Phil SumblerWales will take the next step on their World Cup fate this evening when they step out in front of a capacity passionate crowd at the Cardiff City stadium on what Robert Page will hope will be the first of two final steps towards Qatar at the end of the year.
The path and the dates may not be as clear as they were when Wales were paired with Austria when the play off draw was made but the route remains the same – a win against the Austrians followed by one (in Cardiff) against the winners of Scotland and Ukraine and Wales will be at a first World Cup for 64 years.
There have been occasions when we have run it close – 1977, 1985 and 1993 all spring to mind and all of them have memories that we want to forget but none of that will matter this evening from the first moment the bars of “Land of my Fathers” ring out to the moment the referee signals the end of the clash.
Home advantage will play a massive part tonight – a home advantage secured by a second place finish in a very tough group where we wedged ourselves between Belgium and the Czech Republic to get the right to play in front of our own. The draw was then kind and, if we win tonight, we have home advantage in the final play off itself. And whilst that fixture may have been delayed due to the current crisis in Ukraine, Page will know that two wins in front of 30,000 on our own and he will write his name in the history books of Welsh football in big bold ink.
Welsh football fans of all ages will talk about those World Cup near misses – ask anyone of a certain age about Joe Jordan or a Paul Bodin penalty and thoughts of what may have been will know through most of our minds but it is off those memories that history can be created and Gareth Bale knows what it will take for Wales to come through triumphant at some point in June.
“We have to give 100% and have no regrets,” Bale told the BBC.
“We can draw on past experiences that have hurt us but also the excitement of what potentially is ahead, so there is a lot to play for.
“You can look to anything to help inspire us and there will not be a lot that needs to be said, a game of this magnitude speaks for itself and we’ll be ready to go.”
This is likely to be Bale’s last shot at a World Cup and he is determined to give it all for him personally and the country that he has represented with such pride – the country of his birth.
“I wouldn’t say it would be a regret if I didn’t play in a World Cup as it’s not really in my hands but it’s something I would love to achieve for myself, my country, the fans of Wales,” he added.
“It’s been a long time. It will only be a regret if we don’t give 100% and leave anything in the tank.
“Once you’ve done that there won’t be regrets regardless of the result. Hopefully our best will be enough.”
And at this stage of any qualification programme all we can ask from anyone is that they give it their all and they give it their best – as Bale said never leave anything in the tank.
And for a nation all we can do is hope that their best is good enough. We are behind you all.
