Wales outcast Robbie Savage says manager John Toshack should not be so quick to judge the commitment of Manchester City defender Ben Thatcher. Savage, 30, has not played for Wales since criticising the new regime and it seems Thatcher has now been frozen out.
"There's talk about people showing commitment, but John Toshack walked out after four days on the first attempt at the job," said the Blackburn player.
"So it amazes me how he can criticise Ben's commitment."
Although it was not four days, Toshack served as part-time Wales manager for just 47 days in 1994 - losing his only game 3-1 at home to Norway - before resigning.
The former Real Madrid boss was reappointed Wales manager in November 2004, succeeding Mark Hughes - who is now in charge of Savage at Blackburn.
Toshack leads an injury-depleted squad into next Saturday's Group Six World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland in Belfast, with a home match against Azerbaijan four days later.
Savage's Rovers team-mate Craig Bellamy is ruled out after suffering a knee injury on Saturday, while midfielder Jason Koumas and defender Rob Page are two more definite injury absentees.
But injuries have never stopped Toshack taking a hard disciplinary line with players since taking the reins.
 |  Everyone thinks John Toshack is doing a good job - it amazes me really |
There was a falling out with Savage over the player's public criticism of training methods.
Thatcher is understood to have taken offence when Wales insisted he was examined by their doctor, after the left-back withdrew injured from the squad to face Poland last month.
Toshack maintains he has every right to confirm a player's fitness, saying of Thatcher: "He's played every game for Manchester City this season, including two hours at Doncaster.
"Yet on the three occasions we have called him to the Wales squad, he has not trained for one minute."
It seems that former England Under-21 player Thatcher is now in danger of following Savage into the international wilderness.
"While John Toshack is manager there's a couple of Premiership players who won't be playing again," Savage said.
"I look at Ben Thatcher and it's amazing he's playing regularly for Man City, I'm playing regularly for Blackburn.
"No disrespect to anyone else but we're both going well... surely it's about picking your best players irrespective of what you think about them?
"I honestly now believe my Wales career is over while John Toshack is manager, it's just something I've got to live with."
However, Savage's passion for Wales remain undimmed, even if he does not believe that Toshack is the best manager for them.
"I'll be watching the telly and hoping Wales beat Northern Ireland, of course I will," Savage added.
"But it just seems to me that we haven't scored a goal in four or five games, not really had a shot.
"Yet everyone thinks John Toshack is doing a good job - it amazes me really."
MMIX
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