Ramsey not ready for a Wales recall just yet, says boss Bellamy

CRAIG Bellamy says a lack of game-time was behind his decision to leave captain Aaron Ramsey out of his latest Wales squad for the upcoming games with Kazakhstan and Canada And he also explained why Rubin Colwill has been omitted.

- TOM COLEMAN

The 34-year-old Ramsey came off the bench for Mexican side Pumas UNAM on Monday, his first competitive outing since pulling up with injury while in action for Cardiff City back in March, while Colwill has been in superb form for the Bluebirds during the opening few games of the campaign.

Both, however, have missed out on next month’s doubleheader, with Bellamy explaining why.

Ramsey's return to club action appears to have come too soon for inclusion in this latest squad, although the Wales boss says there's still very much a route back for the midfielder.

"He hasn’t played enough football over a period,” he said when quizzed on Ramsey’s absence.

“It wouldn’t be fair to call him, travel the distance, the time difference 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.”