Hughes hits out at Tosh's Savage cut

Savage announced his decision to retire from the international scene earlier this week after Toshack left him out of his Wales squads for the World Cup qualifiers against Austria at the end of the month.

Trouble had been brewing between the pair for sometime and Savage finally carried out his threat to walk away once he learned that he was being axed for the Group 6 double-header.

News of the Rovers midfielder's retirement is a huge blow to Welsh football and Hughes believes Toshack may come to regret allowing their feud to get personal.

"Robbie, obviously, feels he's not going to be part of the team or the set-up for whatever reason and he's made his decision," said Hughes.

"With my Blackburn hat on that benefits us because he's struggled with injuries this year and without the international games, it's an opportunity to give him the rest he needs.

"But from the Welsh viewpoint, which, obviously, I have, I think it's a shame because during my time as the Welsh manager he was arguably the best player for Wales over a number of years, and we haven't got that many players to pick from, certainly not of Robbie's quality.

"So to allow him to leave the set-up is a mistake, I think, but I'm not in charge anymore."

Savage is the seventh Welsh player to announce his international retirement since Hughes quit as manager in October, following hot on the heels of Gary Speed, Andy Johnson, Mark Pembridge, Mark Crossley, Andy Melville and Nathan Blake.

Asked if he feared his good work might go to waste, Hughes said: "I'm not in a position to say that because it's still early days, but it seems to be going in a certain direction, which is looking towards youth.

"That's all very good and noble but at the end of the day, you've still got to get results and it's very, very difficult to ask players to make the step up if they're not playing regularly at Premiership level.

Hughes is sweating on the fitness of Savage ahead of tonight's visit to Anfield.