Hughes pins hopes on Giggs delivering

MARK HUGHES will look to Ryan Giggs to provide the performance of his life while challenging his Wales stars to put pride before cash as they take on England in today’s World Cup qualifier.

The match at Old Trafford has been tarnished from a Welsh perspective by claims of unrest from the players and backroom staff over earnings from the FA of Wales.

However, Hughes wants the focus to be firmly on matters on the pitch and said: “It is important to make your mark in games like this. Every player I have is a man of means, with a reasonable amount of money.

“So as a footballer nowadays you get the rewards, but you get to a level when it is not about money anymore, it is about what you have done in the game.

“And games like this present opportunities for players to make their mark and I would like to think that every Welsh player will make their mark against England.”

It is believed Wales’ players will get a £300 appearance fee plus just £100 if they win at Old Trafford, while the England stars are believed to be on around £250,000 a man for qualifying for the 2006 finals in Germany.

But FAW sources claim a new deal has been under discussion for months and will, when it is adopted later this month, take the match fee and win bonus to over £2,000 a game.

Hughes insists the problem will be addressed at an FAW council meeting at the end of the month.

It is to multi-millionaire Giggs, back for Wales after a two-game suspension, that Hughes looks for inspiration.

“Ryan has started the season excellently, he is fit and well, which is always a good sign because he has put all those injury problems behind him now,” said Hughes.

“This is a big stage and Ryan is a world-class performer. It is another opportunity for him to show to people, if they still need showing, what a quality performer he is.”

Hughes admits too that he needs top-line displays from his team to have any chance of upsetting England.

He said: “We are under no illusions. We are up against one of the best sides in the world. It is a difficult task but we have enough talent in the team to do well.

“We have a number of key players back and that is important. We have to give it our best shot and when we do that and play well we can produce performances and results.” Wales have the added problem of the likes of goalkeeper Paul Jones and defender Andy Melville not even being in their club’s first teams.

Hughes said: “We are hoping that defensively we are strong, because we have to be. England’s attacking options are very, very strong and we will have to be at our best. I would prefer people to be first choice at their clubs, and for some that is not the case. It is not a situation I would have liked leading up to such a game, but I believe that whoever plays will do a good job.

“I can’t change people’s opinion about my players, and whether they think they can cope with England’s attacking players. But I have very experienced players in key positions, and for games like that you need experience.”