Gareth Bale cerebrating in a past international match. PHOTO/FILE
LONDON, May 9 – Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale was not included in the 29-man Wales squad announced by manager Chris Coleman on Monday for a pre-Euro 2016 training camp in Portugal.
Wales head to the Algarve for a five-day get-together on May 24 and Bale is due to line up for Real against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final in Milan on May 28.
In his absence, the stand-out names were Swansea City centre-back Ashley Williams, the captain, Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen of Liverpool.
The announcement of the squad was delayed by four hours to allow Coleman time to check on the fitness of players who sustained injuries over the weekend.
Crystal Palace midfielder Joe Ledley was selected despite being forced off with a knock after coming on as a substitute in his side’s 2-1 win over Stoke City in the Premier League on Saturday.
The only uncapped player was 21-year-old Bristol City striker Wes Burns.
Coleman, who has led Wales to a first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, will whittle his squad down to the required 23 players on May 31.
Wales play their final pre-tournament friendly game against Sweden in Stockholm on June 5.
They open their Euro 2016 Group B campaign against Slovakia in Bordeaux on June 11 before playing neighbours England in Lens five days later and then tackling Russia in Toulouse on June 20.
Wales training squad
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace/ENG), Daniel Ward (Liverpool/ENG), Owain Fon Williams (Inverness Caledonian Thistle/SCO)
Defenders: Ashley Williams (capt, Swansea City), James Chester (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), James Collins (West Ham United/ENG), Chris Gunter (Reading/ENG), Adam Matthews (Sunderland/ENG), Neil Taylor (Swansea City), Adam Henley (Blackburn Rovers/ENG), Paul Dummett (Newcastle United/ENG), Jazz Richards (Fulham/ENG)
Midfielders: Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace/ENG), Joe Allen (Liverpool/ENG), David Vaughan (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Emyr Huws (Wigan Athletic/ENG), Jonathan Williams (Crystal Palace/ENG), David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers/ENG), George Williams (Fulham/ENG), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal/ENG), Andy King (Leicester City/ENG)
Forwards: David Cotterill (Birmingham City/ENG), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading/ENG), Tom Lawrence (Leicester City/ENG), Simon Church (Aberdeen/SCO, on loan from Milton Keynes Dons/ENG), Sam Vokes (Burnley/ENG), Wes Burns (Bristol City/ENG), Tom Bradshaw (Walsall/ENG)
