Liechtenstein may not be the world's greatest footballing superpower, residing some 150 places below the upper echelons of football's mighty power brokers at 161st in the world rankings, yet you can only beat what is put in front of you, as the old adage goes and Wales certainly achieved that with some aplomb on a cold and rainy night in Wrexham.

Despite including the Serie A's joint top scorer in Siena's Mario Frick, the Liechtenstein team showed that while they might be a match for San Marino and Andorra, against a Welsh line-up boasting an all-firing front five of Ryan Giggs, Craig Bellamy, Simon Davies, Jason Koumas and Robert Earnshaw, they were simply out-classed.

The reborn Jason Koumas started the rout in the eighth minute, the West Brom player showing just why he is attracting Premiership scouts to the Hawthorns by skillfully ghosting across the front of the Liechtenstein defence and firing in an unstoppable curling shot from 25 yards out.

The larger than expected crowd of 8,752 didn't have long to wait for another Koumas special. On 14 minutes he scored his second. As the first it was executed with similar sniper-like accuracy, drilling in a bullet shot from 20 yards out from a pass teed up perfectly for him by returning captain Giggs.

As a showcase for the midfielder's undoubted skills it was a potent performance, Koumas underlining his importantance to the Welsh midfield and how sorely he will be missed when Wales face the Republic of Ireland in Croke Park in their next Euro qualifier. Koumas misses the game through suspension.

When Liechtenstein did forage forward any threat was stifled reasonably comfortably by a defence with an unfamiliar look about it. Minus first choice regulars Danny Gabbidon, James Collins, Mark Delaney and Gareth Bale, manager Toshack gave a surprise debut to Wrexham defender Steve Evans.

The move may have been as much a gate-boosting ploy by John Toshack as much of a chance to see the former TNS defender on the international stage, but Evans carried out his defensive duties with a steely edge. He added height and presence to a back four that also included Sam Ricketts, Lewin Nyatanga and Richard Duffy.

Much had been said about the merits or otherwise of this game, but one person who was revelling in the opportunity for 90 minutes on a football pitch was Craig Bellamy. The Liverpool striker has endured a frustrating time since his big money move to Liverpool during the summer, finding goals to difficult to come by and not guaranteed an automatic starting berth due to Rafa Benitez's rotation policy.

For Wales though Bellamy is inspiration and perspiration personified, chasing, harrying and playing with the sort of breakneck idealism that fans love. Despite relinquishing the captain's armband to Ryan Giggs, the Cardiff-born star cajoled and encouraged his team and served as a reminder that whatever his off-field issues on it he is commitment itself.

Despite a few fluffed chances when he must have thought his luck in front of goal was deserting him again, Bellamy received reward for his wholehearted industry in the second half, carving out a well-taken goal by trading passes with Carl Robinson and Wales substitute Mark Jones before turning a defender to blast the ball high into the net.

It was the least he deserved. And as if to underline his changing fortune, the goalscorer had the delight to turn provider for long-time friend and former Norwich team- mate Chris Llewellyn - the Wrexham striker tucking away a shot from the edge of the six yard box after fine work from his Wales room mate.

On a grey, rainswept night for playing football, this was an illuminating performance from a Wales side who have now scored seven goals in the last two games, and gone some way to repairing the damage done by conceding five against Slovakia last month.

It's official, John Toshack is a football genius.

Despite my reservations about the big man's system, Toshack more than proved why he's the manager of the Wales football team and I'm writing this blog.

Deciding against wholesale changes, persevering instead with his favoured 5-3-2 formation, Tosh's young guns ripped apart a poor Cypriot team with a sparkling show of irresistable attacking football.

The only tinkering came at the back, where Ipswich keeper Lewis Price replaced Paul Jones in goals (the veteran now surely having called time on his international career after his error strewn showing) and the ineffectual Rob Edwards made way for MK Dons centre-half Craig Morgan. The young former under-21 defender making his international debut.

Wales started as if hell bent on immediately exorcising the ghosts of Slovakia, with Bellamy and Earnshaw pulling the Cyprus defence apart with some searing runs. Both livewire strikers playing on the shoulder of their defenders and leaving their terrorised markers left for dead thanks to some fantastic through balls from Jason Koumas and Simon Davies.

In the first minute Bellamy broke clear of the back four and homing in on goal, he was cynically brought down by the Cyprus goalkeeper. Incredibly, much to the astonishment of Bellamy and the home crowd, the referee waved play on. At any other time it would surely have been a red card, but as it happened just over a minute into the game, you get the feeling the ref bottled it.

