For the first time in around two decades, Wales are trying to reach a World Cup without Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.
Bale has long-since retired from Wales duty but Ramsey has also not been selected for this month’s crucial World Cup play-off campaign – with the midfielder currently without a club since Mexican side UNAM in December.
Both players have been vital stalwarts for Wales in a stunning period for the nation under Chris Coleman and Rob Page, but now is the time for a new generation of players to make their mark.
Wales are two wins away from qualifying for the World Cup, starting with a play-off semi-final game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday night – with Italy or Northern Ireland awaiting in the final should they progress.
So what do Craig Bellamy’s side need to do to reach the finals this summer? Former Wales striker Robert Earnshaw speaks exclusively to Sky Sports about what’s required…
Wales are now more than ‘Bale and the rest’
Since the 2022 World Cup it’s been: we have to move on from Bale and Ramsey. And I’ve seen it before.
I was around the team when I saw Gary Speed, Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy move on from their playing days. And all the guys in the team transition to: who’s the next one?
If you look at 2016 when we got to the semi-finals of the Euros, that was through hitting teams on a break or a world-class moment from Bale or Ramsey. Now we’re not playing that way.
Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey have been Wales stalwarts
What needed to happen was Wales needed to be more of a team and even better tactically and structurally. We now play a possession-style football.
Craig Bellamy’s come in and changed so many things that we’re now in a position that tactically, we’re as good as any international team in terms of how we set up.
But at the same time, the players within the team have stepped up and are more accountable om terms of who’s going to lead us, in terms of defensively and the match winners – the people who create the magic and win us the games.
Harry Wilson has become that man, when we were unsure who it’s going to be because we’ve been filled with talent.
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Wales face Bosnia on Thursday in the first of two matches they would need to win to qualify for the World Cup this summer- is the in form Harry Wilson the player to lead them there?
David Brooks is a talented player. Brennan Johnson is a talented player. But what we’ve seen is Wilson transitioning to the most decisive player and becoming a superstar.
We can feel somewhat confident about reaching the World Cup. When we beat North Macedonia 7-1 a few months ago it was a signal of: this is what this Wales team can do.
Because until then it was up and down. We lost to England, we lost to Canada but there was still this belief that Bellamy’s building something. And we needed to build something, without looking like a team of ‘Bale and then the rest’.
It’s now a Wales team that tactically is quite brilliant.
Should Ramsey have been called up?
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Wales boss Craig Bellamy has expressed his anger about leaks from the camp ahead of his team selection for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
It was a difficult call for Bellamy to leave out Ramsey for these games.
But you’re faced with a play-off and one thing Bellamy demands is players who run. And physically you have to be on top of your game in how much you’re going to run. The demand is: you need to do this, or you can’t play.
Aaron’s been out and not played games for a while, so it’s hard to pick him. Of course, Ramsey will always add something to the squad. He’s got a really smart, intelligent brain and he’s always going to bring his experience.
But the North Macedonia game has shown Bellamy that there are other players who can do what Ramsey does. They’ve made a real impact on Bellamy’s decision to leave Ramsey out, because there’s a feeling he definitely trusts those players.
Of course, if Ramsey’s playing games then he’s in the squad. But because of his fitness right now, he’s had to miss out.
How will Bellamy approach the play-off campaign?
I think Bellamy will be quite calm going into these games. But while he’ll be very calm, he’ll be very excited too. Knowing him, he loves football and he loves these challenges as well.
He’s quite different to what he was as a player, but I know that fire’s still burning inside. But on the outside, he’ll be calm.
Earnshaw (left) has known Bellamy for years and is confident he can take Wales to the World Cup
What he’ll do is give the players the exact picture of what he wants from the game. You won’t get a better prepared manager than him to prepare his players for what’s to come. He would have been analysing these games for months and months.
But what I’ve enjoyed with Bellamy’s time at Wales so far is they’ll be completely fearless. When it comes to the game on Thursday night, there won’t be a tentative Wales team.
One thing he really likes to put across before these games is: don’t be fearful of the game, the moment or the occasion. Just go and remember what has been told before the game, don’t be nervous.
When the game kicks off, he’s going to be getting his 40,000 steps on the touchline! I know for a fact that he really, really wants to take Wales to a major tournament – especially at a World Cup.
Knowing him for years, there’s nobody that’s going to want it in that whole dressing room, even the players, more than Bellamy this week.
