Balls, Buses And Baked Beans – How An Away Qualifier Is Planned

World Cup qualifier: Kazakhstan v Wales

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

Coverage: Live connected BBC One, S4C, iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, nan BBC Sport website and app, positive unrecorded matter commentary.

It is arguably nan astir awkward distant fixture successful European football.

For Wales, Kazakhstan distant intends 3,000 miles of travelling crossed six clip zones for a lucifer connected an artificial pitch.

But erstwhile nan extremity crippled is World Cup qualification, location is small room for excuses – which intends plentifulness of planning.

Preparation is not only required for far-flung fixtures. The truth is each distant time for an world relation tin beryllium a challenge, pinch galore unit members having to painstakingly propulsion retired each nan stops to make judge location are nary hiccups distant from home.

From having nan correct benignant of balls to making judge baked beans are packed successful nan clasp because "other nations navigator them differently", location is overmuch that goes successful to getting an world squad fresh for an distant fixture.

With a agelong roadworthy to nan World Cup up of them, Wales' readying for this qualifying run began successful nan backmost spot of a car successful December 2024.

The tie for nan group was conducted successful Zurich, pinch fixtures released arsenic Wales' representatives were travelling location from nan airdrome that evening.

Staff were connected standby to put wheels successful mobility regarding logistics for Wales' distant games.

While caput coach Craig Bellamy, connected nan travel home, discusses imaginable friends games for blank dates successful nan qualifying schedule - pinch nan type of guidance required and really to debar excess recreation cardinal factors – others statesman making recreation arrangements for nan qualifiers themselves. Kazakhstan included.

Hotels are a priority, particularly pinch fans besides eyeing up rooms. So moreover pinch big venues not confirmed for up to 60 days earlier a fixture, suitable hotels pinch capable abstraction and usability rooms for a nationalist shot squad are secured, pinch bookings to beryllium narrowed down astatine a later date.

Then comes transport, pinch charter formation options and prices presented.

With Football Association of Wales (FAW) bosses already okaying nan costs of business people planes for nan full campaign, arrangements for nan lengthy formation to Astana are nailed down aft conversations pinch capacity unit astir betterment clip and training schedules.

With Bellamy keen for players to get sleep, nutrient and retrieve aft nan crippled – and pinch a five-day break earlier nan cautiously selected location friends against Canada which follows – Wales determine against flying location instantly aft nan Kazakhstan game.

A hand-picked group of FAW unit make a first travel to Astana, complete pinch a fine-tooth comb.

Details matter pinch nan purpose being to guarantee location are nary surprises erstwhile it comes to crippled time.

Every nook and cranny of nan stadium and edifice is photographed and detailed, from showers and changing rooms to autobus drop-off areas.

As good arsenic conditions for nan players, imaginable issues for supporters shape portion of nan fact-finding mission.

Ticketing unit not only measure accommodation but count each seat, checking that nan number of tickets allocated tallies pinch what is really successful nan stadium, while information counsel whether definite seats aliases areas are really safe capable to beryllium sold to travelling fans.

Weather, apt traffic, what plug sockets are used, routes for a pre-match squad stroll - thing is near to Google. Every past driblet of section knowledge is compiled and readied for nan astir important gathering of nan readying process.

Bellamy sits down alongside cardinal coaching unit and each nan different departments successful nan relation who are progressive successful piecing together logistics.

A hefty archive equipped pinch accusation from nan reconnaissance travel is pored complete pinch immoderate imaginable problems raised astatine this point.

Bellamy's penchant of really he likes to style Wales' schedule astir a crippled week is nan ground for each planning, pinch nan non-negotiables agelong agreed.

But location are commercialized activities and media days to facet in. Trips of complete 4 hours mean nan preferred action of training astatine location nan time earlier a crippled person to beryllium adapted.

Decisions are made connected whether to instrumentality to UK clip successful a state 4 hours up of home, connected what type of training will beryllium undertaken connected different days, erstwhile cameras tin beryllium fto successful for unfastened training, a Uefa requirement. Every hr is accounted for.

Decisions made astatine this gathering spark a flurry of further activities, specified arsenic timings for nan vans, coaches and cars needed nan different broadside of Astana airport.

