Speed commits to Magpies

Gary Speed is delighted to remain at Newcastle United

Gary Speed plays for Wales against Poland on Saturday and Ukraine the following Wednesday, safe in the knowledge that he will remain a Newcastle player.

The midfielder has agreed a three-year extension to his contract that will keep him at St James' Park until he is nearly 35.

"Everything is sorted out now," Speed said. "It's just a matter of formalities when I get back from the Wales games.

"It's great for me that it's been sorted out so I can concentrate on those games.

Nathan Blake was by far the man of the match in Poland

  Gary Speed

"I'm delighted to stay at Newcastle. It's a great club and the support from the fans is unbelievable - it's not a place you leave in a hurry."

With his club future secured, Speed can now concentrate on a week in which Wales must win to keep their slim Group Five hopes alive.

The first opponents are Poland but Wales are the only side to have taken a point off the group leaders, drawing 0-0 in Warsaw.

Boost

Now Mark Hughes' side get a crack at Poland at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

"We need to win this one, we need to win a home game now," Speed said. "We played well over in Poland and a win is not beyond us. We're confident we'll get a result."

Timely return: Nathan Blake has recovered from injury

Wales have been weakened by Coventry's decision to withdraw Craig Bellamy from the squad.

Speed admits the the loss of the striker is a "big blow" but is delighted that Blackburn forward Nathan Blake has recovered from injury.

"I think the game in Poland, the system that we played, the two wide men - Blakey and Giggsy (Ryan Giggs) - that day were the most important players for us.

"Nathan was by far the man of the match, he was absolutely outstanding.

"That was the last game he played and to have him back is a great boost for us."