ALES coach John Toshack has admitted that Robbie Savage's shock retirement from international football has opened the door for Carl Fletcher to become a mainstay in a new look Wales side.

Toshack said he'd been much-impressed by the West Ham mid-fielder, who has family in Ebbw Vale.

Toshack also confirmed to the Argus that Savage's decision to quit the international scene had come after he phoned the player to inform him that he would not be included in the squad to face Austria in two vital World Cup Qualifiers.

Savage later hit out at the new Wales coach, saying: "The man obviously doesn't like me. "I think it has gone beyond footballing matters and I think it is personal and I am not travelling around to carry the skips.

"I couldn't see how the Welsh set-up had gone from a professional one under Mark Hughes to a shambles under John Toshack."

Savage, who earned 39 caps for Wales in a career spanning ten years, explained that he quit the international scene to prolong his club career.

He said: "I feel the time is right to retire, I want to spend more time with my young family and concentrate fully on my career with Blackburn Rovers."

Toshack said: "I did speak to Savage and I explained that I wouldn't be involving him.

"He told me that was fine because he was retiring from international football and then the line went dead.

"It was a short conversation but as I said to him, I wanted to look at Carl Fletcher and Carl Robinson in a competitive match because I have been very impressed with them.

"We have to make changes because we have gone two years without a competitive win but I am disappointed that Savage has not given me the option of picking him in the future.

"I am aware of the comments that Savage made before I was appointed (that many of the players would consider their futures if they had to play under Toshack), but it would be unfair for anyone to say there was animosity between us, because I went to see him at Birmingham and picked him in the squad for the last friendly.

"Carl Fletcher, who hasn't played a minute of competitive football at this level is going to get a chance and he has impressed me so far."

Toshack also revealed that Newport-born defender James Collins was again likely to be given a chance at international level.

He explained: "James hasn't made the step up so far but he is playing regularly for Cardiff City alongside someone who has made the step up (Cwmbran's Danny Gabbidon) and it is always nice for an international manager to be able to pick players who play with one another regularly."