

"But Wayne must be clued-up upstairs and do his homework on how strikers or penalty-takers finish.

"When you're faced with Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard or Jermain Defoe coming at you, you must have an idea of how they prefer to finish.

"He must have an idea if the striker will go for power, try to chip or go around him. Nowadays every move a player makes is videoed so he must get DVDs of opposition strikers' preferred finishing techniques.

"They are all clever finishers but they want the keeper to make the first move. It's a game of chess so you must be intelligent as if you're not mentally sharp, you're going to get found out.

"If he does his homework and is strong mentally, there is no reason why he can't be a top four keeper.

"This year will be a massive mental test for Wayne as he must deal with the criticism from the almost inevitable mistakes he will make as a young keeper as Premier League footage is beamed around the world.

Boaz is a good all-round decent and consistent keeper but he is not in Wayne's class Goalkeeping great Neville Southall

"The Championship doesn't have the hype of the Premier League and its amazing what a few mistakes can do to your reputation.

"But I always think that mistakes take players one step closer to perfection as they will never that error again - but if you continue to make the same mistakes, there is a fundamental flaw in what you're doing.

"On the flip side, if Wayne has a good consistent season you'll be surprised how many football people around the world will know about him.

"He must hopes his manager and everyone will be patient to allow him to develop because he is now in the full glare of the sporting spotlight.

"But Wayne has the world at his feet but he needs to make the right steps as remember he's only 22, so his peak is still 10 years away."

Myhill, the 6ft 3in Californian-born former Aston Villa trainee, is renowned for his agility and shot stopping as well as his ability to communicate with his defence.

But Southall considers the Hull goalie as Hennessey's long-term Wales back-up.

"Boaz is a good all-round decent and consistent keeper but he is not in Wayne's class," Southall told BBC Sport.

"He's what I call a 'steady Eddie.' He went through his baptism of fire with Hull last season when he was dropped. He showed good strength of character to win his place back.

"Boaz, though, has not got Wayne's presence, he has not got Wayne's X-Factor.

"Wayne fills the goal better - and presence is what you need to be a top Premier League keeper, Petr Cech at Chelsea is the best example."

So if you listen to the greatest Welsh number one, Wales' long-term goalkeeping future is Wayne's world.

*Catch the weekend's Welsh football action live on BBC Radio Wales Sport. Full commentary of Doncaster v Cardiff City (SE FM), Swansea City v Watford (SW FM) and Forest Green v Wrexham (N FM and online) from 1330 BST on Saturday.

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