Giggs gong overshadowed by team-mates

Ryan Giggs may have been named Wales' player of the year and become a father for the second time on the same evening, but two of his more colourful compatriots have threatened to steal the limelight from their international captain.

Meanwhile, Craig Bellamy was installed as stand-in skipper while Jason Koumas was welcomed back into the fold by boss John Toshack. Bellamy, no stranger to controversy, will wear the captain's armband against Slovakia and Cyprus over the next week of Euro 2008 qualifiers, while juggling a court appearance to answer an assault charge - which he denies.

But team-mate and fellow forward Robert Earnshaw summed up the Welsh camp's feelings by saying: "He has to handle the court case but he's strong enough to do that. He's been through problems before but he always goes out and plays well. It does not effect him."

He added: "I don't think this will make any difference to his game. He's just leading us out rather than being at the back. He always plays well regardless.

"You know what he's like, he's always moaning and telling people what to do. That's just how he is."

Toshack added: "I stand by what I have done and the decision I have come to.

"Craig is an important player for us and I think that naming him as captain at this time will help him concentrate on what we are doing and focus on the games ahead regardless of what as is going on all around him."

Koumas cannot wait to get back in to action for his country, and thanked Toshack for the support and advice he received during a difficult summer of inactivity.

"Now I hope to get the chance to show people what I can do," the midfielder said. "Things dragged on in the summer, and that shouldn't have happened.

"That was my own fault, I should have gone back to training earlier and I accept that was a mistake I made. Now I am just glad to be back and feeling good."