TOSHACK COMES TO TERMS WITH KOUMAS

Toshack - still has faith in Koumas.

John Toshack had to thank his young stars for Wales' opening World Cup qualifying victory as he continues to struggle with the problem that is Jason Koumas.

The Wigan midfielder needed three injections in an ankle injury to even get on the pitch for the 1-0 win over Azerbaijan in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

And that explained a lot about an erratic performance which included a stupid booking and a missed penalty.

Koumas is unlikely to be fit enough for the trip to Moscow to take on Russia in Wednesday's Group Four clash in the Lokomotiv stadium.

But boss Toshack insists he still has faith in the unpredictable midfield schemer.

"Basically I like him and understand him. He is always our best bet for a goal but with things like that booking, maybe the penny will never drop for him," Toshack said.

"But if you need a goal you have to leave Jason on, even if his fitness levels are not quite what we are looking for. He's been injured and not always playing for his club.

"There was a point when Jason was struggling with the injury and we got close to taking him off, playing Sam Ricketts at full-back and pushing Bale into midfield where he could do even more damage.

"But Jason's goals record against lesser teams is outstanding. He has won us games on his own. It is true that against the better sides he has not always given us what we would like.

"His attitude is much better with us over the last 12 months, I have seen an improvement. We are not waiting and wondering now if he will turn up. And as a player I do like what he can do.

"But at the highest level of international football, players around him must be aware they need to fill in behind him. Joe Ledley does that for him.

"Jason has got a lot of goals in the last dozen games. We are very aware of what he does well and we also know what he is not so good at, we are not learning anything new about him.

"I like him. Maybe there's not something quite right with me, I understand him. And he understands that I know what he is about."

Toshack continued: "Sometimes I think he's got to come off, fitness-wise, but then we know what he can produce at any moment with skill and vision.

"Years ago, every team had players a lot worse than him. Quality international players, lads you could find around the Kings Road before the foreign invasion.

"There was a lot of class players who you could question, whether they should be selected because of their discipline. It was a stupid booking, but no more stupid than the last one he got.

"But he has talent. But we know there's a difference between playing against Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein in Cardiff than Russia and Germany away."

Koumas had been frustrated by his own inability to produce his best with a persistent ankle problem, and lost patience with Macedonian referee Aleksandr Stavrev after one debatable decision too many for the Wrexham-born player.

Koumas clattered the ball high into the empty seating behind the goal in Cardiff, and promptly received a yellow card that could have consequences later in the campaign.

Wales, though, found in the outstanding Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, Ched Evans and eventually match-winner Sam Vokes, young Welsh dragons who stepped up to the plate when it mattered.

Koumas said: "Sam Vokes is a handful and I've been impressed with him. He is a young lad but he reminds me a little bit of John Hartson in his younger days. He looks a good player.

"Gareth Bale was outstanding and he is another very good young player. All of the youngsters are doing well and gaining more experience with every game so the future is bright.

"They had a lot of men behind the ball and it got more and more difficult as time went on, and then I missed the penalty.

"I was annoyed with myself over the penalty because of the way the game was going. Every time I got the ball I just felt that there was nowhere for me to go."

"I felt then that it might not be our day but we got a goal in the end. Luckily enough Sam popped up with the winner.

"The longer it went on at 0-0 it was getting harder but we stuck to it. There were lads out there who were not fully fit, so it was a good three points."