When the first goal finally arrived, after Wales had hit the post twice, it underlined Toshack's maxim of playing pass and move football - but this time with an end product. Koumas set Davies free on the right, the Everton star brilliantly skinned his man and sent the ball over for an on-rushing Koumas to head Wales into the lead.

Toshack had revealed this morning that he sat Robert Earnshaw down and read him the riot act over his wholly ineffectual performance against Slovakia. The dressing down evidently worked, with Earnie and Bellamy looking more of a partnership than at any other time they have lined up together.

Who said the two height restricted strikers couldn't play together. The dynamic duo caused havoc all night long. Wales' second coming from great play from Bellamy as he broke free, tying his his marker in knots and placing a pin point ball at the feet of Earnie who steered the ball gratefully into the net.

Cue Earnie's trademark somersault, as he answered Toshack's criticisms of his below par showing against the Slovaks.

Bellamy got his reward for a performance full of passion and strength of character to net his first goal for what seemed an age. The sense of relief was palpable as the Liverpool hit man grabbed Wales' third with a neatly place pitch shot, the captain being mobbed by celebrating team mates.

Cyprus did snatch a consolation goal - an exquisite finish from their striker Okkas, but by then the damage had been done and Wales had laid Saturday's debacle to rest.

In truth, Wales could have won by a cricket score such was their dominance and sheer volume of chances created.

Davies, Koumas and Bellamy were the undoubted stars of the show - with a rejuvenated Davies my man-of-the-match, but Gareth Bale again shone like the star he will surely become. He was a willing worker down the left getting forward at breakneck speed, tackling back as consumately as he burst forward, and performing with a maturity and a skill level way beyond his years.

Honorouable mention also to debutant Craig Morgan. Depsite turning out for MK Dons in League Two, the former Wrexham favourite stood strong and tall, nullifying the aerial threat of Cyprus' leading goalscorer Michael Constantinou.

Toshack called it spot on with Morgan's inclusion figuring Wales needed some strength and presence at the back to complement the more cultured skills of Gabbidon and Nyatanga. Morgan certainly gave Wales the sort of steely edge James Collins usually brings to the backline.

Lewis Price too gave a faultless performance and the Ipswich youngster must now be given the nod to claim the keeper's shirt ahead of Jason Brown and Danny Coyne.

The biggest negative of the evening was the yellow card Jason Koumas picked up. After receiving a yellow against Slovakia, he will now miss the Republic Of Ireland clash in March and will be a huge loss to Toshack's midfield.

So fast forward to Dublin's massive 80,000 capacity Croke Park and its debut as a football stadium with what is sure to be a hugely exciting 'local' derby.

Friendlies against Lichtenstein in Wrexham next month and against Northern Ireland next February will provide the warm-ups to the Irish showdown. As with everything Welsh football-wise there are bound to be a few unpredictable twists and turns on the way.

When it comes to supporting Wales nothing is straightforward!

A mere 72 hours after the Millennium Stadium horror show, with visions of Saturday no doubt still fresh in his mind, Tosh has much to ponder - not least who starts against Cyprus tomorrow night.

Of course, with limited personnel his options are just that, limited. If I was him I would dispense with 5-3-2 - at home Toshack needs to be bold, attack from the outset and get at the Cyprus defence. That's why I can see 4-4-2 as the only viable option, playing with true widemen would offer protection to his full-backs and offer a balance to a side that was pulled apart and left horribly shapeless at times against Slovakia.

He needs to inject pace and guile to the side and give it a fluid attacking look. That's why I say play Paul Parry - the on fire Cardiff winger - from the outset on the left with a remit to run at the Cypriots and cause some havoc.

The midfield would include Jason Koumas weaving some magic on the right, Davies attacking from the apex of midfield and Robinson holding in the middle, with Parry flying down the left.

Up front Earnshaw and Bellamy look an impotent pairing with Earnie, despite his goalscoring form at Norwich, looking horribly out of sorts at international level.

The two diminutive strikers just haven't gelled and despite limited options Toshack has to try something new. Wales have gone hours without a goal from open play - which tells its own story.

While not exactly the game to experiment with your front pairing, I'd plump for Wigan Athletic's tricky, pacy striker David Cotterill to take the second striking berth alongside Craig Bellamy.

Cotterill is a raw talent indeed, but Wigan splashing out £2m on his services in the recent transfer window, speak volumes of his Premiership potential. The box-of-tricks youngster would certainly offer something different going forward and would be an unknown quantity on the spy sheets of the Cypriot coach.

If Toshack wants to err on the side of caution, while harnessing a potent attacking threat, he could tinker with his midfield and harness the mazy, bewitching skills of Jason Koumas in the hole behind Bellamy with a midfield four of Parry on the right, Davies and Robinson in the centre and Cardiff’s exciting left sided midfielder Joe Ledley out wide.

