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.

The temperature is expected to be below freezing, but Savage who insists he never wears gloves while playing will be basking in the warm glow of battling for his country in their most important match for almost 50 years.

Savage reveals the depth of his injury frustrations, saying: "You can have all the money in the world, big houses, big cars, but when you are injured, you realise what football is all about, and how just being fit and playing is the only thing that matters."

He added: "I had never had a serious injury before. Now you realise how people with real serious problems feel, and how much hard work goes into getting fit.

"I even fell out with the physio, we almost had a fight one day, it is so frustrating and such a long time doing nothing. When you have not been injured, you do not know what it is like. Now Savage hopes to give himself the biggest high of his career by getting Wales through to next summer's finals.

He said: "I am not going to play in the Champions League, I know that, so this is my best opportunity to play on the biggest stage. For the likes of me and many in the squad, it will be the biggest games of our lives.

"People say Wales were transformed under Mark Hughes, but if we do not qualify it will be all about us not making it again, and we do not want to be labelled like that."