Toshack looks to Giggs for Croker

JOHN TOSHACK turned his attention to a historic showdown with the Republic of Ireland at Croke Park, praying for the divine intervention of a fully-fit Ryan Giggs.

The Wales boss saw his patched-up side scramble a 0-0 draw in Belfast against Northern Ireland without Giggs and a host of others.

Giggs had taken his captaincy role very seriously by going to watch the Under-21s produce an encouraging 4-0 win over the North at Glentoran’s Oval ground during the afternoon.

But his hamstring problems were not to be risked a couple of hours later as Giggs sat and endured an international his skills would have graced in abundance.

Now Toshack must weave his resources together around Giggs for the March 24 trip to the cathedral of Irish sport for the first-ever soccer match on Croke Park’s hallowed turf.

The Euro 2008 qualifier is now vital to the Republic of Ireland and Wales and only victory will give either country a chance of qualification. The match is already a 70,000-plus sell-out, and Toshack hopes just the stage for the Giggs magic.

Toshack said: “Ryan had a slight hamstring problem, he will be okay in a couple of days, so it was just not worth the risk playing him in Belfast. He is too important to us to put under any sort of pressure now so close to the Dublin game.

“We certainly don’t need to find out anything else about him, we know how vital he is to us and hopefully he will be firing on all cylinders in Dublin.

“Not using Gareth Bale was a similar decision. He has had a difficult time of late with all the transfer speculation. Maybe a few days’ rest will help him.

“I just hope the two of them will be in peak condition for Dublin because if they are they will be the first two names on the team sheet.”

Toshack is all too aware of Giggs’ importance now, saying: “Where we play Ryan depends on fitness and form of others. We can use him in a variety of roles, a lot will depend on him.

He added: “At this moment, seven weeks away from Dublin, we know we will be without Jason Koumas, suspended, Mark Delaney and Robert Earnshaw with injuries. That’s three people who would definitely play against the Republic.

“Croke Park will be a tremendous occasion and a game now that we have to win if we are going to stand any chance of qualifying. It is already very hard with Germany and the Czech Republic in a very strong position.

“A draw though, is no good to either us or the Republic if we are talking about qualifying. They will know they have to beat us if they are going to have any hope of qualifying.”

“We have had one slip-up in the group, a car crash if you like, in losing badly to Slovakia. You can afford one, but not two if you are going to have any chance of qualifying.”