This can operate as a 4-4-2 going forward and a 4-5-1 defending. There’s certainly enough attacking intent in both line-ups to give Wales a fighting chance of banishing their Slovakian demons and earning their first points of the Euro 2008 campaign.

At the back, well it could be a case of closing your eyes and hoping for the best.

The first casualty has to be Paul Jones. Sad to say, but despite his loyal service to the Welsh cause Jones has become a liability. As well as his painfully poor display aginst the Slovaks, his cubersome keeping cost us against the Czechs, when he was responsible for their winner - punching when he could have caught a cross that was subsequently played back in to the Welsh box only to be scrambled in past a static Jones.

Ipswich keeper Lewis Price has to now be given the go ahead between the sticks and offered the chance to make the number one shirt his own.

In front of Price, the options are threadbare. Despite his fault-filled display against Slovakia, Portsmouth right-back Richard Duffy hasn't become a bad defender overnight and I'd certainly give him a chance to redeem himself, alongside Gabbidon and Nyatanga the centre-halves and the hugely impressive Gareth Bale, the left -back.

It's a massive ask but Toshack has to instill belief into his beleaguered troops, which may be his biggest problem of all, but at least this game gives his charges an immediate chance to remedy Saturday's maladies and in doing so cast some rays of sunshine on another wise dark few days for Welsh international football.

The writing was on the wall, well the side of someone's head, even before this Euro 2008 qualifier kicked off.

You know it isn't your day when your goalkeeper's hair-raising crop comes close to predicting the final scoreline.

His dodgy barnet raised eyebrows even before he put in the sort of performance that words 'horror' and 'show' were made for.

That 5-1 scoreline was horrible enough, but the manner in which John Toshack's team spectacularly leaked five of the worst goals they are ever likely to give away, amazed even those Tosh supporters who have steadfastly supported him so far.

However, should we really be too surprised at the drubbing Wales received at the Millennium Stadium yesterday.

Look at the facts: Toshack took over a side which had gone 10 competitive games without a win and then lost 11 players through retirement, and since last month's game in the Czech Republic Wales lost five players through injury.

This is not in anyway to disguise the awfulness of the performance, but these are the inescapable facts that we as a nation to do not possess enough strength in depth to cope with such a serious amount of absentees.

Taking Mark Delaney, James Collins and Sam Ricketts from a defence that stood up so well to the Czech Republic, Carl Fletcher from our midfield and most telling of all, Ryan Giggs from our attack and you have a recipe for disaster.

Blooding so many youngsters was always likely to result in tears at some point, but the fact that the positive showings against the Czechs and the Brazil led to cautious optimism against Slovakia, made the scoreline even harder to stomach.

However, a decimated defence and a string of individual errors that you just cannot legislate for added to Slovakia's incredible strike rate of six shots on goal, five goals scored, equalled Wales recording their worst home result in 98 years.

Richard Duffy, Rob Edwards and, in particular, a woefully inept performance from Paul Jones were the catalysts for Wales leaking five in front of a disbelieving crowd of just 28,000 supporters, a worryingly small attendance given that not so long ago Wales were the best supported national team in Europe.

Like it or not, this is where we are. All those small-minded, knee jerk reactionaries baying for the return of Savage and Speed, have to understand that would be a massive retrograde step. We are building for the future, as Toshack has been at pains to point out - there's no turning back.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and it may be considerably longer before we see a Wales team that can qualify for a major tournament.

However loud his critics may crow and clamour for his dismissal - and today the media is full of knees jerking so violently their exponents are in danger of knocking themselves out - Toshack is in this for the long run. His wholehearted belief and investment in youth is already paying dividends and despite Saturday's drubbing there is still genuine cause for optimism.

Let's hope the Slovakia game was a one-off abberation, as the Cyprus game will be a genuine test of spirit, camaraderie and Toshack's management. How his young charges lift themselves on Wednesday evening against a Cyrpriot team brim full of confidence after disposing of the Republic of Ireland 5-2 may tell us more about his team's character and ability than Saturday's freakshow could ever do.

Ever the optimist, I'll go for a 2-1 Wales victory.

That we held the likes of superstars Ronaldinho, Kaka and Julio Baptista to a 0-0 scoreline at half-time was an achievement in itself, but if Earnie had tucked away the best chance of the first half when through on goal, then who knows what the end result may have been.

