Ramsey left out by Wales for Kazakhstan qualifier

World Cup qualifier: Kazakhstan v Wales

Venue: Astana Arena, Astana Date: Thursday, 4 September Kick off: 15:00 BST

Coverage: Live on BBC One, S4C, iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary.

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey has been left out of the squad for the World Cup qualifier away to Kazakhstan on 4 September.

The 34-year-old midfielder came off the bench last week for new club Pumas UNAM, playing his first minutes for the Mexican side since suffering a hamstring injury in Cardiff City's 2-1 victory over Luton on 11 March.

Leeds United skipper Ethan Ampadu is also absent after suffering a knee injury in their 1-0 Premier League win against Everton in mid-August.

Rubin Colwill misses out on a call-up despite impressing for Cardiff in their unbeaten start to the season in League One and the EFL Cup.

But Bluebirds team-mates Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio are included, with Coventry City midfielder Kai Andrews the third uncapped player in Craig Bellamy's 25-man squad.

After facing Kazakhstan in Astana, Wales host Canada in a friendly five days later.

On Ramsey's omission, head coach Bellamy said: "He hasn't played enough football over a period.

"It wouldn't be fair to call him up, travel the distance, the time difference [from Mexico to Wales] and then travel to Kazakhstan, and expect him to play any part of it after being out for so long.

"The injury, particularly with a hamstring injury, it wouldn't be responsible from us to do that or expect anything from him.

"I speak to him a lot. The idea with him is to get minutes, get training and back to just playing football.

"If he's available and he's had a lot of minutes, and that comes from training as well, a consistent basis of being involved in football, then we'll look again."

Speaking about Cardiff teenagers Lawlor and Kpakio, Bellamy added: "Cardiff have always had very good youngsters. Having the potential to be able to break through into the first team, you need everyone to be involved in that.

"In the Championship, managers have maybe been quite reluctant [to play youngsters], maybe with the turnover with the managers, they've not been quite comfortable with that.

"With the new manager [Brian Barry-Murphy] this season, there are similarities [to how Wales play], similar sort of habits in terms of what we look for."

Bellamy added Kpakio and Lawlor have been picked on their talent.

"When I see Dylan, he's brilliant with the ball, the way he defends he uses his body. What he's getting exposed to now will help him and teach him so much, " said Bellamy.

"I believe he's going to be an immense player for Wales for a number of years.

"Ronan, it's like he's played there for years. But these are young players playing men's football. There's a difference to under-21s, under-18s. This is different.

"League One is very different to the Championship, I'm not misguided by that. But for me, for young players it's a good starting point."

Wrexham players back on Wales duty

For the first time in more than a decade, Wrexham will provide players for the national side, with the Championship team's new signings Danny Ward, Nathan Broadhead and Kieffer Moore all included.

Wales are second in Group J following their only defeat from their four games in this qualifying campaign, a 4-3 loss in Belgium in June.

They are a point behind North Macedonia, who won 1-0 in Kazakhstan, while Belgium are third, three points further back but with two games in hand.

The match against Canada on 9 September (19:45 BST) marks a return to Swansea.com Stadium for Wales, who last played there in November 2020 in a goalless draw against the USA during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The last time Wales played in front of a crowd in Swansea was in March 2013 against Croatia, in a match that featured Bellamy in attack.

Wales squad

Karl Darlow (Leeds United), Adam Davies (Sheffield United), Danny Ward (Wrexham), Ben Cabango (Swansea City), Jay Dasilva (Coventry City), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Ronan Kpakio (Cardiff City), Dylan Lawlor (Cardiff City), Chris Mepham (West Bromwich Albion), Joe Rodon (Leeds United), Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest), Kai Andrews (Coventry City), David Brooks (Bournemouth), Charlie Crew (Doncaster Rovers - on loan from Leeds United), Jordan James (Stade Rennais), Josh Sheehan (Bolton Wanderers), Sorba Thomas (Stoke City), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Nathan Broadhead (Wrexham), Liam Cullen (Swansea City), Mark Harris (Oxford United), Lewis Koumas (Birmingham City - on loan from Liverpool), Daniel James (Leeds United), Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur), Kieffer Moore (Wrexham).