The instrumentality squad – aliases kit men arsenic they were erstwhile much commonly known – person already begun packing, but will now cognize whether they request to root a shot to lucifer 1 utilized by nan location relation aliases – arsenic successful this lawsuit – if other cogwheel is needed for nan pre-match training convention astatine nan Astana Arena.

Its artificial surface, for example, intends moreover nan accustomed mannequins which works into turf person to beryllium swapped for alternatives.

Plans for an distant travel are signed disconnected pinch 3 weeks to go, pinch a last gathering complete squad action held by Bellamy earlier nan 14-day deadline to pass clubs.

A much-wider excavation of players than will beryllium selected has been monitored by aesculapian unit earlier last emails are sent.

One goes to a player's nine pinch instructions, different to that club's aesculapian unit to support unfastened connection astir nan player's apt workload aliases immoderate accusation sharing complete wounded aliases fittingness issue.

Then location is nan email to each subordinate pinch a congratulatory message, an outline of nan itinerary and a reminder of informing of changes to passport details. The email for Kazakhstan included a reminder to bring alternate boots for nan 4G surface.

A spreadsheet containing nan names of nan country's champion footballers sits waiting for precocious checks, including which fixture they are progressive successful complete nan play earlier camp, whether they are group to beryllium precocious joining up and whether a car is to beryllium sent to nan stadium to cod them fresh for world action.

After a last consciousness cheque of nan schedule and plans, campy originates arsenic players locomotion done nan doorway astatine nan Vale Hotel connected nan outskirts of Cardiff, wherever nan FAW offices and training crushed are besides housed.

One by 1 squad members arrive, handing complete a passport to beryllium checked and receiving a room card.

The days of nan likes of Chris Gunter and Aaron Ramsey sharing are over, pinch each subordinate allocated azygous rooms which are mapped retired and planned – though location is scope for players who are peculiarly adjacent to beryllium housed adjacent 1 another.

Players person their ain WhatsApp group, but different for accusation and cardinal reminders rolls complete from nan erstwhile international.

There is nary room for sympathy, either, pinch dropped aliases injured players removed from that group to forestall delicate accusation being leaked by accident.

It is safe to opportunity that successful nan months aft nan 2022 World Cup, nan words "Gareth Bale has near nan group" rammed location nan reality of his retirement.

Daily meetings pinch different departments - from media to aesculapian - are held by Bellamy earlier breakfast, pinch each 1 laying retired plans for nan time and making judge everyone remains connected nan aforesaid page.

As training begins, an precocious statement heads to Astana via Azerbaijan.

As good arsenic a last cheque connected accommodation and security, gathering rooms astatine nan edifice are decked successful Wales squad branding fresh for nan team's arrival.

Among nan early travellers is nan squad chef, who – aft liaising pinch nan capacity squad – has prepared and sent a paper to nan edifice a period anterior to arrival.

Menus are adapted if definite nutrient cannot beryllium originated aliases is retired of season. Recipe cards are provided if section unit cannot rather get utilized to making staple foods for illustration porridge astatine breakfast.

With players' habits and moreover superstitions successful mind, extended options for nutrient nan time earlier a crippled and successful nan last hours earlier a lucifer are provided - including those baked beans.

The last kit is loaded pinch much than 60 pieces of luggage, now including a java instrumentality if nan section brew is deemed not up to scratch, widescreen televisions for half-time study if not provided, sponsors backdrops for media, physio beds and nan each important dressing room stereo. All ticked off, thing near to chance.

On landing, players are picked up successful 1 autobus and whisked consecutive to nan edifice for rest.

A 2nd autobus remains for unit who hold for luggage, which will past beryllium utilized to move usability rooms and bedrooms into physio areas and kit rooms. A power property for printing garment numbers is besides portion of nan cargo.

A past cheque connected players comes before, astatine 23:00 Central European Time connected nan eve of a crippled (or matchday minus-1 successful Uefa-speak), a last squad database of 23 is submitted connected Uefa's registration portal, locking successful nan group who will return to nan section nan pursuing day.

It is only then, aft 9 months of planning, that it each comes down to nan comparatively straightforward business of 90 minutes of football.