STEPHANE Henchoz is set to be asked to mark his Ewood team-mate Nathan Blake in Zurich tonight - and it's a confrontation the central defender does not particularly relish.

Switzerland take on Wales in a vital European Championships qualifier with the two Blackburn Rovers stars expected to be in direct opposition.

Henchoz, who helped the Swiss to a vital 1-0 win in Belarus at the weekend, is one of the mainstays of the home side but he revealed that playing against friends and team-mates is more of a pain than a pleasure.

"I have done it before, mainly when I was with Hamburg and I played against my big friend Stephane Chapuisat who was with Borussia Dormund," he said.

"It also happened when I played against Marco Grassi.

"I have been asked to play as a marker against them and I don't like it because you have to be competitive and it is not good against friends." Nevertheless, if Henchoz is asked to do a job on Blake, he will follow orders - even though playing for Switzerland is not a priority for him these days.

Split into various communities, primarily French and German, Henchoz revealed there is a lack of unity and passion in the camp and it is a matter of just doing a professional job these days as far as he is concerned.

The German influence is very strong and Henchoz is from the French part of the country. "When I was playing with Hamburg it was okay but since I came to England they are not really bothered about me," he said.

Meanwhile, Keith Gillespie is expected to have a key role for Northern Ireland in their must-win game against Moldova in Chisinau this evening but Ewood keeper Alan Fettis is a devastated man. And the keeper's continued exile from the Northern Ireland side for the European Championship qualifier is forcing him to consider his future at club level.

Fettis - first choice for the past 18 months - was left out of the weekend defeat by Germany and Fulham's Maik Taylor, who took over, will play against Moldova.

It has left the Rovers man reeling and he said: "I was very, very disappointed and I would even go as far as to say that it was the most disappointing moment of my career.

"When Lawrie (McMenemy) told me that I would not be playing I was gutted.

"Lawrie said it was because I have not been playing regularly enough for Blackburn.

"I suppose I have to accept that but I feel my form has been good and I've been training hard.

"I've been in the squad now for eight or nine years. I feel that I did well to get where I was and to have that taken away from me leaves me bitterly disappointed."

Third choice behind John Filan and Tim Flowers at Ewood, Fettis added: "I have got to sort things out but it's very difficult for me at the moment.

"John Filan is playing and Tim Flowers is unhappy and looking to get away. "If he doesn't move then I'm going to have to look to get away.

"The manager doesn't want anybody to leave until the club is safe but I'm going to have to look at things in the summer.

"If you're not playing for your club I now realise international football won't happen.

"I have got to sort myself out and whether that means staying at Blackburn or moving we'll have to wait and see. Whatever happens I need to be playing regularly."

Callum Davidson, the only one of Rovers' four Scottish internationals to be fit, is expected to be handed an important defensive role when the Scots take on the Czech Republic tonight.

Rovers boss Brian Kidd said: "We are just hoping they all come back without any problems."

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