STRESSFUL DIVORCE KEPT PARRY ON SIDELINES

Parry - went through divorce.

Cardiff midfielder Paul Parry has blamed 17-month exile from the Wales squad on the stress of his recent divorce.

Parry was one of the stars of Cardiff's run to the FA Cup final last season, but his talents have been unavailable to Wales boss John Toshack since March 2007.

Parry has told the Wales chief he is ready to rekindle his international career - and he was named yesterday in the squad to face Georgia in a friendly at Swansea on August 20.

"I have been going through a divorce. It has been a long, drawn-out saga," he explained.

"My mind feels refreshed now, but it has taken a lot out of me. I was suffering a lot of stress and I just needed some time out for myself.

"That was the only reason I took that step back from Wales; I had to clear my mind. I do hope the Wales fans will understand and perhaps see why I needed to do it."

Parry's former Cardiff club-mate Robert Earnshaw is also back in squad after a six-month absence from Toshack's plans.

Earnshaw's form and attitude were a concern for Toshack while the former Cardiff man's unhappy spell at Derby was coming to an end.

The 26 year-old, with 39 caps, has moved to Nottingham Forest - and Toshack hopes that transfer will give him a new lease of life.

Toshack has selected a 19-man squad for Wales' last warm-up match before their World Cup qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Russia next month.

He has not included any of the 28 under-21s players named by coach Brian Flynn earlier in the week for their crucial UEFA championship qualifier against Romania at Wrexham the same night.

That means senior squad players like Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale, Wayne Hennessey and Chris Gunter - who would certainly have played against Georgia - have been left to concentrate on the under-21s fixture.

Wales are also without captain Craig Bellamy, the West Ham forward out for a month with a hamstring strain.

Derby defender Lewin Nyatanga is sidelined by a knee problem.

Wrexham defender Steve Evans will be the first non-league player to figure in a senior Wales international since 1930 if he takes part against Georgia.