Eardley eager to play under a ‘legend’

WALES defender Neal Eardley has hailed the appointment of Gary Speed as national team boss and cannot wait to get down to work with a “legend” of Welsh football.

Speed was named as John Toshack’s full-time successor in December and tonight’s Carling Nations Cup opener against the Republic of Ireland sees the 41-year-old take charge of his country for the first time.

Speed, who skippered Wales and accumulated 85 caps as a player, was seen as a surprise appointment in some quarters, having only taken charge of 18 games during his first management role at Sheffield United.