Aaron Ramsey has been left out of the Wales squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan in Astana, as manager Craig Bellamy put his trust in youth.
Wales captain Ramsey made his comeback from a long-term hamstring injury at the weekend with a debut for Mexican club Pumas UNAM in Mexico City.
It was Ramsey’s first action since March 11, but Bellamy has opted against bringing the 34-year-old back into his squad, which includes uncapped youngsters Ronan Kpakio and Dylan Lawlor of Cardiff City and Coventry City’s Kai Andrews, all of whom are under the age of 21.
Ramsey – who retained the captaincy when Bellamy took over from previous manager Rob Page but was plagued by injuries at Cardiff last season - could yet be recalled to the squad for the crunch qualifier at home to Belgium on October 13.
"He hasn't played enough football over a period," said Bellamy.
"It wouldn't be fair to call him, travel the distance, the time difference and then travel to Kazakhstan, and expect him to play any part of it after being out for so long.
"The injury, particularly with a hamstring injury, it wouldn't be responsible from us to do that or expect anything from him.
"I speak to him a lot. The idea with him is to get minutes, get training and back to just playing football.
"If he's available and he's had a lot of minutes, and that comes from training as well, a consistent basis of being involved in football, then we'll look again."
Experienced pair Ethan Ampadu of Leeds United and Burnley’s Connor Roberts are also missing through injury, while there is no place in the 25-man squad for Swansea City’s Ollie Cooper, Cardiff’s in-form Rubin Colwill or Rangers’ Rabbi Matondo.
Players who play their club football for Wrexham will be involved in the squad for the first time in more than a decade after Danny Ward, Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore all joined the club in the summer.
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Kpakio caught the eye of Bellamy last season and the Wales boss was sufficiently enough impressed with the 18-year-old to call him into his squad in June, although he did not play in the matches against Liechtenstein and Belgium.
Centre-back Lawlor, 19, has been a stand-out performer for the Bluebirds this season and has played in all five League One matches for manager Brian Bary-Murphy, whose team are unbeaten at the top of the table.
The Wales U21 international signed a new three-year contract with Cardiff on Tuesday.
Midfielder Andrews, 19, was also an unused senior squad member under Bellamy in March, but made his debut for Wales U21s against Norway in June.
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Wales currently sit second in World Cup qualification tournament Group J with two wins, a draw and one loss at the halfway stage of the campaign.
They make the 3,000 mile trip to face Kazakhstan on Thursday September 4, before hosting Canada in a friendly at the Swansea.Com Stadium the following Tuesday.
The group winners qualify directly for the World Cup; the four remaining berths are determined by play-offs involving the 12 group runners-up and four teams from last year’s Nations League phase.
READ MORE: Craig Bellamy Calls Ronan Kpakio's Potential "Ridiculous" As Wales Boss Calls Up Cardiff City Kid
Wales: 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).