Still, the game wasn’t the wasted opportunity it first threatened to be, there were some performances as illuminating as Ronaldinho's pearly whites. Gareth Bale made his first full start and did everything to justify is tag as the most talked about teenager in Britain, with a performance full of poise, control and brim full of a maturity belying his 17 years.

The highpoint of his night came when Ronaldinho tried twice to turn him inside out with the sort of bedazzling moves that usually tie defenders in knots, only for the goofy Brazilian to find himself having the ball nickedd off his toes, to huge cheers from the travelling Welsh fans.

By the time he made his half-time exit, no doubt because it was way past his bedtime, there was no one in the ground or watching on TV who would have doubted that Bale has the sort of future that fairytale scripts are written about. While not quite the Billy Elliott of football, if he progresses as quickly as he threatens to do, the Premiership could come calling sooner rather than later.

The Cardiff-born Southampton star wasn’t the only teenager to impress, Lewin Nyatanga, the former holder of the the youngest ever Wales international title, before he flicked it off his instep to Bale, put in another sterling show. One small blip in the the first half, was the only minor indiscretion from the young Derby centre-half who appears to have that fluidity of movement, class pedigree and the ability to find that extra time on the ball as fellow stylish centre-half Danny Gabbidon.

Just to underline young Lewin's confidence, a spate of backtracking and a crucial tackle by Ryan Giggs - the elder statesman of the side - was met with a word of encouragement and a cheeky pat on the Welsh captain's bottom by the disciplined and dedicated defender.

You had to smile. Bu tif that's the sor tof confidence JohNToshack si instillign in hsi young charges, then long may it continue.

In Bale and Nyatanga, as well as the equally impressive Portsmouth right-back Richard Duffy - who made some storming charges down the right flank, Wales have talented youngsters that could form the nucleus of the Wales backline for years to come.

If the Welsh players pitting their footballing wits with Brazil taught us anything it's that age old adage, if you're good enough, you're old enough.

While not quite Brazilian class, Tosh's youngsters are both good enough and old enough.

Tsk, kids today, eh...

Money walks and bullsh*t talks goes the saying and FAW Secretary general David Collins has been spouting enough of it in a vain attempt to talk up this poorly timed match.

There probably isn't any right time to face Ronaldinho and the rest of football's equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters, but with the players having to lift themselves out of their Czech inertia and Tosh on record as saying he'll be throwing the youngsters into the mix, I'm hoping and praying that Wales can rise to the occasion, excel at damage limitation and keep the score respectable.

No one wants to see us humiliated and our fragile confidence torn to shreds.

However, anyone who has a videotape of Brazil turning over Argentina at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday would be wise in keeping it away from the Welsh team.

She really must hate us.

It certainly doesn't get any easier supporting your country.

Even now, two days later, I'm still replaying that final minute winner in my head, wondering just how it sneaked past 'keeper Paul Jones, bobbling all over like it was struck by a playground player rather than a Czech international. However many times I think of it, sadly the ball still ends up nestling in the back of the net.

Saturday's Euro 2008 opener in Teplice may have been peppered with the sorts of incidents that have us, as fans, reaching for the Prozac - the first Czech goal was clearly offside and the second came from a free kick taken while the ball was still in motion, but when the red mists and clouds of depression clear, Wales and its supporters can still take heart from this defeat.

Although performing what appeared to be a re-enacment of the footballing Alamo in the first 20 minutes when Toshack's players overly unnerved by the occasion, Wales soon stepped up a gear and were able to easily soak up the inevitable pressure that the Czechs applied - Collins, Gabbidon and the hugely impressive Nyatanga trojans at the back in an impressive defensive display.

Despite conceding so much territotial advantage the undeniable fact was that Wales carved out the clearest cut chances of the game, both falling to Craig Bellamy, who by his own admission was culpable for glaring misses when offered gilt-edged goalscoring opportunities.

If those chances had gone in it would have been a different game. It's all ifs, buts and maybes, but with two minutes left and Wales still in the hunt at 1-1, we were all readying ourselves for a massive boost. As it was fate conspired against us once again.

With the Czechs benefitting from the linseman's ineptitude gifting them their opening goal, Toshack has to be applauded for acting decisevly (something we were not used to seeing from his predecessor Mark Hughes) and bringing on Earnie and David Cotterill. The two combined to force Czech defender Jaronik to put through his own net and bring Wales back into the game.

Then as time was running out, the tannoy announcer attempted to offer some vocal encouragement to the crowd - illegal under FIFA laws. Seemingly distracted by this impromtu PA indiscretion, the referee missed the rolling ball incident after awarding a free kick. Paul Jones made an ill-advised punch when surely catching the ball was the safer option, the ball was knocked back into the box, two Welsh defenders switched off, Czech player Lafata applied the flakiest of touches and the ball bobbled agonisingly into the back fo the Welsh net.

