Toshack unsure over Hammers duo

West Ham duo Bellamy and Collins are long-term absentees

Wales manager John Toshack hopes to have Craig Bellamy for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, but expects to miss West Ham team-mate James Collins.

Toshack is hopeful that his captain Bellamy will be over a hamstring injury to play up front for the Hammers against Blackburn on Saturday.

But centre-back Collins is making a tentative return from a serious knee injury after eight months out.

He is expected to miss the Azerbaijan and Russia games (6 & 10 September).

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Toshack does not expect striker Freddie Eastwood to recover from his groin strain in time to play for Coventry this weekend, but hopes to have him available next week.

Midfielder Jason Koumas is another worry, having limped off in Wigan's game last weekend.

"It's a waiting game this weekend," said Toshack. "I've spoken to Craig, he's a lot better and back in full training.

"You know him, if there's any possibility of his being involved he'll be there."

Wales open their 2010 World Cup campaign against Azerbaijan in Cardiff a week Saturday before his team travel to face Russia in Moscow four days later.

Injury-prone Bellamy has not played a full 90 minutes of competitive football since scoring in West Ham United's 3-1 victory against Sunderland at Upton Park on 21 October last year.

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The West Ham forward has suffered with abdominal and groin problems in the last year but Bellamy is currently recovering from a hamstring injury he picked up in a pre-season friendly win at Ipswich Town.

The 29-year-old had been in excellent pre-season goal-scoring form for West Ham before his latest injury blow on 4 August.

Key defender Collins was expected to be out for 12 months when he suffered serious knee ligament damage in a reserve game in January.

But the 25-year-old played 45 minutes in a specially-arranged friendly against Queen's Park Rangers last week and is expected to play in another behind-closed-doors match this week as Collins continues his rehabilitation.

However, the former Cardiff City defender is not expected for a first-team return for another fortnight.

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley earlier this week warned Toshack that he would not countenance his Wales stars being rushed into action.

"I don't know what's happened there with the selection of these two players, I think they are going to be best served remaining with us," said Curbishley.

"James Collins has been out for nigh-on six months and is nowhere near available."

The Hammers boss has since back-tracked on Bellamy, saying that it was a question of Wales being "sensible" with the striker.

Toshack, who is already without Collins' club and country team-mate Danny Gabbidon, has recalled Rob Earnshaw as a potential stand-in for Bellamy and Eastwood, and the Nottingham Forest striker scored against Sunderland in midweek.

Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams has also been brought in as possible cover for Collins.