Wales trio sent home for breaching FAW protocol
Three Wales players have been sent home early for breaching Football Association of Wales protocol.
The trio will all miss Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic in Cardiff. An FAW statement read: “Three members of the Cymru senior national squad – Hal Robson-Kanu, Rabbi Matondo and Tyler Roberts – have been released from the Welsh camp today after breaching FAW protocol.
“The three players will be returning to their respective clubs this afternoon.
“The FAW will not be making any further comment.”
Leeds forward Roberts apologised for his behaviour on Instagram, suggesting the protocol breach was staying up too late.
Roberts said: “Gutted to be leaving the camp early, but rules are rules and I shouldn’t have been up later in the hotel than the set time.
“Sorry to the team, staff and Wales fans. I will continue to work as hard as I can to earn my place in the squad for the euros.”
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale admits his international career could be drawing to a close with Wales’ current World Cup qualifying campaign possibly his last.
Wales play the Czech Republic in Cardiff on Tuesday seeking their first points in Group E after an opening defeat to Belgium.
Bale and company still have this summer’s delayed European Championship finals to look forward to, but Tottenham’s Wales captain will be 33 by the time of the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar.
“I haven’t really thought too much past this campaign,” said Bale, who insisted he had not been “disrespectful” last week when outlining his end-of-season plans to see out the final year of his Real Madrid contract.
“Obviously, there’s no hiding we are getting older and possibly it is the last campaign.
“If it is, then it won’t change my mindset. I’m going to be 100 per cent committed like always.
“We still have a big tournament to play in the summer and then continue with these qualifiers after.
“I’m purely focused on the present and what is happening now. Whatever will happen in the future will happen.”
Bale had a slow start to his Spurs return on a season-long loan from Real after arriving with “a little problem in my knee”.
But he scored six goals in as many games in February and early-March, and says he has the “form and speed” to trouble Czech opponents, who have opened their campaign by beating Estonia and drawing with Belgium.
Bale: ‘It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon’
Bale said: “Confidence is a massive thing in football. Whether you are the best player or the worst, confidence as a footballer, especially for me, is one of the most important things.
“Playing in the final third you need to take risks, you need to feel good about yourself and to be able to beat a defender, shoot and score goals.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a must-win match, but we want to win the match.
“We don’t want to start a campaign off with two losses straight away. In the last Euros campaign, we started with a win but we had two defeats on the bounce.
“We’re not thinking of losing. Us experienced lads, we understand it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”
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