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Toshack braced for tough encounter

Toshack: Has warned his youngsters

And the Wales boss has confirmed that he will not be going into Sunday's friendly at the De Kiyp stadium with either his best player or his brightest young talent.

Toshack is focusing firmly on next season's opening World Cup Group Four qualifiers with Azerbaijan, Russia and Germany.

And he will want injury-prone Craig Bellamy, his captain, firing on all cylinders by then.

Bellamy played his first game since February as a substitute in the win over Iceland on Wednesday. Toshack did not risk him from the beginning in Reykjavik and will not use him from the start against Holland either.

And the former Liverpool striker seems intent on keeping 17-year-old Cardiff star Aaron Ramsey under wraps also.

Ramsey did not even get onto the bench against Iceland and although he will be a substitute on Sunday, Toshack clearly aims to ease the youngster gently into international football.

The youngster received a glowing endorsement from 31-year-old midfielder Carl Robinson, who arrived from Toronto on Friday to join up with the squad.

"I can see what all the fuss is about," said Robinson, who could captain the side. "Sometimes players get built up, and there is a lot of talk about him.

"But in just one training session I saw a confidence about him, a guile that top players have. The aura that is around him is maybe a bit too much.

"But I can see why. I tried to go tight on him, give him a push to see how he reacted and he was very calm and knew what he was doing.

"Nothing flustered him. And everything I have heard about him was obvious in just one training session. He is a very good player already and will be a top player eventually."

Toshack just hopes his youngsters can get through the Holland match without being overawed.

He said: "We start our World Cup campaign in September, we only have one other friendly before then against Georgia in August. That must be our priority.

"We have big players who are missing and there is no guarantee they will be back playing by September and October in time for our World Cup games.

"So it will be interesting to see how some of our younger lads cope with a match against a side like Holland.

"I do not have too many real hard and fast ideas about my team for the World Cup games. You learn in this game that there is plenty of time yet for people to get injured and miss out.

"There is two months now for them without playing after this Holland game, so until they turn up on the Monday before our first game (against Azerbaijan on September 6) you never really know what you have.

"It used to concern me, but I am happy now that we have a much deeper squad, we have a good group of young players now. They are not ready yet but we are on the right lines.

"There are aspects of our team now I must look at. There is a chance now for others, in the absence of several senior players, to come in and stake a claim for a place.

"Maybe when the others are fit, the younger lads may even be able to hold down their place in the side.

"Bellamy has looked okay in training, quite sharp, and he did well when he came on in Iceland. But we are not looking to start the game with him here.

"Holland will be one of the favourites for the competition, so we know this will be a big test for our young players.

"It will be the biggest game some of our lads will have played in, so it will be interesting to see how they do. But when you look at the quality of players we are facing, it is going to be very hard."

Carl Fletcher and Owain Tudur Jones both suffered ankle injuries during the win in Iceland so miss out while Brian Stock has a back strain and is doubtful.

Kick-off at the De Kiyp is 2pm.