GERMANY V WALES:OLIVER BIERHOFF'S declaration on the eve of a qualifying match that he will be leading a German delegation to South Africa at the end of this month to assess potential hotels and training campus for the 2010 World Cup might have prompted a terse response from some managers but John Toshack is not so easily upset.
"We have been over there as well," insisted the Wales manager, straight-faced. "We went there for the draw."
It was a witty reply in keeping with a light-hearted press conference that suggested the Wales manager could not be in more relaxed mood ahead of tonight's fixture in Moenchengladbach. Even the subject of penalties, which is a contentious one given that Wales have missed a spot-kick in all three qualifying matches, was a source of amusement. "I hope we don't get one," replied Toshack after he was asked who was the next in line.
With a Germany victory expected it would be easy to interpret the manager's laid-back demeanour as a sign he is not feeling under any pressure to deliver a result, yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Toshack masterminded a goalless draw in Frankfurt 11 months ago and he has hopes of reprising that feat in Borussia-Park, where the red shirts will again defend in numbers and look to hit Joachim Low's side on the break.
"We know this is a big, important game for us," added Toshack, who is expected to pick Carl Robinson ahead of Carl Fletcher in midfield and include James Collins and Lewin Nyatanga in central defence alongside Craig Morgan. "The players are not going into the unknown. They have done it once so, from our point of view, [the 0-0 draw] is a result we can use to our favour. A positive result could really set the cat amongst the pigeons in this group."
The Wales manager is fully aware of the size of the task. "We have played Germany recently and we have watched them in the European Championships. We know what a difficult task it will be," he said. "But I think we have got to come away from home and get a positive result against teams who are seeded above us."
Wales's chances of producing a shock here will be helped if Michael Ballack fails to recover from a calf injury, with the Chelsea midfielder being given as long as possible to prove his fitness.
Although Danny Gabbidon, Joe Ledley and Robert Earnshaw are missing from the side that held Germany at the end of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, Jason Koumas, Gareth Bale and Craig Bellamy ought to be more than adequate replacements.
Guardian Service
