WREXHAM defender Ryan Valentine is keeping his fingers crossed for ataste of the action when Wales take on Brazil tonight, but his Racecourse team-mate Mark Jones has again been denied a senior debut because of injury. The Dragons' duo, who were among John Toshack's squad for Saturday's European Championship qualifier in the Czech Republic, failed to make the bench in Teplice and midfielder Jones returned to Wrexham when the party flew back into Cardiff on Sunday evening. It's not the first time the highly-rated 22-year-old has missed out, either due to injury or illness, and he could not hide his disappointment. "I've picked up an infection in my foot and I've been in bed with the shivers for the past couple of days," he said. "I had a blister on my foot, which then turned septic, and there is a lump in my groin, which has affected my movement. I've been on antibiotics for three days, so I've been struggling, but the trip has still been very worthwhile. "Every time you go away with the senior squad there is something new to learn, so I've enjoyed it, even though I'm not going to be involved in the preparations for the Brazil game." Valentine, a late addition last weekend to Toshack's squad, said his first senior call-up had gone as well as he could have hoped. |