Wales skipper Gary Speed accepts willingly the fact that he is about to become his country's regular left-back!

The Newcastle captain, who is driving the Geordies towards the Premiership title from his familiar midfield role, is bracing himself to be utilised by his international boss Mark Hughes in Wales' problem defensive position.

With Fulham's Chris Coleman injured, and no obvious Premiership quality left-back available, Speed was pressed into that role for Wales' last international, the victory over Belarus.

Now it looks like happening again tonight when Wales play World Cup favourites Argentina at the Millennium Stadium.

Wales have an abundance of midfield options, so Speed is prepared to make the sacrifice.

He said: "I don't mind playing left-back, I wouldn't be surprised if I was.

"It's a team game and I'll do whatever helps the team. The team is the most important thing and if it helps with me playing full-back, then so be it.

"It's not my preferred position, obviously, but in football you have to do these things and the team is the most important thing."

Speed will win his 67th cap on Wednesday night, making him the eighth most capped Welshman of all time, and he's looking forward to seeing his country build on their encouraging recent performances.

He said: "We can progress from the last campaign. The results were disappointing, but we were in with a shout of winning every single game.

"We are really confident and up for this and believe we are going in the right direction.

"Mark Hughes instils self-belief. One of our downfalls in the past is that we haven't believed in ourselves enough.

"The last campaign saw us go in front on many occasions, but we just sat back and didn't believe in ourselves enough, we just tried to hold on. More belief and we could have gone on to win the game.

"Mark keeps telling us we are good players and we can do it. If someone keeps telling us enough, we will start believing it."

Speed is also delighted with the progress of youngsters Craig Bellamy and Simon Davies and the prospect of pairing them with Ryan Giggs and John Hartson up front.

He said: "We don't need to work too much on our attacking football because of the players we have up front, what we must learn to do is to keep our shape in midfield and at the back and stay solid.

"Team organisation is important and if we do that we have the players to break things down.

"With our current frontmen, and the form they are in this season and the level they are playing at, it's difficult to pick a better four.

"They have got the potential to achieve something for this team. Going forward, we have players who are very exciting.

"As a nation we are certainly happy with the riches we have going forward. If we can keep solid behind them, we always have a chance of winning games."

Hughes is delighted with such a high-profile match against arguably the best team in the world, even if Argentina have left some of their superstars out to allow fringe players the chance to impress before the World Cup Finals.

Hughes said: "This is a great opportunity for my players to play against and watch some of the best players in the world and how they go about their job. We can all learn.

"It was important to take this game, we haven't had much opportunity in the past to play countries like this.

"I know it may not help our FIFA ranking, but when these chances come along you have to grab them.

"How can you refuse a game against one of the favourites for the World Cup? It would be crazy to think we won't take it because we might get beaten. That's a ridiculous way to think.

"I have taken difficult games in the past because I think it will help our development overall. And it has, the last two years have seen us progress.

"We have put in some good work over the last couple of years and we aim to build on that."

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2002

Answers

alternatives positions !!

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2002

"The Newcastle captain, who is driving the Geordies towards the Premiership title..."

I thought Alan Shearer was the Newcastle captain? I actually read another newspaper report naming Speed as captain too!

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2002