By Lucy Rees Jess Fishlock will be included in Wales Women’s squad to face Greece & France following on from being named the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) most valuable player. Fishlock who plays for OL Reign and Wales as a midfielder was announced NWSL most valuable player earlier this week and has been called […]

By Rob Carbon  Perry Ng has lifted the lid on the last, dark days of Cardiff City and has admitted he doubted the tactics of former manager Mick McCarthy. “I used to try to do things they wanted me to do which in my head I didn’t think was the right thing to do,” said Ng. The young wing back said he lost all his confidence as the Bluebirds went on a record run of eight straight defeats and slumped to the verge of the relegation zone. 

By Paul Jones  Aaron Ramsey stressed the importance of home advantage as Wales booked a World Cup play-off semi-final date in Cardiff  Wales went into their final qualifier against Belgium needing a point to secure a home tie unless Turkey won their last game by four clear goals.  But Turkey could only win 2-1 in Montenegro and Wales’ 1-1 draw with Belgium, the world’s top-ranked side, clinched a home semi-final game in March. 

Aaron Ramsey aims to replicate his greatest night in a Wales shirt when he faces Belgium on Tuesday evening – and put Wales a step closer to the World Cup finals. The Juventus midfielder says the Euro 2016 3-1 victory over the Belgians was “up there” alongside any of his 70 caps earned for his county. But Ramsey’s focus will be on the prospect of creating even greater memories if Wales can get the point they require to secure runners-up spot in their qualifying group at the Cardiff City Stadium.

By Graham Thomas Danny Ward will have Wales’ World Cup fate in his hands against the deadliest team in the world on Tuesday night – but can’t think of anywhere he would rather be. The Leicester City goalkeeper will be the last line of defence against Belgium, the No.1 ranked team in the world, in Wales’ vital final World Cup qualifier at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night. It means Ward’s task will be to try and keep Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke and others shut out in order that Wales gain the point they require to secure runners-up spot in their group in a match that is live on S4C.

Gareth Bale ruled out any injury fears as his 100th appearance for Wales in their 5-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Belarus ended after 45 minutes. Neco Williams Ben Davies and Connor Roberts added to an Aaron Ramsey brace as Wales made light work of Belarus in Cardiff to move above the Czech Republic into second place. Wales are already guaranteed a World Cup play-off place through their Nations League results last year.

Sorba Thomas will have one very special fan among the tens of thousands of voices trying to roar Wales a big step nearer the World Cup finals this weekend. It’s the woman who has made it all possible – his mother. The Huddersfield Town wing-back is in line for his third cap against Belarus on Saturday at the Cardiff City Stadium and then could add a fourth if he plays against Belgium three days later.

By Gareth James Gareth Bale has won his fitness battle and is ready to crown his “incredible journey” with a 100th Wales cap on Saturday. Bale became Wales’ youngest ever player in May 2006 when making his debut in a friendly against Trinidad & Tobago at the tender age of 16 years and 315 days. […]

By Graham Thomas  Gareth Bale was always destined for greatness says the former teammate who shared cups of tea with him on Wales duty when others went out on the town. The Wales skipper will earn his 100th cap on Saturday night when Wales host Belarus at the Cardiff City Stadium in their penultimate World Cup qualifier. It will be a landmark occasion for Bale very few others have reached, but former teammate Sam Ricketts believes the clues were there when the Real Madrid star was a fresh-faced youngster.

By Tom Prosser Cardiff City are reportedly set to appoint Steve Morison as manager until the end of the season after impressing the board and fans with his vision for the team during his three-match spell as caretaker boss. The former Millwall and Wales striker has already ticked a lot of boxes and has proved he is capable of making big decisions at senior level. Cardiff’s style of play has changed considerably under Morison with a focus on increasing possession whilst still utilising their threat from set-pieces and crosses.

