Lessons learnt

Critics dubbed Welsh boss Hughes' men the worst Welsh football team ever, following a 12-match 18-month winless sequence that ended two years ago - but that fuelled the fires of Wales' stars.

The Welsh now lead Euro 2004 qualifying Group Nine with a record-breaking four straight wins - but Hughes knows, with half of the campaign remaining, the hard work is far from over.

Now Wales can boast a record of five successive competitive victories as they march to Belgrade for a monumental showdown with an out-of-sorts Serbia and Montenegro.

"I think that first qualification World Cup campaign is a real experience for everyone, including myself," Hughes said last night.

"But I feel the whole team benefited. We knew we were playing better than results suggested, and we were very competitive in those matches.

"Most people agreed that we've moved forward from where I took over in 2000.

"We got criticised - sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly - but it helped us bond as a group, and that's all been part of our learning process.

"Wales have got a small squad that near enough picks itself, and I think that helps us when we're preparing. The players know, barring injury or suspension, that they will be involved - that, in turn, builds confidence. We've got a club-type atmosphere

"They still have to go out and perform, mind you, but they have been able to do that up to this point.

"I know my starting XI, and the water can be a bit muddied when you have too many options, but we haven't got that luxury."

Group Nine pace-setters Wales have surpassed any of Hughes' pre-Euro 2004 expectations, and with 12 points from 12, excited Welsh fans have already snapped up their full allocation of tickets for the finals in Portugal next summer.

Wales will guarantee themselves a play-off spot with a point in Belgrade - but Hughes insists: "With the position we are in now we have a real chance of qualifying outright, and that's what we must do - and sooner, rather than later.

"It's well within our capabilities, so that's what we must strive for. Before the campaign began and you looked at the quality of our group, a play-off place would have been a real achievement. But we want to try and avoid that route now."

And Hughes added: "The team has accepted the high expectation levels, and I don't think it has an effect on us.

"We've had the expectation since the opening victory in Finland, and I think the lads are enjoying the attention we're finally having.

"We are confident because we are leading the group. There's obviously a lot of work to be done, but it's in our hands and we've got to be positive now.

"We are more than capable of getting a result against Serbia in Belgrade on Wednesday. "That's not undermining the quality Serbia have, because they've got some great, great players, and always have done - but it's important we get the job done now.

"The inclusion of Mateja Kezman (the PSV Eindhoven striker) is good from their point of view. He's a real threat and has got genuine pace - we could have done without that.

"But we've played against top players before and dealt with them, so we expect to do that again.

"Our game-plan will not be gung ho as we are the away side, but we'll see how the game shapes up. But an important part of our renewed success is to go away and get positive results.

"Everybody is looking towards the Italy game in Milan in just under three weeks' time, but I view this as the biggest game we've had to date. This is the one that will really shape our destiny.

"Serbia, however, are a wounded animal with a new manager (Ilija Petkovic) who have an uphill task of qualifying for the finals after a disappointing campaign thus far.

"They seem to be saying they will use this game to blood new players, but whether they do that in practice we won't know until the first five or ten minutes."