LITTLE HAS BEEN A BREATH OF FRESH AIR - ANTHONY WILLIAMS
Rob Griffiths - Daily Post

BRIAN LITTLE has only been in charge of Wrexham for four days, but already the new Dragons boss seems to have the club buzzing with excitement.

Little was officially unveiled as the new Wrexham manager on Thursday to take over from the deposed Brian Carey, and has been charged with the task of leading the club away from the Football League basement.

And goalkeeper Anthony Williams believes Wrexham have the right man for the job.

"I think it is a really good step for the club," said the Dragons stopper. "I think everything needed freshening up a little bit.

"He took training on Friday and he brought a few new ideas and a new enthusiasm with him and training seemed very good. He has got a lot of experience at all levels of football.

"I think it was at the stage where it needed a fresh face to come in, someone from the outside. And from a personal point of view I think he will take us in the right direction."

While Friday was the first training session taken by Little, he was introduced to the players the day before, where he was a keen observer.

And he also made a brief speech to the players before being whisked off to meet a waiting Press.

Williams said: "He seems very approachable, and a really genuine guy. From what I gather he hasn't got any enemies in the game, and he seems like someone you can go to with a problem."

Wrexham were without a fixture on the weekend as their match against Mansfield Town was postponed because of international call ups, meaning Little's first foray in charge of the Dragons will be at home to cross-border rivals Chester City next Sunday.

But Williams is confident this is the perfect game for Little to start his reign as the new boss.

"I think it's a great game to start off with," he added. "It's probably the best game he could have been given to start off with, at home to Chester.

"The crowd are going to be pumped up and so are the players, and a local derby form doesn't matter. So I don't think there is a better game for him to start with."

And while Little has come in, his predecessor Carey has been kept on as assistant manager, something Williams has welcomed.

"Obviously they were player and manager at Leicester, and have a good relationship, so we all hope it can work just as well at Wrexham." he said.

STEVE EVANS CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK WITH WREXHAM
Richard Jones - Evening Leader

STEVE EVANS can't wait to join up with Brian Little and try to force his way into Wrexham's first team.

Defender Evans was away on international duty with Wales when Wrexham's appointment of Little was confirmed and he is now desperate to join up with the rest of the Reds squad ahead of Sunday's crunch derby at home to Chester City.

Evans, who didn't get off the bench in Wales' 2-2 draw against Republic of Ireland, has experienced a difficult second season with the Reds, only starting seven out of the 14 league matches.

Nevertheless he has been included in every Wales squad since making his debut against Liechtenstein last year.

"I have had an in and out season with Wrexham so it is great that John Toshack has kept faith in me," he said.

"But now I am looking forward to getting back and seeing how things have changed, and hopefully get back myself back into the team and do well for my club.

"I haven't met or spoke to Brian Little yet but I have spoke to a few of the lads and apparently everything seems to be going really, really well.

"I just can't wait to get back and show my face and try to get in his team.

"I need to get back, work really hard and then hopefully I will get the chance to show what I can do.

"I was flying in pre-season but then I got injured against Newtown and it slowed me up. But in fairness my performances have not been great this season and I want to get back to the form I was in last season.

"I have had a good time with Wales and now I feel really sharp and ready to go."

Evans was named as one of Toshack's seven substitutes and the towering defender, who flew out with the Welsh camp to Germany today, admitted his delight at being involved in the international arena.

Wales drew the match 2-2 courtesy of a last minute penalty from another Wrexham lad, Jason Koumas.

Koumas had originally put Wales ahead midway through the first half with a terrific header from a Joe Ledley cross, but a strike either side of half-time from Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle gave Ireland the advantage going into the closing stages of the match.

Wales pressed hard to grab a point and finally got their reward when Paul McShane tumbled Dave Cotterill in the box for a penalty, which Koumas converted.

"It is always an honour to be involved with Wales. Obviously it is disappointing not to get on but the lads played well and got a good result," added Evans.

"I think if we could have got the equalising goal a bit earlier then we could have gone on and won it. After they scored their second goal we really came into the match and to be fair I thought we were the better team."

JOHN TOSHACK WORRIED AHEAD OF GERMANY
Mark Currie - Daily Post

JOHN TOSHACK is sure his young side will go into Wednesday's trip to Germany without fear... but he's not so sure he will.

Toshack's young guns step away from an encouraging Euro 2008 qualifying draw with the Irish in Cardiff straight into a daunting collision in Frankfurt as they bid to end their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign on a high.

And he had plenty to be happy about after seeing his defiant side, who finished with six under-21s on the pitch against an Irish outfit full of battle-hardened Premier League stars, grab a deserved point after a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

But the 58-year-old knows full well that an away game in Germany could well be a match too far for his youngsters.

Toshack said: "I don't fear for the players in Germany, not at all. But there will be a bit of fear for me watching it!

"We ended up against the Irish with six kids on the pitch, and had David Edwards coming on to make his debut. Frankly it will not be much different in Germany, but they can all learn from such an occasion."

Wales will be without two-goal hero Jason Koumas, suspended after being booked for diving - television evidence showed clear contact with Irish defender Steve Finnan - as well as Carl Robinson, who was carried off with ankle ligament damage.

At 31 this may well be one of the last times Wales fans see Robinson, winner of 44 caps.

He will be approaching 33 when the World Cup qualifiers get into full swing next year and the constant treks from his new Toronto home could become unnecessary as youngsters such as Owain Tudur Jones break through.

Toshack, though, is used to overcoming adversity, be it the shambolic display in Cyprus during the last international period or the constant dwindling of experience from his squad.

He started the campaign against the Czech Republic in April 2006, with Paul Jones, Mark Delaney, Ryan Giggs and John Hartson available. All have since retired.

Now he has young players like Chris Gunter (18), Neal Eardley (19), David Cotterill (19), Wayne Hennessey (20), Joe Ledley (20) and David Edwards (21) manning the barricades.

Many in Wales are understandably fearful of facing the Germans.

But against the Irish, at least, they showed no fear and bags of commitment and courage. Koumas produced a fine headed opener, but Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle had the Republic ahead with an hour gone.

That should have been it for the boys' brigade, but the Irish failed to nail the win and conceded a last-ditch penalty when Paul McShane hauled back Cotterill, Koumas blasting home.

And Toshack said: "If you look at the two sides on paper, and the stage we are at in our development, anyone would be happy with what we got from the game.

"We will be a lot better equipped now going into the Germany game after Jason's penalty gave us a draw.

"Had we lost 2-1 it would have been different. But we got the rub of the green, confidence comes with that, and we will all be in a lot better frame of mind now.

"That one penalty changes everyone's attitude and belief. If we had lost 2-1 it would still have been a good performance, but now we will be more confident."

He added: "What we had to do is to take something positive from the game. But we accept that we are going to Germany with a very inexperienced side.

"The full-back positions are giving us a lot of problems with so many injured. But Gunter and Eardley did very well for us.

"If they can get regular football at a higher level we will be well placed for the future at full-back.

"I've watched Gunter quite a bit, and he only played left-back a couple of times for Cardiff last season.

"But we had little choice but to throw him into a really big game."

And, of course, there a conspiracy theory to hearten the Welsh. Germany, it has been suggested, might not want to win the group now because it would make them one of the four top seeds.

That would see them alongside hosts Austria, Switzerland and holders Greece.

If Germany contrive to finish second, they would then give themselves the chance of meeting one of those three weak sides in next summer's finals, rather than avoiding them.

Toshack thought such deviousness would be beyond Germany, but it will be more than an amusing discussion point on the plane from Cardiff today.