John Toshack will resist pressure from Southampton to rest his 17-year-old left-back Gareth Bale from the Wales team to face the Ireland and San Marino in their forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifying matches.

Southampton manager George Burley has described Bale - the subject of bids from both Manchester United and Tottenham during the transfer window - as feeling "mentally and physically drained" and said last week that he would be in touch with the Wales management to stress his concern.

Toshack, though, says he has heard nothing and insisted Bale, who has played 41 games this season, would be in his team to face Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

"Hang on here a second - we play 10 competitive games a season," said Toshack. "He's played every (league) game for Southampton since October. In the last couple of friendlies I have not played him. If we decided to leave out all the ones the managers want, then I'd be down to half a team.

"Maybe he (Bale) could be rested at club level over five months? George Burley wants to put out his strongest team and I understand that. Gareth will be in our line-up on merit. I haven't spoken to George but everyone looks after their own. I can understand the club managers - I had the same view when I was a club manager."

Toshack remains bemused by the ongoing battles between English clubs and national teams. "You get this sort of thing a lot more in this part of the world - you wouldn't get it in Turkey or Spain.

"You wouldn't think of challenging (national teams)," he said. "Maybe it's because it's the English league. We are going into April and it's been a long season for everybody. You can understand club managers being a little bit nervous but I can't afford to be thinking about that."

After losing 5-1 at home to Slovakia in October, Wales are likely to need maximum points from the matches in Croke Park on Saturday and in Cardiff against San Marino next Wednesday to maintain any realistic hope of qualifying for Euro 2008.

Jason Koumas is suspended for Saturday's game while Danny Gabbidon is out of both matches with a groin injury.

"They (Ireland) will be looking to get six points from the next two games and so will we. One of us will be disappointed," Toshack said.