Retiring Speed may replace Hughes
 |  Speed was a vital component of the Welsh midfield in recent years. |
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LONDON, England -- Gary Speed made an emotional farewell to international football on Wednesday night, but is being tipped to make a quick return in a new role as coach of the Wales national team.
Speed announced his retirement after Wales lost 3-2 to Poland which also signalled a cruel end to Mark Hughes' five-year reign as coach.
He immediately received the backing of midfield lynchpin Robbie Savage."Gary Speed and Brian Flynn should be given the job. Everyone in the squad wants Gary to take over," he said.
Speed, 35, had tears in his eyes as he waved goodbye to all four sides of the Millenium Stadium after being substituted 12 minutes from time.
Speed insists he will not apply for the post but said he would "talk to the FA of Wales if they approached me."
Hughes, who has taken over as manager of Blackburn after bringing to an end a 21-year career with Wales as player and manager, admitted that "Speed has the right qualities to be manager of Wales."
Earlier Savage had suggested that several players would quit if Speed was not appointed, but later he tempered that remark by saying: "I won't quit, I want to continue playing for Wales but the FAW have got an important decision to make and I hope they make the right one."
"In terms of qualification the most important thing now is to get the team ready for the next campaign, we have lost the chance of going to Germany, two points from four games has seen to that," added Speed.
"I have now retired, it was a hard decision to make because I am captain of my country. The main thing though is to get the team ready for the next campaign because I clearly won't be involved in that, I am 35 now. "It is better for me to finish now rather than at the end of this campaign, this time next year. I know I won't be around."
