Savage understands importance of fitness

ROBBIE SAVAGE loves the good life football has given him, and he has an Armani tattoo to prove it.

But the Birmingham midfielder admits he has learned the meaning of his soccer life while struggling with the frustrations of injury and fearing his Achilles problem would rule him out of the biggest games of his life.

Savage is now expected to shake off a niggling hamstring injury to be at the heart of Wales' midfield on Saturday in the Euro 2004 play-off first leg against Russia in Moscow.