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Wales captain Aaron Ramsey has been left out of the Wales squad to face Kazakhstan and Canada next month.
Craig Bellamy’s men travel to Astana to face Kazakhstan in a World Cup qualifying match on Thursday September 4, before hosting Canada in Swansea on Tuesday September 9.
But Bellamy was upbeat about Caerphilly-born Ramsey, who left Cardiff City in the summer to join Mexican top flight side Pumas UNAM.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the Wales boss explained Ramsey’s absence was a mutual decision between the pair.
“It was mutual… we were all in agreement. He’s played like 30 minutes in the space of like seven odd months,” said Bellamy. “Just wait, let him play, let him train, and then in a month’s time it could be a completely different scenario. Just let him have a rhythm.”
Bellamy continued: “Credit to him, he was the one really pushing it, which I would expect from him.
“He’s like that, playing for Wales still burns for him, so I’m glad for that, but also respect to him.”
Bellamy, who was appointed manager last summer, added: “Just wait, let him get some minutes, and then we’ll see where we are from there.”
Other notable omissions from the squad include injured pair Ethan Ampadu and Connor Roberts, while there was no place in the squad for Cardiff City’s Rubin Colwill.
However, Colwill’s Bluebirds teammates Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor are included.
Wales squad
- Karl Darlow (Leeds United);
- Adam Davies (Sheffield United);
- Danny Ward (Wrexham);
- Ben Cabango (Swansea City);
- Jay Dasilva (Coventry City);
- Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur);
- Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff City);
- Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City);
- Chris Mepham (Bournemouth);
- Joe Rodon (Leeds United);
- Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest);
- Kai Andrews (Coventry City);
- David Brooks (Bournemouth);
- Charlie Crew (Doncaster Rovers – on loan from Leeds United);
- Jordan James (Stade Rennais);
- Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers);
- Sorba Thomas (Stoke City);
- Harry Wilson (Fulham);
- Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham);
- Liam Cullen (Swansea City);
- Mark Harris (Oxford United);
- Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City – on loan from Liverpool);
- Daniel James (Leeds United);
- Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur);
- Kieffer Moore (Wrexham).
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