World Cup 2022: Tough selection choices await Wales boss Robert Page for Qatar

The eyes, and ears, of a nation will be focused on Wales manager Rob Page when he reveals his World Cup squad

When Wales manager Rob Page takes to the microphone, it will not be the first time that a crowd eagerly await the calls from the stage of Tylorstown Welfare Hall.

Every Tuesday evening, the last remaining miners welfare hall in the Rhondda Fach valley has its family bingo night.

This Wednesday, though, the prize is something a little different. The calls more significant than two little ducks, even if they will be unlucky for some.

Because it is at this unusual setting, a few minutes' drive away from Page's childhood home, that Page will announce the 26 names to travel to Qatar for the country's first World Cup appearance in 64 years.

Many choices will be obvious, but some are still being debated by fans trying to guess who will be on the plane.

The decisions of the manager match the enormity of the honour for those selected whose time to impress has been and gone.

The questions can only be answered by the 48-year-old former defender on Wednesday evening - including the few key issues that are still splitting supporters.

Does Page risk recovering players?

Players' fitness - or lack of - was always going to be the number one fear among those in the Red Wall eagerly awaiting Wales' start of the tournament against USA on 21 November.

Captain Gareth Bale, while admitting he's still not 100% after recovering from "a slight issue" in Los Angeles, appears to have calmed the nerves of many by showing he is good to go in Saturday's MLS Cup final.

But even then he admitted the difficulty in mentally dealing with the reality that any player is only one untimely knock or strain away from missing the plane.

By and large, Wales have escaped major worry but there remains a nagging doubt over some players' readiness and the risks Page may have to take to include them in the 26.

Chief among those concerns is Joe Allen, the 72-cap playmaker having made slow progress from a hamstring problem picked up some seven weeks ago.

His manager at Swansea, Russell Martin, has confirmed the 32-year-old will not play before the World Cup, so the question is now whether Page thinks he will be ready - or worth taking even if it means a delayed impact in Qatar.

In turn, that prompts questions of whether an extra midfielder will be added to the travelling party when some had previously wondered if there would be room for all of Joe Morrell, Matt Smith and Dylan Levitt.

Similarly, Cardiff's Rubin Colwill - the 20-year-old who emerged from nowhere to book a spot at Euro 2020 - has not figured since the Nations League game with Belgium and played less than five hours since the summer. Seen as a creative impact option, will his rustiness on top of his inexperience prove too much for even as big a fan as Page?

Finally striker Tyler Roberts - by no means a guaranteed pick - will also have to head into camp straight from injury at Queens Park Rangers if selected, which may force a rethink on those allocated spaces in the attacking ranks.

Page is likely to be relieved, at least, that Sheffield United goalkeeper Adam Davies has recovered from a summer knee injury in time to gain some valuable Championship minutes. It means now a choice between Davies and recent squad member, Salford's Tom King, to provide cover for Wayne Hennessey and Danny Ward.

Do injuries open the door?

One player Page has seemingly resigned to being without is Sheffield United defender Rhys Norrington-Davies after a recent hamstring tear.

The 23-year-old came off the bench in the play-off win over Ukraine in June and featured in the last four Nations League games, either as a wing-back or converted into a wide-sided centre-back.

His versatility means Page could be forced into a decision either to select an additional centre-back or an additional wide option to take his place.

Ipswich's Wes Burns could be the beneficiary if he plumps for the latter, or does he instead bring Tom Lockyer in from the cold, the Luton centre-back having once been a regular only to miss out on a number of the most recent squads.

Will there be a bolter?

Page is likely to remain loyal to those who have got Wales to this point, and recent comments regarding the valuable nature of Jonny Williams and Chris Gunter to the squad - despite playing League Two football - suggests there should be no major shocks or surprises coming from Tylorstown.

However, just as with Colwill a summer ago, many are speculating if there will be a surprise or two with an unfamiliar face suddenly being added to tournament sticker books.

Could Birmingham's Jordan James add his name to the aforementioned midfield conundrum? After all, it was the 18-year-old who was called in to replace Joe Allen in that last camp.

He was not the only new face in those final games before Qatar. Another was teen forward Luke Harris, a player with many admirers within the Wales management and the Fulham youngster has now made his Premier League debut since being called up in September. The 17-year-old has scored for fun at youth level and can operate behind the frontline, so may be a tempting pick.

Similarly, former Wales Under-21 attacker Oli Cooper has come of age at Swansea in recent weeks, scoring three times from out wide and has been staunchly backed for inclusion by his club manager.

Does that mean Rangers' Rabbi Matondo missing out for a second major tournament in succession, the 22-year-old having only managed five starts since moving to Ibrox?

Nathan Broadhead of Wigan may have left it late to claim a place, his recent call-up ended by injury, but just to show that Page could keep us all on our toes, Manchester United academy starlet Charlie Savage was mentioned in dispatches by the manager only last month.

It would be a big call, but then the Tylorstown Welfare Hall is used to those.