Cue delirious Czech celebrations and another knife in the heart for the Welsh football team and its fans.

Let's hope fortunes change and that fraught relationship with Lady Luck is repaired quickly, because I hate feeling this way.

It's only the first game and anymore matches like Saturday's will have us jibbering like nervous wrecks. And no one wants to see that, least of all my long-suffering wife!

Hot on the heels of the decidedly difficult to decipher just where we stood at the end of them friendlies, against The Basque Country and Trinidad & Tobago, Toshack's first game post-summer against the erratic Bulgarians at a less-than-heaving Liberty Stadium provided cause for justifiable optimism and just the smallest dose of concern.

For once the Welsh gaffer had the luxury of a virtually full-strength squad to choose from, save the missing-in-action Jason Koumas, who you nowadays half expect to see popping up on Trisha, or on Love Island, such is the state of his troubled mind.

Apart from the West Brom man’s persistent messing about of the Wales set -up, there does seem a genuine strength of union in the camp. Tales of the players indulging in corridor cricket - whatever that may be, and I’m assured it’s not some new sexual peccadillo a la roasting - is testament to the Toshack effect.

To that end hopefully someone can pop a cork in Robbie Savage’s sizeable gob as we embark on what looks on paper to be a tough campaign against the Germans, Czechs, Slovaks, Irish, Cypriots and, er, San Marinas?

So what did we learn from this fast-paced, competitive friendly. If anything it’s that with a full-strength team we have enough going forward to trouble any team. Toshack’s onus on pass and move football saw the skills of Bellamy, Giggs, Davies and Earnshaw pose a constant threat to the Bulgarian defence as the fab four teased and probed with pace all across the park.

Add to the awesome foursome the unlikely figure of Carl Robinson who bombed into the opposition penalty area just as he did when scoring a rare goal against Northern Ireland last year,

It was just a shame that the many chances created didn’t result in a goal. However I’m sure if Wales continue to create as they against Bulgaria those chances will find the back of the net.

If there was any note of caution to sound it was at the back, and in central defence in particular where West Ham pairing Danny Gabbidon and James Collins looked on occasions as if they didn’t remember each other’s names let alone how to anchor defensive duties.

Still with Gabbidon only having played half a game after a summer hernia operation and Collins atoning for a few glaring errors with some timely blocks, these are areas that I’m sure Toshack will hammer into shape in time for the visit to Teplice and the sizeable footballing figure of the Czech Republic looming large.

Until then, let'

It's a milestone in more ways than one. It will not only mark the first serious tilt at a qualifying campaign for Welsh boss John Toshack, but also signify the initial competitive outing for a Czech Republic team still reeling from an early exit from the World Cup.

Rumours of retirements abound with star veterans Pavel Nedved and Karel Poborsky, so far the most likely to hang up their boots. At 33 and 34 respectively, this dynamic duo have been the heartbeat of the Czech midfield for over a decade.

Both have been inspirational figures and the bedrock on which Czech success has been built and Wales would surely benefit from their retirement.

Poborsky looks likely to take his leave internationally but play on for his club side Ceske Budejovice of which he is part owner, while Juventus player Nedved faces an uncertain future.

The European player of the year in 2003 proved during the World Cup that he is still a force to be reckoned with despite his side's early exit, but he has indicated he would like to prolong his playing career for one more season. However, with the Italian league club facing relegation amidst corruption charges just where that will be remains to be seen.

What has surprised some is that wizened manager Karel Bruckner was so quickly offered and accepted a new contract to coach the Czechs through the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

This could be seen to be an attempt to galvanize a team needing to reawaken the spirit that saw it named by many as a dark horse for World Cup glory.

Nevertheless, there are those surprised that 66-year-old was kept on - the Czech FA obviously figuring that continuity is eminently preferable to upheaval so close to the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

Whatever, it was no surprise that Wales were happy to meet Bruckner's side immediately after the World Cup. Toshack was savvy enough to realise that the Czechs were an ageing side. Stars such as Poborsky and Nedved, as well 33-year-olds - captain Tomas Galasek and giant striker Jan Koller, could have seen the World Cup in Germany as their final international curtain call.

If those four were to exit stage right it would at least give Wales a fighting chance against an international side that has a formidable record at home.

That could have been part of the plan by Tosh and the FAW team pushing for this fixture: hit a reshaped Czech Republic after a particularly difficult World Cup with retirements, cynicism over failure in Germany and a new contract to the orchestrator of their early exit all contributing to give Wales renewed optimism in Teplice on September 2.

