MARK Hughes admits he would have been in Australia watching his daughter play hockey at the Commonwealth Games if he hadn’t taken the Saints job.

Xenna Hughes, 25, has been selected to play for the Wales hockey team at the Games on Australia’s Gold Coast, which start tomorrow.

Having been sacked by Stoke City in January, proud dad Mark laid plans to head Down Under before continuing his management career next season.

However, after relegation-threatened Saints came calling, Welshman Hughes had to scrap his trip to Aus.

“I didn’t anticipate getting back in until next season. I had lots of plans of what I wanted to do,” he told BBC Sport.

“I’m supposed to be in Australia as we speak because my daughter’s in the Commonwealth Games playing hockey for Wales.

“That was my big plan, I thought I had an opportunity to go there but there you go.

“I have apologised to her, but good luck Xen.”

Wrexham-born Xenna, who currently plays for West Sussex outfit East Grinstead and works as a fitness instructor at KX Gym in Kensington, London, surpassed her father’s 72 caps for Wales last year, having made her debut at the 2011 Champions Challenge in Ireland.

“Dad always said to enjoy what you do first, no matter what sport,” she said.

“Or even if I didn’t like it, to enjoy it and I would succeed. Along with my two brothers, we’ve wanted to do things on our own merit.

“I remember as a hockey junior, people would come up to me and ask if that was my dad and I would say ‘no’ as I didn’t want the attention. I wanted to be good enough in my own right.”

Xenna and Wales start their Commonwealth campaign against India on Thursday in Women’s Pool A.