Toshack: Learning curve

Related links

Teams

• Wales

Also see

• Football on Sky
• Sky Sports experts
• Paper Talk

Wales will be hoping to build on an impressive midweek result when they travel to Holland.

John Toshack's side secured a morale-boosting 1-0 victory away in Iceland on Wednesday, stretching their unbeaten run to six matches.

The Welsh have been hampered by injury woes of late but their promising group of youngsters continue to strengthen their growing reputations.

While the game represents another opportunity for Toshack to experiment with his side, Dutch coach Marco van Basten has more pressing issues to worry about.

Holland are widely expected to be among the front-runners at the upcoming European Championship and their manager will be keen to establish a settled starting XI heading into the tournament.

They are warming up nicely ahead of their opening group game with Italy on 9th June, cruising to a 3-0 victory against Ukraine last weekend and strolling through a 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday.

Team news

With a virtually fully fit squad from which to choose the only decision for Van Basten to make will be whether or not to risk Robin van Persie, as the Arsenal striker continues to struggle with a thigh problem.

While the Dutch are at full strength Toshack will be without Danny Gabbidon, Simon Davies, James Collins and Gareth Bale for the Rotterdam clash.

He will also have to cope without Crystal Palace midfielder Carl Fletcher after the stand-in skipper suffered ankle ligament damage during the midweek win in Reykjavik.

Hull duo Sam Ricketts and Boaz Myhill are back in the frame after completing their promotion celebrations with the Tigers, while Carl Robinson has also jetted in from Toronto to join up with the squad.

The Welsh boss should also be able to call upon talismanic striker Craig Bellamy after the West Ham hit-man reported no ill-effects following his appearance as a substitute on Wednesday.

Concerns

Toshack admits that his young side could be in for a tough time on Sunday, but is hoping that it will form part of an important learning curve.

"I hope some of the youngsters can take some real experience from the match," he said.

"It will be in a fine stadium in Rotterdam in front of a full house, let's just send them out to enjoy the experience of such a match.

"In our last 17 games we have only lost three, against Germany, the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus. We have won nine and drawn the rest.

"So we are encouraged because we are continuing to chalk up decent results with a much-changing side full of youngsters."