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Last Updated: Wednesday, 26 January, 2005, 15:14 GMT
Toshack welcomes new Wales faces
John Toshack
Toshack's first Wales squad has a youthful look about it
John Toshack has named four uncapped players in his first Wales squad for a friendly with Hungary on 9 February.

West Ham midfielder Gavin Williams, plus defenders Sam Ricketts of Swansea, Sunderland's Danny Collins and Dave Partridge of Motherwell get the call.

But experienced goalkeeper Paul Jones, currently on loan at Watford from Wolves, has been left out.

Potential skipper Mark Delaney is ruled out with a knee injury, while James Collins is named Under-21 skipper.

Toshack included Newcastle's Craig Bellamy in the squad as well as Blackburn's Robbie Savage, who both criticised the new manager's potential appointment before the decision was made.

Toshack declined to comment on Bellamy's situation at Newcastle, where he has been sidelined after an argument with Magpies boss Graeme Souness, saying: "It is not something I want to comment on, I have named Craig and that is it."

Under-21 boss Bryan Flynn also included six uncapped players for the Uefa Championship qualifier at Wrexham on 8 February.

Gavin Williams
Gavin Williams moved to West Ham from Yeovil this season

They are Lee Jon Beevers (Boston), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby), Joe Ledley (Cardiff), Tony Pulis (Portsmouth), Andy Crofts (Gillingham) and Craig Davies (Oxford).

Toshack has largely stuck with the squad that served previous manager Mark Hughes, although several senior players have since retired from international football.

Manchester City left-back Ben Thatcher is not included because he is suspended for Wales' next three competitive games.

Toshack will need to name a new captain following Gary Speed's international retirement, but may delay that announcement until closer to the Millennium Stadium game.

John Hartson and Ryan Giggs are thought to be the leading contenders, with Delaney's injury keeping him out of the equation.

Toshack has spoken of his desire to blood more youngsters, but he would rather see the likes of Cardiff defender James Collins, Richard Duffy, Andrew Crofts and Lewis Price play in the competitive Under-21 international against Germany.

Wales' next competitive match is at home to Austria in a Group Six World Cup qualifier on Saturday, 26 March.


Wales squad to play Hungary in a friendly at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff on 9 February: Coyne (Burnley), Crossley (Fulham), Collins (Sunderland), Edwards (Wolves), Gabbidon (Cardiff), Page (Cardiff), Partridge (Motherwell), Ricketts (Swansea), Roberts (Tranmere), Weston (Cardiff), Davies (Tottenham), Fletcher (West Ham), Giggs (Man Utd), Koumas (West Brom), Robinson (Sunderland), Savage (Blackburn), Williams (West Ham), Bellamy (Newcastle), Earnshaw (West Brom), Hartson (Celtic).

Wales Under-21 squad to play Germany in Uefa Championship Group Six qualifier at Wrexham on 8 February: Price (Ipswich), Worgan (Rushden), Beevers (Boston), Collins (capt, Cardiff), Duffy (Portsmouth), Gilbert (Plymouth), Morgan (Wrexham), Nyatanga (Derby), Fowler (Huddersfield), Ledley (Cardiff), Pipe (Notts County), Pulis (Portsmouth), Vaughan (Crewe), Birchall (Arsenal), Calliste (Man Utd), Crofts (Gillingham), Davies (Oxford), Tolley (Shrewsbury).




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