Of course, even those with the most clearest of crystal balls would have been hard pushed to have predicted that, but the retirements of several Czech players did a look a racing certainty ahead of Germany 2006 and surely was a major factor in Wales clashing with the Czechs in this mouth-watering fixture.

However, let's not get carried away with ourselves just yet. It would be wise to remember that international stars such as Chelsea 'keeper Peter Czech, midfield wizard Tomas Rosicky and striker Milan Baros still remain part of a strong Czech team who will be eager to banish those German ghosts.

Let's just hope that with our own big name players on board that it's a full-strength, well organised and determined Wales that haunt Bruckner's team come the opening game of Euro 2008 qualifying.

Now that really would lift the spirits.

For those of us locked in our darkened rooms in front of widescreen TVs with relationships temporarily put on hold for a month, the World Cup has presented its fair share of logistical and personal problems - not least how to keep the wife, whose name you may or may not have forgotten, from filing for divorce.

Afternoon kick-offs had presented their own particular problems, especially if you are lucky, as I have been, to have a television on all day as part of your job.

Lucky then that redemption comes in the form of a boss who is as particularly entranced with the prospect of the footballing feast that is Saudi Arabia v Tunisia as this particular blogger is!

Like the purest of football trainspotters I had hoped to tick off every televised game as keenly as my younger self slavishly pursued that elusive final sticker for his Panini World Cup album. (Spain '82 my personal favourite, if you were wondering)

However, like my most lofty ambitions, life has a habit of getting in the way - or should I say in this instance, egotistical, cynical, play-acting footballers.

As the World Cup hoved into view I anticipated it as eagerly as a five year-old on Christmas Eve, but with the fulsome realisation that like a yuletide present from your gran, you're never quite sure what you are going to get.

So it was that the first two glorious weeks of Germany 2006 was like being locked in Toys R Us on a 14 day trolley dash. Each glorious game provided the sort of thrills and spills that had office conversations ruminating over whether this really was going to be the greatest World Cup ever.

Well no, it wasn't, but how were we to know when Germany opened the proceedings with a couple of blockbusting, net-stretching screamers - the new official World Cup ball giving goalkeepers sleepless nights as it swerved devilishly in the air.

Those dynamite strikes continued, with Thomas Rosicky, Arsenal's new wizard-like Czech Republic midfielder, the pick of the bunch. Wales will do well to keep him in check (if you pardon the pun) come September's Euro 2008 qualifier.

But like most things in life, all good things come to an end, although a little earlier than one would have hoped or anticipated - and I'm not just talking about England's predictable exit at the quarter finals stages once again.

If footballing talent was equated to an ability take a dive or deceive a referee, then we have most surely seen the greatest tournament in the history of modern day 'football'.

Many games were reduced to non-contact sport, as the slightest touch saw mock-anguished players pirouetting dramatically in the air as if that imaginary sniper secreted away in the stand had successfully hit its mark.

So who's to blame for this machievellian comedy of errors? The players, for perpetuating the deceit? The referees, for failing to deal with it? Or FIFA, for allowing the continued play-acting of cheats to infect the game?

The answer must most surely and sadly be all three. Players knowingly and willingly took dives, referees looked unsure and uninstructed on how to deal with it, while FIFA's gnomic hierarchy trotted out their usual empty platitudes of fairplay without ever stating their desire to address this endemic problem.

That's why, despite the best efforts of the carnival of football fans who made Germany 2006 such a colourful, vibrant and occasionally joyous event, it will surely only be seen for what lurked on its soulless dark side.

That insidious foul play neatly polarised in one shutter frame as the finest purveyor of beautiful football Zinedine Zidane became a beast in the World Cup final in front of a global audience, inexplicably headbutting Italian defender Marco Materrazzi.

How tragic that the greatest artisan had succumbed to the malaise.

Well done then to Italy, they deserved their victory - but how strangely fitting that the team of a country whose national sport is plagued by fraud and corruption should get their hands on the richest prize in sport.

Sometimes, you can't help feeling cheated.

For there amongst the St George Crosses and flamboyant Caribbean support, Gerrard, Lampard, Beckham et al will spot a large number of Welsh Dragons proudly draped across the stadium fences.

Former Wrexham player Carlos Edwards, a fellow team mate of Dennis Lawrence in the Trinidad & Tobago squad, is expecting a large Welsh presence to follow the Soca Warriors in Germany.

"I know we will have plenty of our own fans, and a big contingent from Wales, coming to support us," he said. "I will always have a bit of my heart in Wrexham, they gave me my chance to play in the UK and their fans have always been great with me.

