Clarets striker Gareth Taylor enjoyed a "brilliant" night at the Millennium Stadium as part of the Welsh squad that beat mighty Italy.

And as he returned to training at Gawthorpe this morning he admitted: "Now I can't wait to get back into action for Burnley.

"I have had a really good week's training with the international squad, I have worked hard and I am now looking forward to Saturday."

Wales, for so long one of Europe's whipping boys, currently top qualifying group nine with two wins from two games and Taylor said: "We all thought we could win it last night, there is a great belief in the camp.

"Of course I would have loved to have played but I am still part of the squad and it was fantastic to be involved.

"It is the best atmosphere I have ever known, the roof was closed and everything was absolutely superb. It was a really good game and we played so well to beat a team that has some of the best players in the world in it.

"But Wales is on the up as a country while Italy have not been playing particularly well of late."

Great goals from Simon Davies and Craig Bellamy secured the 2-1 victory and Taylor will now be hoping to keep his place in the squad for the next qualifying game against Azerbaijan next month.

He knows the best way to do that is to play well for the Clarets and keep scoring goals. He signed off for international duty with a header against Sheffield Wednesday and, having served a one match ban for five bookings last weekend while away with Wales, he is available for selection against Leicester City on Saturday.

Ternent paid tribute to his aerial ability in his absence last weekend and there is no doubt he will be glad to have him back fit, well and ready for action.

In the past he has lost his place when away on international duty and the fact Burnley's games have not been called off has troubled him.

But an experience like he had last night in Cardiff makes it all worthwhile.