Toshack launches bitter attack on spoilt Welsh stars

WALES boss John Toshack claims some of his players are spoilt, pampered and lacking in professional pride.

As Toshack prepares his squad for tonight’s Euro 2008 qualifier against San Marino, arguably the weakest national team in Europe, the 58-year-old spoke out for the first time since Wales’ 3-1 defeat in Cyprus on Saturday.

An emotional Toshack fumed: “The players will say they do care, and it is rubbish to say they don’t. But did it look like they cared? It didn’t look like it to me. I was in charge of that team, and people will look at me and wonder what I was doing. That hurts my pride.

Toshack added: “I wasn’t happy with a number of things, and not just tactics and things on the field.

“Things went on out in Cyprus that made me wonder what we had been doing for two-and-a-half years.’’

It is known Toshack has been stunned by complaints about the five-star hotel they used in Nicosia.

He said: “This is a young group, and sometimes I don’t like some of the things I see. Here we are with another five-star hotel, overlooking the sea at Rimini. Sometimes I feel that there are some who take it for granted. I don’t like that and won’t accept it.”

Toshack, who could be without striker Freddy Eastwood with an Achilles problem tonight, added: “They (the players) let themselves down, not me.

“I know we are limited in certain areas and we try to hide those deficiencies. You need people to stand up and make decisions on the field, but some don’t seem ready for that.”

As well as Eastwood, Wales also have doubts over midfielder David Vaughan with a slight groin problem.

But captain Craig Bellamy insists he will be able to start, despite mild discomfort following his hernia operation.

Toshack is considering bringing in goalkeeper Lewis Price, full-back Neal Eardley and midfielder Andrew Crofts – but may well decide to give the shamed team that lost in Cyprus a chance to redeem themselves.