World Cup qualifying: Welshman Richard Evans alongside Roberto Martinez in Belgium's camp

The Welshman who has been by Roberto Martinez's side throughout his managerial career has not forgotten the ice-cold reception which greeted his move to Belgium.

Richard Evans, son of the late Wales international Brian, was born in Ebbw Vale and raised in Swansea.

Like many Welsh fans, he toasted Wales' glorious Euro 2016 win over Belgium with a "few beers and a dance in the lounge".

Little did he know that he would soon come face to face with each member of Belgium's star-laden squad.

When Martinez landed the Belgium head coach role in August 2016, Evans was named head of team and individual fitness.

He tells an amusing tale about his first day at work.

Richard Evans (centre) in training alongside Real Madrid and Belgium forward Eden Hazard (right)

"I had been back in Swansea with my wife Bev and the in-laws watching Wales against Belgium," Evans recalls.

"I didn't think Wales would win because we'd worked with Romelu (Lukaku) and Kevin Mirallas at Everton.

"I said 'it's going to be a tough game this, I think we are going to struggle against Belgium'. Then by the end of the 90 minutes we were bouncing around in the lounge.

"Six weeks later I was stood in front of Thibaut Courtois.

"One of his first questions was 'where are you from?'. I thought oh no, here we go.

"I said 'I'm from Wales'. 'I hate Wales', he said. Then he said 'where are you from in Wales?'. I thought oh no, I can't tell him I'm from Swansea because Chelsea struggled at Swansea in the Premier League.

"I said 'I'm from Swansea'. He said 'I hate Swansea too'."

Courtois, Evans is quick to stress, was joking.

"He is a humorous lad - the whole squad are," he adds.

A partnership to success

For Evans, this is a big week. Belgium's opening World Cup qualifier against Wales in Leuven on Wednesday will be a memorable, somewhat poignant moment in the 52-year-old's career.

His father was a winger who won seven Wales caps in the early 1970s and played more than 350 league games for Swansea.

The younger Evans was on the books at Cardiff City as a youngster, and played for Bristol Rovers, Exeter and Yeovil before landing the physiotherapist job at Swansea in 1999.

Evans met Martinez when he arrived for a medical at Swansea - then struggling at the foot of the fourth tier - in 2003. The Spaniard made an immediate impression.

"The way he talked, his professionalism, his charisma, his personality - I had never seen someone talk about football the way he did," Evans says.

"Also it was the way the he wanted to look after his body. They were the days of packing the coach up with beer to drink all the way home - the win, draw or lose, get on the booze-type mentality.

"I think Roberto's integration into that squad enabled them to achieve things that they wouldn't have done if they'd carried on that way."

Martinez starred as a Swansea player, first helping them avoid relegation to non-league football on the final day of an agonising season and then playing his part in promotion in 2005.

When he returned to the club as manager in 2007, Martinez's impact was even more profound.

"The transition from player to manager was seamless," remembers Evans.

"His father was a manager in the lower leagues in Spain. That made him be the manager he was."

Richard Evans (far left) joins the celebrations after Wigan's 2013 FA Cup final win over Manchester City

Martinez led Swansea to the League One title in 2008 and then established the club in the Championship - and did so playing an eye-catching style of football - before leaving for the Premier League and Wigan Athletic, taking Evans with him.

The Spaniard and his staff moved onto Everton after the Latics were relegated in 2013 - but not before beating Manchester City at Wembley to win the FA Cup.

After three years at Goodison Park - which included a best Premier League finish of fifth and two cup semi-finals - Martinez was sacked in 2016.

When Belgium came calling that summer, Evans got the call to go with him once more.

Belgium reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, beating Brazil in the last eight before losing to eventual winners France, and are among the favourites for Euro 2020.

Such as has been their progress that Martinez has been linked with the Barcelona manager's job, although he is contracted with Belgium until the 2022 World Cup.

"When you get the (Belgium) squad together and see some of the things they do in training and in games, it's a phenomenal talent pool they have," Evans says.

"I think Roberto has done a fantastic job to bring the group together the way he has.

"We got through to the semi-finals of the World Cup and lost narrowly to France.

"Maybe it wasn't our time, but maybe it's our time in the Euros. The squad is still young enough, capable enough and has the quality, so who knows."

Richard Evans (right) alongside Leicester and Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans during a warm-up

Delays caused by Covid-19 mean that for the moment, the European Championship is on the backburner.

The immediate focus is on securing a place at the next World Cup, a task which begins against Wales in midweek.

While Belgium will be favourites, they are taking nothing for granted against opponents who have caused them numerous problems in recent years.

"Wales are young, dynamic, full of enthusiasm and energy and they haven't conceded many goals either," Evans says.

"I think they have only lost one of their last 14 matches. It's going to be a difficult game."

For Evans, it will be an emotional one too.

"To actually play against your country, who obviously my father played for, it will be strange," he adds.

"Ultimately I am working for Belgium and we want to beat Wales, but there are going to be quite a few sentimental moments leading up to it and probably afterwards as well.

"It's one game I am really looking forward to."

Courtois, presumably, would take a different view.

Wales' challenge is to ensure the Real Madrid goalkeeper still dislikes them come Thursday morning.