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Toshack leaves Thatcher in wilderness

29/09/2005

Wales boss John Toshack has flexed his managerial muscle by not asking the outspoken Ben Thatcher to join the national squad for the impending World Cup fixtures against Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan.

The fiery Manchester City left-back clashed with the Welsh Football Association and Toshack before his country's recent matches with England and Poland over an injury he had reportedly picked up in training.

English-born Thatcher also launched an astonishing attack on the Welsh media after they questioned where his loyalties lay.

These confrontations led to Thatcher's agent revealing the defender viewed his participation in the Welsh international set-up as "untenable for the time being".

However, reports suggested he was expecting a call-up for the two qualifiers in Belfast on October 8th and in Cardiff on October 12th but Toshack has decided against this.

One player who does make a return to the squad is temperamental Blackburn striker Craig Bellamy and much will depend on his performances should he be named in Toshack's starting 11.

<b>Full Wales squad:</b>

Lewis Price (Ipswich), Paul Jones (Wolves), Jason Brown (Gillingham), Mark Delaney (Aston Villa), Richard Duffy (Coventry), Robert Page (Coventry), James Collins (West Ham), Danny Collins (Sunderland), Sam Ricketts (Swansea), Rob Edwards (Wolves), Dave Partridge (Bristol City), Simon Davies (Everton), Gareth Roberts (Tranmere), Carl Fletcher (West Ham), Carl Robinson (Sunderland), Jason Koumas (West Brom), David Vaughan (Crewe), Gavin Williams (West Ham), Robert Earnshaw (West Brom), Craig Bellamy (Blackburn), John Hartson (Celtic), Ryan Giggs (Man Utd), Danny Gabbidon* (West Ham).
(*Azerbaijan match only)

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