Azerbaijan v Wales. Match preview

Last updated : 06 June 2009 By Wales Reporter

"We have not switched off, we are determined to end our season with a win," the 29-cap Cardiff player said.

"We are missing a lot of players for this one, and I find myself now captaining a side with young players who are less experienced than me and are looking for leadership.

"I suppose I will be expected to look after them, but I'm sure I can handle it.

"I certainly feel honoured to be captaining my country at my age, and to be skipper of these players who I have grown up with. It is something you dream about and I just hope I can do a good job.

"I am still young but I am more experienced than many of the players in the squad. I'll be trying to look after them.

"We are missing key players with Premier League clubs, but these youngsters are good enough to get a victory here.

"This will be a hard game. Azerbaijan were difficult opponents in Cardiff and they will be tougher at home in this heat and with our fitness levels.

"But it will give the younger players experience and if they can learn in this sort of match they will have a great future ahead of them."

He added: "This may be our last game of a long season, but nobody has switched off. We beat Estonia in a friendly last week and now we intend to win this one, a much more important match.

"Everyone has been looking sharp and we want to end our season on a high note."

Wales squad: Hennessey (Wolves), Myhill (Hull), Price (Derby), MacDonald (Swansea), Eardley (Oldham), Gunter (Tottenham), Morgan (Peterborough), Nyatanga (Derby), A Williams (Swansea), Allen (Swansea), D Edwards (Wolves), Tudur Jones (Swansea), King (Leicester), Ledley (Cardiff), Ramsey (Arsenal), Church (Reading), Earnshaw (Nottm Forest), Vokes (Wolves).

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