Wales rule out lynchpin Gabbidon
Danny Gabbidon has been ruled out of Wales' Euro 2008 qualifiers with the Republic of Ireland on Saturday at Croke Park and San Marino next week.
The 31-cap West Ham centre-back has been out of action for two months after groin surgery and failed a fitness test at Wales' Cardiff base on Tuesday.
However, Gabbidon's club-mate James Collins has given Wales a timely boost.
Collins returned to first-team club action for the Hammers last Saturday for the first time since mid-January.
Centre-back Collins played the full 90 minutes for West Ham, making him a certain starter in Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier with the Republic of Ireland.
Wales boss John Toshack has no fresh injury concerns after the weekend's club action, with Ryan Giggs safely coming through Manchester United's FA Cup quarter-final replay win over Middlesbrough on Monday night.
West Brom play-maker Jason Koumas will be suspended for the Ireland game, but he should go straight back into the side to face San Marino in Cardiff four days later.
Carl Robinson looks set to retain his place in the Wales midfield despite not currently playing competitive games.
The midfielder was released by Norwich in January to allow him to join Major League Soccer side Toronto, whose season does not start until next month.
His fitness will be assessed in training this week, but the 30-year-old is likely to continue his central partnership with Crystal Palace captain Carl Fletcher.
Striker Robert Earnshaw (groin) and defender Mark Delaney (knee) are the only definite absentees through injury, although Gabbidon could be ruled out because of a lack of fitness later in the week.
Shrewsbury's David Edwards is the only uncapped player in the 26-man squad.
Germany and the Czech Republic lead the way on 10 points in Group D, with Wales one from bottom with three points but with a game in hand.
Wales have sold more than 4,500 tickets for the match at Croke Park.
The FA of Wales' intitial allocation was 6,500 tickets and, having sold more than 4,500 tickets to their travel club members and home ticket database members they have returned close to 1,500 tickets to the FA of Ireland.
"We did send some tickets back," said FAW secretary general David Collins.
"We had a deadline within which we had to return any unsold tickets, but (the game in Dublin) will certainly see the biggest away support we've had since Milan (a 4-0 loss to Italy in September 2003)."
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Wales squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers with the Republic of Ireland and San Marino:
Danny Coyne (Burnley), Paul Jones (QPR), Darren Ward (Sunderland), Gareth Bale (Southampton), Danny Collins (Sunderland), James Collins (West Ham United), Richard Duffy (Portsmouth - on loan at Swansea City), Steve Evans (Wrexham), Craig Morgan (Peterborough United), Lewin Nyatanga (Derby County - on loan at Barnsley), Sam Ricketts (Hull City), Andrew Crofts (Gillingham), Arron Davies (Yeovil Town), Simon Davies (Fulham), David Edwards (Shrewsbury Town), Carl Fletcher (Crystal Palace), Jason Koumas (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Ledley (Cardiff City), Carl Robinson (Toronto), Craig Bellamy (Liverpool), David Cotterill (Wigan Athletic), Jermaine Easter (Wycombe Wanderers), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Chris Llewellyn (Wrexham), Paul Parry (Cardiff City).
