MARK Hughes claims Wales are no longer a soft touch at international level and refuses to accept that their World Cup challenge has achieved little.

He believes Wales did not get enough credit for holding a powerful Ukraine side in Kiev in their last World Cup clash and aims to end their campaign with a bang.

Hughes (pictured) named a 25-man squad in Llandudno, where he was attending an FA of Wales council meeting, for the games with Armenia in Cardiff on September 1 and away to Norway in Oslo the following Wednesday.

The only major change to his squad is the recall of Burnley striker Gareth Taylor, because both John Hartson and Nathan Blake are suspended for the first match of their double header.

Gary Speed, Robbie Savage and John Robinson - all recovering from injury - are also included and expected to be fit.

Hughes said: "Maybe people didn't expect us to have stretched things this far. But we have been so close. We need to turn draws into wins, but if you look at the group table, we have been so near to a much better position.

"We are close, but we still need to go that extra step. We are now competitive at this level, and I'm pleased we are no longer considered an easy touch. We may not have won a game in this group yet, but we have acquired a resilience and a will to do better that maybe wasn't there a few years back."

Wales squad for World Cup qualifiers against Armenia in Cardiff on September 1 and Norway in Oslo on September 5: P Jones (Southampton), Crossley (Middlesbrough), Ward (Forest), Freestone (Swansea), Jenkins (Huddersfield), Delaney (Aston Villa), Melville, Symons (both Fulham), Page (Watford), Barnard (Barnsley), J Robinson (Charlton), C Robinson (Wolves), M Jones, Savage (both Leicester), Speed, Bellamy (both Newcastle), Koumas (Tranmere), Giggs (Man Utd), I Roberts (Norwich), S Davies (Spurs), R Edwards (Preston), Pembridge (Everton), Hartson (Celtic), G Taylor (Burnley), Blake (Blackburn).