"I know that they have adopted Trinidad and Tobago as their team - they still have Dennis Lawrence playing for them - and there will be plenty of Welsh flags around the stadiums we play in.

"It's so exciting to have all this support for us from the Welsh contingent and the Wrexham fans, because I think the English will feel intimidated by that. I think they will have to look twice because they'll be thinking 'what are the Welsh doing here'?"

To be honest, I reckon the Three Lions' assorted playboy footballers will have their eye turned more by T&T's seriously sexy soca dancers - a crack squad of gyrating, half-undressed exotically attired lap dancers for whom every day is carnival day!

Alongside the Caribbean cuties and Wrexham's slightly less easy-on-the-eye cheerleaders there will be a smattering of proudly partisan Welsh fans from other clubs, who have taken it upon themselves to support any team that Sven's boys play.

Who to throw your backing behind when England reach the finals of a major tournament is a quandary that British football fans have been wrestling with for years.

It comes into sharp focus when a major finals swings into view and this World Cup is no different.

In Scotland it's usually the way that you'll find it easy to buy the flags of England's opponents brazenly on sale in any high street shop.

Many Scots make supporting England's opponents a fine art form and you can bet north of the border, the majority will be shouting for England's group opponents Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden and Paraguay.

In Wales, the views are more polarised. Whilst a sizeable contingent will be rooting for England to fall at the earliest hurdle, there will be much support from the anglicised Welsh who have English roots but made their home in Wales.

Add to that those Welsh football fans who support an English Premier League club and you have a nation wrestling with their fragile conscience and divided loyalties.

Me? Let's just say I have an English wife - so finals of major football tournaments are usually spent method acting my support for Sven's men, while in the case of England's opponents at Germany 2006, secretly swotting up on my sizzling soca moves, singing along to the best of Abba and talking in a ridiculous cod-Spanish-cum-Paraguayan accent. Think Speedy Gonzales meets Manuel from Fawlty Towers.

Arriba! Arriba! Andale! Andale!

Que?

Every Welsh fan's dream game - Trinidad & Tobago away, was just a cruel apparition of what could have been - sun, sand, sea and sexy soca soccer - instead the hardy travelling 200 Welsh fans had to contend with the delights of the slightly less delicious landlocked Graz.

Leaving fixture quibbles to one side, the unthinkable happened again - Wales won another game of international football.

So they were friendlies, but we've now played two thirds of World Cup Finals Group B - England, Paraguay, Trinidad & Tobago and Sweden and our record stands at played 3, won 1, drawn 1, lost 1. On this form we should at least qualify for the World Cup quarter finals!*

Okay, so I'm being flippant but as confidence boosters go, the last week of Wales international football action has given most believers food for thought that maybe we won't be the pushovers that most pundits imagine we will be come the arrival of the imminent Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Let's consider the facts - Earnie scores his first Wales goals for two years, Southampton wunderkid Gareth Bale shatters Lewin Nyatanga's still fresh-smelling youngest international appearance record and we record back-to-back victories against one team packed with La Liga players and another against a team that will be participating in this year's World Cup Finals. Add this to the recent under-21 victotries and the future's so bright I might need to wear shades . . . to paraphrase that song from long-forgotten early eighties skewiff popsters Timbuk 3.

Of course, come the evening of September 2nd and I'm drowing my sorrows in one of Prague's many fine hostelries after Wales have slipped to a record defeat against the might of the Czech Republic, then the world might not look so rose-tintedly incandescent.

Still, the beer will taste nice . . .

* Line courtesy of Wales manager John Toshack during his post-match interview with the BBC Wales' Rob Phillips. Nice quip Tosh sir!

In putting five past the Estonian keeper the team had recorded their biggest win for 11 years and snared an impressive 7-1 aggregate scoreline to boot.

There was a time when the Welsh youngsters couldn't win a toss, let alone put together two back-to-back victories by the handsomest of margins. But who would have thought the U-21s would string together such a promising run of results. Remember this is the same side that struggled to win a game against the minnows of world football not too long ago.

Winning the two-legged play-off to see who would make it through to the group qualifying stages of the U-21 European Championships is so important for the future of Welsh football. It means competitive matches for the youngsters for the next season and beyond.

Wales will line-up against Israel and Turkey in home and away qualifying games beginning later this year. They will face a sterner test than the Estonians, but with an impressive array of players such as Gareth Bale, Arron Davies, Andrew Crofts and David Cotterill you wouldn't bank against them continuing their winning run.

It's no coincidence that since John Toshack has taken over results have improved markedly. With the help of U-21 coach Brian Flynn, he's actively invested in the young players.

