Craig should be able to pick and choose his games.

THE senior Wales side had a less than successful Saturday afternoon and following the defeat in Finland comes speculation about two of the most prominent figures in Welsh football.

The possibility that Craig Bellamy, who is once again producing his best under mentor Mark Hughes, may "pick and choose" what games he plays for Wales has caused some consternation in some quarters.

Ryan Giggs did it just about the whole of his career and I would rather Craig played just in games that mattered than not at all, because he is at the moment our only established top class player regularly producing top class performances.

And also the possibility that John Toshack may depart at the end of his current contract has also been raised and a list of odds for his potential replacement has been produced.

I don't want to comment on John's position, but would suggest that odds of 7/1 for Ryan Giggs to be his successor are quite simply ridiculous.

Not that Ryan could not and will not step into coaching and management and be a huge success, I just don't see him jeopardising a glittering Indian summer of a club career at Manchester United.

Whoever does replace John and whether that is this year or at the end of his current contract will have the opportunity to make a mark.

The situation at the moment is in some ways similar to when Mark Hughes began his reign.

Mark inherited a squad which contained a lot of very good players who were underachieving collectively, were at a low on morale and also in the world rankings.

Mark was always going to work wonders with them, and I think the incumbent manager will reap the benefits of the hard work done by Brian Flynn and the senior management team in bringing through a group of talented but as yet unproven youngsters.

Things can only get better for Welsh football surely.