Croatia v Wales friendly - guess what...

Andrew Crofts is the latest player to withdraw from the Wales squad. Who will be next?

Andrew at least has an original excuse –Brighton & Hove Albion are expected to sell him to Norwich City in the next few days and wants to be around as his future is resolved.

Jazz Richards was given the chance of gaining a first Wales cap after playing well with the under-21s. But he had already left Wales to go on holiday – and presumably he isn’t sunning himself in Croatia.

However Jazz must have known a call-up was a possibility. Under-21 team-mate Hal Robson-Kanu was called up minutes after the defeat to Austria and left for Cardiff pretty much as soon as his plane arrived in London. Hal is thrilled to be called up and doesn’t mind at all that he’ll be spending his 21st birthday with his new Wales team-mates. Let’s hope it’s a birthday to remember – for the right reasons.

Chris Gunter says if you don’t want to play for your country, there’s not a lot of point in being a professional footballer. I applaud his attitude whole-heartedly but I think not many would.

There wasn’t time to replace him so the squad have flown to Croatia with just four midfield players. Centre back Ashley Williams, who will captain his country, has played in a defensive midfield role before. Right back Sam Ricketts has played in midfield for Bolton Wanderers this season although the experiment was not a success and I think right back Chris Gunter has played at right midfield – although he’ll probably be needed to fill in at left back.

Chris Gunter, Craig Morgan, Lewin Nyatanga, Ashley Williams, Andy Dorman and Robert Earnshaw are the only players who have played a full match for their club in May.

Wales squad to face Croatia on 23 May:
Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Boaz Myhill (Hull City)
Defenders: Chris Gunter (Nottingham Forest), Craig Morgan (Peterborough United), Lewin Nyatanga (Bristol City), Sam Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers), Ashley Williams (Swansea City, capt), Neil Taylor (Wrexham), Christian Ribeiro (Bristol City) Midfielders: Andy Dorman (St Mirren), David Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Brian Stock (Doncaster Rovers), Mark Bradley (recently released by Walsall) Strikers: Simon Church (Reading), Rob Earnshaw (Nottingham Forest), Sam Vokes (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Hal Robson-Kanu (Reading)