AS you will know by now, I've had to knock my fight against Mger Mkrtchian on the head because I'm not well.

I felt flu coming on last Sunday morning and I had a bad Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It has meant I've had to take the week off and you cannot do that with a fight so close.

It's a bit of a pain in the backside and it's disappointing for my fans but, as you have seen in my recent fights, this time is important in my life.

I have to be 100 per cent right on the night. If I'm not 100 per cent and I put in a poor performance, like I have in the past when I've only been 70 per cent against people like Robin Reid, it knocks you.

At this stage of my career I need to perform as best I can. I don't want - and can't afford - a performance which knocks me down the ladder, especially with Showtime wanting to put on fights in the future.

There are viruses knocking around at the moment and, basically, I have just managed to get one of them.

I've been on tablets to get over this but I know I won't be on the bill on December 6. At the end of the day, however, there are a lot of good fighters like Gavin Rees and Jamie Arthur who will be there and would enjoy the fans' support.

It is not a very good end to the year for me. I've only fought once in the last 12 months although that clash with Byron Mitchell, I would think, could go down as the fight of the year.

I had had the fight postponed three times earlier this year before it finally went ahead and I suppose not having this fight now has made me more determined to have a big year next year.

As for a re-match against Mkrtchian, I would have to speak to my promoter, Frank Warren, about it.

I'm supposed to fight for Showtime in March and I'm not supposed to fight for three months before then so a re-match may be a non-starter.

All that work for nothing! No, I'm not talking about my cancelled fight but Wales' exit from Euro 2004 when they lost 1-0 to Russia at the Millennium Stadium.

And I blame the players for it. The manager, Mark Hughes, will always get criticised for something like this but he is not on the pitch. The players are.

Mind you, that is not to say that Mark Hughes didn't make a big mistake. I think he showed how inexperienced he is as a coach by playing only one up front in John Hartson.

I think, basically, to play one up front and pack the midfield is so negative. It was a shame and when Russia scored their goal, basically, that was it.

Why weren't Wales more positive? I think Hughes should have had two up front in Hartson and (Robert) Earnshaw. Hartson holds the ball up well and could have supplied it to Earnshaw.

But, instead, Hughes played Russian Roulette with the side. If you lose 3-0 but play positively, then fair enough, but that wasn't how Wales played on Wednesday night. We lost it right from the start.

You play in front of 73,000 fans and they want to see you win. They are praying to see you win and perform well, but the team didn't produce the goods which is the most frustrating part of it all.

I think Mark Hughes has done a good job and people have to understand that he's in the early stages of his managerial career.

He only took it up a few years ago but I have to say again that, at the end of the day, the players are to blame because they under-performed.

I feel sorry for people like Ryan Giggs and Gary Speed. Giggs could play for any team and he must be absolutely gutted because he's getting on a bit and he may now feel he will never play in a major finals.

Winning the first four games and then going out is criminal. Wales should have made sure of it by winning the group.

Anyway, until next week ......

Joe Calzaghe