You can't fail to be impressed with the way he's given them a chance and offered the young lads the incentive of a senior call-up if they knuckle down and work hard. Something that Mark Hughes never did. What was it? One U-21 game that Mark Hughes ever attended?

A number of youngsters will be given their chance in Saturday's away friendly against Trinidad & Tobago, including Craig Davies who scored a hat-trick against the Estonians on Wednesday evening.

Toshack and Flynn may not have expected such a quick return on their investment, but this policy of promoting youth already appears to be paying dividends.

As far as investment in the future goes, it's a giant step forward.

For the first half hour it was more a case of Norwich canary yellow than Brazilian flair, as a new look Wales side struggled to contain the flow of attacks down the Welsh flanks from a technically superior Basque side.

When I saw Davies taking up a right-sided defensive position I had nighhtmarish flashbacks from times he's lined-up there for Wales before: An almighty pummeling from the Italians, as the Azzuri dismantled Mark Hughes side 4-0 at the San Siro during qualifying for Euro 2004 and the gutless World Cup capitulation to England at Old Trafford.

The ferocious way the assortment of local La Liga players that lined-up for the Basques attacked, I feared another heavy defeat was on the cards, but through last ditch defending and poor finishing Wales weathered the storm and slowly came into their own.

What pleased me was the fearless tenacity of the younger players and the link-up play between Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy up front.

Much has been made of 'Toshack's babes' - the raft of youngsters that he has fast-tracked into the senior squad. In this game they certainly disappoint. At the back the impressive Lewin Nyatanga was calm and assured and linked up well with Joe Ledley - the versatile Cardiff player who has so far this season played central midfield, left midfield and left back for his club.

But it was up front that Wales shone. Bellamy and Giggs, Wales' two genuine world class players teased, taunted and toyed with the Basque defence who found both a handful. It's stating the obvious to say that if Wales harbour any ambitions to achieve anything they need these two talismanic figues fit and ready for the arduous campaign ahead.

Blackburn's Bellamy was passion and endeavour personified from the outset, hosting his own private titanic Lancashire tussle with Bolton's wily defensive lynchpin Ivan Campo. It was an absorbing duel between frightening pace and experienced guile. Campo though, was luckly to stay on the pitch when he wrestled Bellamy to the ground when the quicksilver striker was through on goal.

But that was Bellamy, causing trouble in all the right ways. His wholehearted commitment to the cause a salutory lesson to players like Jason Koumas, about how you harness your talent in all the right ways.

On a steep educational curve was little Robert Earnshaw, continuing his rehabilitation from fallen Premiership idol to international striker. It was disappointing that the good positions he found himself in didn't result in his troubling the back of the net. A full season at Norwich and a hatful of goals will do his confidence the world of good, because Wales is crying out for the nimble and dadly Earnie of yore, a player whose Welsh international scoring record was sublime.

Without the bulky figure of John Hartson, the attacking future for Wales revolves less around aerial bombardment and more around a slick pass and move game, and for moments on Sunday evening we were wide-eyed as we saw glimpses of what Wales could achieve.

The move for Giggs' weaving, winding, wonder goal came from good off-the-ball movement from Bellamy and the hugely promising Bristol City youngster David Cotterill. This lightning quick duo caused confusion in the Basque defence allowing Giggs the time and space to slip through the befuddled defensive cordon and slide the ball into the net.

Okay so it wasn't a competitive match. So the Basques had only assembled on the day of the match. However, these were experienced La Liga players turning out for a team who had only lost once in 14 internationals.

As a sign of things to come, the doom and gloom that many have predicted may soon be swept away by a tidal wave of optimism.

It's early days yet, but let's rejoice in the new, the bright and the bold.

And I don't just mean those garish away shirts.

Despite this startling fact, this is at least the sign of the all new responsible Giggs, a world class player who has never quite reproduced his scintillating club form on the international stage.

It's clear one of the legends of the game has turned over a new chapter in his illustrious career. His comments yesterday, made at a press briefing before the Welsh squad boarded their flight to Bilabo, that he was in it for the long run, and had no intention of walking away from his country, will be met with sighs of relief the nation over.

Hallelujah to that, as Giggs - a model professional - now wears the tag of elder statesman of the group. He also appears to be revelling in new role as captain, coach and confidante to a new group of young charges making their Welsh international breakthrough.

As for his away friendly debut tomorrow night, let's hope he comes through unscathed, as you wouldn't want to be a player caught in between a verbal tussle between Sir Alex Ferguson and John Toshack - the unmoveable object versus the unstoppable force, with XL sized egos to match.

Ouch. Somebody's bound to get hurt.