World Cup 2022: Mark Harris ready for Wales campaign after missed call cut fear
- Published
Mark Harris (centre) is one of the new crop of Wales players that boss Rob Page (left) has blended alongside the likes of Gareth Bale
Fifa World Cup |
|---|
Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. Day-by-day TV listings - Full coverage details |
Wales' first World Cup campaign for 64 years will be even sweeter for Mark Harris, after the Cardiff City forward had convinced himself he had missed the cut.
On squad announcement day last week, the 23-year-old was on tenterhooks like all the other Wales hopefuls.
The accepted procedure was that the lucky 26 would generally be told by text message that they were Qatar-bound; anything else could spell the end of their dreams.
"I was in training with Cardiff... and I had a missed call off [Wales manager] Rob Page," said Harris, who has won five caps since his debut in September 2021.
"Instantly I was thinking the worst, he was ringing me to tell me why I hadn't made it.
"So I rang him back almost instantly, he didn't answer and then we had a [Cardiff City] meeting and I was gutted, thinking I hadn't made it.
"Straight after I ran downstairs and I had a WhatsApp message off him [Page], 'Sorry mate, didn't mean to call you, see you soon'!
"I still didn't know from the 'see you soon', maybe, maybe not, but I officially found out just a few hours before the squad was released on tv.
"I was relieved... I was a bit nervous, obviously you don't know.
"As soon as I found out, it's hard to put into words that feeling... as soon as that text came through I was over the moon."
Wales begin their campaign on Monday against USA, with further Group B games to follow against Iran on 25 November and England on 29 November, with the top two advancing to the knock-out stages.
Harris and fellow forward Rubin Colwill, 20, are the two Cardiff City players in Page's squad, their selection a source of pride for them, their families and not least club manager Mark Hudson.
"As soon as the squad came out I had a text message off him (Hudson) straight away, so obviously I was chuffed at that," Harris said.
"He was just saying how proud he was of me and Rubin, and go out there and do us proud.
"It's huge for Cardiff, it's huge for me, my family and I just can't wait to get going now.
"It's hard to put it into words to think Wales at a World Cup, it's been 64 years.
"I know we've qualified for the last few Euros but the World Cup is the biggest tournament in the world, so you're on the biggest stage... we'll see how far we can go."
Get the latest results and goal notifications for any team at the Fifa World Cup by downloading the BBC Sport app: Apple, external - Android, external - Amazon, external
THE BOYS OF 58: Road to the World Cup
WORLD CUP 2022: Keep up with all the action from the Wales team