By Tom Prosser Joe Allen says Wales “couldn’t be anymore hungrier” to get the job done as his side aim to qualify for their first World Cup since 1958. “The World Cup is the big one and the ultimately every player wants to feature in one,” explains Allen, who made his Wales debut over 12 years ago. “We are not a million miles but there is still a lot of work to be done.

By Tom Prosser Wales stars Wayne Hennessey and Gareth Bale have been team-mates for nearly 15 years and with the Real Madrid star set to win his 100th cap on Saturday, Hennessey has revealed his favourite Bale memory. “I’ve known Gareth for a long time and he’s just a pure gentleman,” said 34-year-old Hennessey. “I’ve seen him develop from a young boy to the highest limits you can obviously think of.

By Tom Prosser  Wales have been given a boost ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Belgium next week after the withdrawal of Leicester City star Youri Tielemans. Belgium are already without their star striker Romelu Lukaku for the trip to Cardiff and have now been dealt another blow ahead of the climax of the World Cup qualifiers. Belgium spokesman Stefan Van Loock said Tielemans will “miss” the matches against Estonia this weekend and Wales next Tuesday.

Jamie Paterson insists Swansea City can come back strongly from their Bournemouth battering with 13 days to come to lick their wounds. The Swans midfielder believes his squad will use the international break wisely after suffering a 4-0 thrashing away to the Championship leaders at the weekend. It was a sobering defeat for Russell Martin’s side who had won four out of their previous five games but then succumbed to their biggest defeat of the season.

By Tom Prosser Steve Morison reckons he could have done no more in his final audition for the role of Cardiff City’s new manager.  The Bluebirds caretaker boss finished his caretaker spell at the helm by guiding his club to a 2-1 victory over Huddersfield and is now the bookies favourite for the job. “We’ll just have to watch this space,” said Morison.

By Tom Prosser Swansea City boss Russell Martin has praised his captain Matt Grimes for his off-field leadership and says the culture around the team has helped their summer signings to hit the ground running in South Wales. Jamie Paterson and Joel Piroe have both been key players so far this season and between them they have scored 15 of Swansea’s 20 league goals. Piroe’s success in particular may have been helped how quickly he’s settled in as most 22-year-old’s who have never played outside their own country usually struggle to make a quick impact.

By Tom Prosser Cardiff City caretaker boss Steve Morison says his players did “everything he asked of them” despite losing yet another game which extends their winless run to 10 matches. The Bluebirds have only picked up one point from their last 30 but Morison hopes the new style he has implemented during the last two matches can help the club in the long term. “The lads are gutted,” said Morison.

Joel Piroe may have scored nine Championship goals so far this season, but Swansea City head coach Russell Martin reckons he’s one of the club’s top defenders, too. Piroe scored his fourth goal in five games on Tuesday night as the Swans moved into the top 10 thanks to a 2-1 victory at Coventry City. It was the Dutch striker’s 10th of the season in all competitions and his nine in the league make him the fourth top scorer in the division after Aleksander Mitrovic of Fulham, Blackburn Rovers’ Ben Brererton and Dominic Solanke of Bournemouth.

By Tom Prosser Cardiff City’s Will Vaulks admitted the style of play under previous manager Mick McCarthy made it difficult to “dictate” play from midfield and “wasn’t the style that was required”. The Bluebirds are currently on a nine game winless run and will be hoping to get back to winning ways at home to QPR on Wednesday evening. “Let’s be honest about it, under the previous manager, the midfield was bypassed a lot,” explained Vaulks.

By Paul Jones Ethan Laird enjoyed a successful loan spell at MK Dons playing under Russell Martin last season and he is now delighted to be playing a similar style of football again in South Wales.  The wing-back – on loan from Manchester United – has made a big impression early in his stint with the Swans, and teed up Jake Bidwell for the opener in the weekend win over Peterborough. Martin’s side have won plaudits for seeking to display a possession-based style, and they have dominated the share of the ball in the majority of their games so far this season.