Players dropping out : Wales v Türkiye : Latest News and Report
Wednesday, 4th Sep 2024 11:05 by Keith Haynes

The first of six Nations League games over the next nine weeks or so start on Friday evening with a home fixture against Türkiye. (7.45pm) UK time.

Charlie Crew has been added to the squad, not an exact replacement for Dan James but he is a midfielder head coach, Craig Bellamy admires.

Connor Roberts believes in what he is seeing this week for sure. “Everyone is excited to see what a Craig Bellamy team looks like, how they play. It’s the same with the players. We all love playing for Wales and we all have to impress the boss by tuning in to his ideas and want to be part of something successful. I know for a fact when there were whispers of the gaffer coming in, some people asked questions – ‘was it right, was it not?’. That of course will always be a discussion point. However, Wales have a passionate Welshman at the helm and clearly we will see a far better drilled and attacking strategy come Friday night.

That’s endorsed by Harry Wilson. He mentions things like being asked to take risks as a team, be more creative and brave. All areas every modern day coach require to be a success. Harry was first cited by Craig Bellamy back in 2013 as a star of the future. In amongst all that back in 2016, ex Swansea City player, Chris Coleman, then Wales manager picked Wilson aged sixteen. That was most certainly Wales best year of football, possibly in the history of the game. Coleman stated then. said: “It wasn’t just us wanting Harry Wilson’s services. We know that. We spoke with his parents and they said he wanted to play for Wales which is great. He’s been brilliant in training. He is full of enthusiasm and has shown some lovely touches. If he fulfils his potential there is another good player on our hands. Now he has had a little taste of it, that cements his future with Wales for the next ten or fifteen years.”

Bellamy though had doubts, not about him playing for Wales but how that move limited his opportunities internationally. England were rumoured to be about to call too.“I don’t mean that in a bad way, but sixteen is young, it’s young. I take an interest in him because he’s my boy’s age. He can’t play for anyone else now, but is that really the most important thing ? I don’t know “ capped seventy eight times for Wales, Bellamy has inspired Wilson this week.

Swans head goalkeeping coach, Martyn Margetson is back in the fold after a long and successful stint with England. “Being Cymru’s goalkeeper coach for the squad that reached the UEFA EURO 2016 semi-finals was one of the best experiences of my career, and I can’t wait to get started with the team again. I’m looking forward to working with the current group of goalkeepers and the wider squad, having worked with several of the players previously, and I hope my experience will be able to help bring success to the team.”

As of this morning Swansea City’s Liam Cullen is yet to advise Bellamy of his availability, the inclusion now of Rubin Colwill though may give us a clue. Glasgow Rangers attacker, Rabbi Matondo has withdrawn after picking up a hamstring injury in the old form derby on Sunday too. So that’s two definitely out and two definitely in with the inclusion of Charlie Crew and Colwill. An interesting inclusion for this squad is goalkeeper, Karl Darlow. He has turned down Wales selection on a few occasions, qualifying through his grandfather, Ken Leak. He was a professional footballer from Ynysybwl. He enjoyed a superb goalscoring record at Northampton Town, Leicester City and Birmingham City in the sixties. He also took his flair for scoring goals to Wales with thirteen caps.

Darlow, who is thirty four next birthday (October) has obviously now given up hope of anything else internationally, and we here at the Indy are in two minds on his inclusion. He’s had plenty of opportunities to play for Wales, and only now does he agree. The Welsh by parentage anti’s won’t agree he should play for Wales, and we too have that question in our minds. Not because of the way he qualifies, but the fact he could have played twelve years ago.

Wales v Türkiye takes place at the Cardiff City stadium with a 7.45pm kick off this a Friday evening. Tickets are still available.

Our match day thread is up and running with info, stats and a general feeling about the game to come.

That’s here this morning —> The Indy international match day thread