MARK Hughes now faces the toughest test of his short managerial career.

The Wales boss was quickly hailed a golden boy and Welsh football's great redeemer as he inspired his apparent no-hopers to four consecutive successes.

In doing so, Wales raced to Euro 2004 qualifying Group Nine's summit, and we all - players, fans and even us hacks - let our imagination run wild.

We expected to be planning our summer holidays to the Algarve about now, but oh! How Wales have come crashing down to earth.

Following a slender defeat in Serbia and Montenegro last month, Hughes' patched-up Wales side were torn to shreds here in Milan by the rampant, blood-thirsty Italians as the Group Nine pendulum swung, for the first, yet most important time, to Giovanni Trapattoni's resurgent warriors.

Automatic qualification for Portugal 2004 has all but slipped away, the runners-up spot and qualification for a play-off is now uppermost in Hughes' thoughts.

Filippo Inzaghi led the massacre. He threatened in the opening period when Wales were just keeping themselves in it.

But Milan hitman Inzaghi, on home turf, showed his brilliance in the second period with a quite beautiful hat trick.

The fact that Christian Vieri wasn't at his unstoppable best was overlooked as Inzaghi and creative master Alessandro Del Piero eventually cut through the makeshift Welsh defence - with only centre-half Robert Page in his usual position.

Gianluca Zambrotta, too, was a revelation. The Juventus left-back tore provisional right-back Simon Davies inside and out, typified by the penalty he won against the Tottenham man, which Del Piero rammed past Paul Jones.

Hughes, who has turned Welsh football on its head since his popular appointment four years ago, must now rally his troops so that possible Euro 2004 qualification is not lost.

For the first time in his reign, Wales have succumbed to back-to-back defeats. But Hughes must be careful that Welsh fans and players alike aren't telling that same old sob story in six weeks' time.

The young chief knows full well that past Welsh teams have flattered to deceive. You only have to look back 22 years to be reminded of that.

Cast your minds back to 1981. Mike England's Wales were on the march to World Cup 1982 in Spain after four wins from their opening four games.

Sound familiar? After dispatching Iceland in Reykjavik, seeing off Czechoslovakia in Cardiff and back-to-back victories over Turkey, the Welsh faithful got excited and started booking their summer holidays to the Costa del Sol for a mixture of sun, sea and soccer.

You can sense a theme. Wales, though, didn't win another game in their group, pipped by Czechoslovakia for second spot behind winners USSR. Wales' loyal supporters were heart-broken.

Move forward to the present day. We've fallen for it again and all got a bit too carried away.

The Algarve is already next summer's tourist hot-spot for Wales fans. But while thousands of Welsh folk lap up the sunshine and down the San Miguel, it's still not a foregone conclusion that the national football team will be joining them.

Wales face Finland on Wednesday in front of an expectant full house at the Millennium Stadium, and how that game now takes on extra gravity.

With the World Cup 1982 qualifying disaster in mind, Hughes cannot let a similar scenario happen to the class of 2003.

This is the acid test of his managerial attributes and leadership qualities that will surely have Premiership chairmen taking notes on how he fares in this stern examination of his managerial credentials.

But it doesn't get any easier for Sparky, whose squad is already decimated by injuries. Centre-back pairing Danny Gabbidon and Andy Melville are both facing a race against time to be fit for Finland. But the rumbles from the Welsh camp is that the pair of them won't make it.

Then throw in the mix suspensions to three key players - midfield battler Robbie Savage, pace ace Craig Bellamy and dependable defender Mark Delaney. Wales' small squad will be tested to the full.

Hughes will always wax lyrical that every player knows what job they must do in each position, but now they must prove it - and against the Finns, who do have a sting in their tail.

If anyone thinks a Wales win is an assurance on Wednesday, then they should get a reality check.

Finland are steadily improving and want to end their campaign on a high in Cardiff, and themselves gain a bit of revenge.

Antti Muurinen's side could still snatch that all-important runners-up spot to clinch a play-off place, and Serbia, who face Italy in Belgrade before visiting Cardiff to sign off, also have a chance.

There are still too many ifs, buts and maybes to worry about. The significant fact is, Wales holds all the cards.

They've already all but let slip automatic qualification, so they should be doubly determined to nail a play-off place.

A prize any die-hard Welsh fan would have dreamt about flying out to Helsinki for the opening match of the campaign in Finland.

Italy: (4-4-2) G Buffon; C Panucci (M Oddo, 58), F Cannavaro (c), A Nesta, G Zambrotta; M Camoranesi, S Perrotta (S Fiore, 86), C Zanetti, A Del Piero; F Inzaghi (G Gattuso, 73), C Vieri. Subs not used: F Toldo, N Legrottaglie, B Corradi, M Delvecchio. Booked: G Buffon 27 (dissent). Attendance: 67,999 Referee: Mr M Markus (Germany)