Imagine being a Wales fan and not going to the World Cup. It is the first time they have qualified since 1958, which was so long ago that the goal that knocked them out was scored by an unknown teenager called Pelé. Sixty-four years later and it is Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Rob Page looking to set the world on fire. What a time to be alive! Except, for some Wales fans, they are going to pass, thanks very much.
Some of the same supporters who found themselves in tears of ecstasy in Zenica, on their way to Euro 2016 despite defeat by Bosnia-Herzegovina, or who phoned home to delay their return one more time as Chris Coleman’s team became the sensation of the finals in France, are choosing to sit this one out. If anyone has reckoned with the complicated issues surrounding this much-maligned tournament, it is them.
