Toshack sweating on Gabbidon's fitness

Wales boss John Toshack fears he will be without key defender Danny Gabbidon for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland, despite naming the West Ham man in his squad yesterday.

Toshack also called in Gabbidon's West Ham club-mate James Collins, who like his former Cardiff colleague has been out for two months with groin problems.

But although Toshack reckons Collins will be able to figure in Dublin on March 24 and then back in Cardiff four days later against San Marino, it is already looking tough for Gabbidon.

Toshack said: 'I have spoken to Collins and he seems very upbeat, he's been training with the first team at West Ham and could be involved at Blackburn on Saturday.

'But I have also spoken to Danny and he does not sound as confident. He had a little setback last week following his very serious groin problems and has not been able to start training as soon as he would have liked. At the moment I am not at all confident about him.'

He added: 'The pair have had a very difficult season with West Ham being in such trouble. Maybe it would do them good to get a break from all that by joining up with Wales and meeting a few old mates. We will have to see.'

Gabbidon has revealed his own anguish at the situation. He said: 'I'm looking forward to getting back in training. It has been tough. No-one likes being injured, especially when the team's not doing well. It's hard when the team isn't picking up points because you just want to be out there every week.

On the international situation, Gabbidon added: 'Wales have games coming up in the next couple of weeks and I'd like to be involved in that but I don't want to say too much in case it doesn't happen.

'I just want to get back to training as quickly as possible and then I'll see where I am. I have got the internationals in mind and if I can get back for those two games, which are big games for us, that would be good.

'The injury was a bad one. I ripped the tendon off the bone in my groin. It was quite nasty and it's taken a while to heal. I couldn't really do anything, I couldn't even walk for the first couple of weeks. It was just a case of letting it heal on its own.'

Toshack accepts that experience will be the key, particularly at Croke Park, which explains his desire for Gabbidon to be fit.

He said: 'This will be a tough one in front of an 80,000 crowd. We are very aware of the history of Croke Park what the game means to the Irish people.

'We will be respectful, and I will explain to the lads how important and emotional this will be for the Irish.'

The only uncapped player chosen was Shrewsbury midfielder David Edwards, a transfer target for Wolves, West Brom and Tottenham.