Football: Hughes enlists his old mentor

MARK HUGHES has made a dramatic clean sweep by announcing a completely new Wales coaching staff.

The caretaker national team manager has named the man who first coached him at Manchester United, Eric Harrison, as his assistant. Hughes yesterday named his first squad, to play Belarus in a Euro 2000 qualifier on 4 September in Minsk, but did not spring any surprises - though he will not be one of the players. Instead, his announcement of changes to the back-room staff will be the talking points.

Harrison is credited with the development of a host of Old Trafford youngsters, while the Chelsea goalkeeping coach Eddie Niedzwiecki is also on Hughes' staff.

Apart from Hughes, Harrison was responsible for the production line of youth talent that also includes Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and Phil and Gary Neville.

Hughes has also brought in a new under-21 coaching team, ending the control of the brothers Tom and Ernie Whalley. The new men in control of Wales' youngsters are Jimmy Shoulder, who only this summer quit as the national youth development officer to take over Swindon's youth set-up, with the former Wales international Mark Bowen alongside him.

WALES SQUAD (European Championship qualifier v Belarus, MInsk, 4 September): Jones (Southampton), Crossley (Nottingham Forest); Barnard (Barnsley), Delaney (Aston Villa), Coleman, Symons, Melville (all Fulham), Page (Watford), J Robinson (Charlton), Savage (Leicester), Speed (Newcastle), Pembridge (Everton), C Robinson (Wolves), Oster (Sunderland), Hartson (Wimbledon), Blake (Blackburn), Saunders (Bradford City), Giggs (Manchester Utd). Stand- by players: Ward (Notts County), Nielson (Fulham), Trollope (Fulham), M Hughes (Southampton), Coates (Swansea), Roberts (Norwich).