PETER Nicholas and Glyn Jones have both insisted that Newport County is their No. 1 priority amid concerns of a club v country conflict.

Exiles boss Nicholas and his right-hand-man Jones are also the management team for Wales' under-17 side, whose commitments are growing as they prepare for a European Championship qualifying tournament in Spain in March.

The tournament - where Wales clash with Spain, France and Bulgaria - is held between March 3 and 7 before County's Dr Martens Premier League game at Hednesford Town.

But Nicholas vowed: "My footballing life now revolves around Newport County and they are my No. 1 priority.

"I do manage Wales under-17 team and I do not see it affects my ability to manage and concentrate on Newport County.

"Wales play in Spain on Monday, Wednesday and Friday before the Hednesford game on the Saturday.

"For training on Thursday I'll fly back myself to take the session, then return to Spain later that night for the under-17s game before flying back to Wales for the final time on Friday night, ready for that game at Hednesford."

The Welsh under-17s are due to play two warm-up fixtures for that tournament against Scotland in Rhyl on February 10 and in Bethesda, near Bangor, on February 12 - but County have a league game at Ilkeston Town sandwiched between those two meetings on February 11. However, Nicholas points-out: "The under-17s will be based in North Wales and we will travel down to Derbyshire from there while the players come on the coach from Newport."

Nicholas is currently on the final day of a three-day training camp with the under-17s but still turned his attentions to County's FA Trophy game at Worcester City on Monday, albeit ending in a 3-2 defeat.

Exiles chairman Wallace Brown is happy that his management team are committed to Newport's cause, adding: "I have spoken to Peter and Glyn and am happy that they consider Newport County as their main priority."

Meanwhile, club captain Matt Rose will miss County's FAW Premier Cup clash with Swansea City on January 28 and two league games against Havant and Waterlooville and Hastings United if his red-card in Newport's FA Trophy defeat at Worcester is upheld.

The 27-year-old central-midfielder was given a given a straight red as Leicester-based official Kevin Friend thought Rose "stamped" on Worcester's Darren Middleton.

County will wait for Friend's report before planning an appeal to the FA Trophy' video review panel - but Rose vowed: "I will appeal because it was a shocking decision.

"I thought, if anything, that their man caught me because he seemed to kick-out at me as I went off with the ball. I may have caught him with my standing leg but there was no intent what so ever."