WREXHAM manager Dean Saunders will be in the Racecourse dug-out this evening, having clocked up the miles to fulfil his Wales commitments ahead of this weekend’s World Cup qualifier with Liechtenstein.

Following training at Colliers Park yesterday, both he and club physio Mel Pejic travelled to Cardiff for a Wales session this morning before hitting the road back north and a planned return to John Toshack’s team headquarters after the match.

With no fresh injury concerns following the weekend victory and a fit-again Carl Tremarco added to his squad, Saunders said: “First and foremost I want the same reaction from the players that we saw on Saturday.

“And I want them to entertain supporters, some of whom may have not been at the Racecourse for a while.

“With free admission for children to the game, it’s an opportunity for parents to get them off the couch and show them what it’s like to attend a football match. Hopefully we’ll be able to encourage them to become Wrexham fans.

“And if they are bitten by the bug they will be Wrexham fans for the rest of their lives.”

The Dragons boss has been concentrating in the past 48 hours on the defensive side of the game after woeful defending cost his side two goals at Forest Green and he added: “We’ll see how effective that has been tomorrow night.

“Football is all about anticipating what is going to happen next and an ability to read the game.

“You can’t give that to players, but the next best thing is to get them in the right positions to cover most of the options.

“We can improve that side of things on the training pitch but when they are in a game situation they have to think for themselves.”

Admitting he was not too concerned about this evening’s opposition, Saunders said: “I’m going into every game thinking we can win and all I’m concerned about is how we play.

“If we can’t do well I expect my players to make it as difficult as possible for the opposition.

“I realise we can’t play very well in every game but the players all have two arms, two legs, a heart and a pair of lungs they can use to try and make things happen for them and for the team.

“I won’t ever criticise players if they get things wrong as long as they are not frightened when they are on the ball and they try to be positive at all times.

“Effort and commitment are the minimum requirements when they put the red shirt on, so tomorrow I am hoping we’ll get lots of crosses in and that we will score goals.”

Meanwhile, former Wrexham defender Terry Darracott, unveiled on Sunday as a new addition to the Dragons’ coaching staff, believes Saunders can easily cope with his dual roles with Wrexham and Wales.

Darracott, who was signed by Racecourse boss Arfon Griffiths from Everton in 1978 and spent one season with the club, said he was delighted to be back and working alongside fellow coaches Brian Carey and Joey Jones.

“We’ll look after things while Dean is away and it should not too bad because he will always be on the end of the phone,” said the 57-year old Liverpudlian.

“And this international break provides me with the ideal opportunity to quickly get to know all the players here.”

Relinquishing a job as European scout for Bolton Wanderers to team up again with Saunders, a former colleague at Blackburn Rovers, Darracott added: “I have missed the day-to-day involvement in football, so to come back into it at Wrexham – a club I have always had a lot of time for – is just great and I can’t wait to get my teeth into it.

“It saddened me to see what has been happening at Wrexham in recent seasons and when I see the set-up and the facilities here now it has simply made me more determined to play my part in moving them back up the leagues.”

Meanwhile, York City manager Colin Walker’s hopes of signing a new striker have failed to materialise in time for this evening.

Walker is likely to stick with the players who were held to a 0-0 home draw by Cambridge United at the weekend.