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| Sunday, 24 November, 2002, 16:47 GMT Wales crocks turn out for clubs ![]() Bellamy's knee injury restricts him to one game a week Four of the eight Welsh internationals who pulled out of Wales' Euro 2004 game in Azerbaijan with injuries turned out for their clubs on Saturday. Birmingham's Robbie Savage, Newcastle's Craig Bellamy, and Andy Johnson and Jason Koumas of West Brom all made the weekend's Premiership fixtures. Wales came away from Azerbaijan with a 2-0 win, but their preparations had been hit by the spate of withdrawals from the squad. National manager Mark Hughes has been embroiled with club coaches in a war of words over the competing claims of club and country.
That game was for the Magpies against Manchester United, the striking star netting a late goal in his team's 5-3 defeat. Birmingham manager Steve Bruce admitted that Savage wasn't 100% fit and he replaced the midfielder in the second half at Sunderland, but the Welshman had played a key role in his side's 0-1 win. West Brom's Andy Johnson and Jason Koumas would have been prime candidates to replace Wales' injured first-choice midfielders Savage and Mark Pembridge against Azerbaijan. Both withdrew from the trip, but Johnson played the full game for his club against Everton and Koumas came on as a 72nd-minute substitute. |
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