Kazakhstan v Wales: How an away qualifier is planned

After a final sense check of the schedule and plans, camp begins as players walk through the door at the Vale Hotel on the outskirts of Cardiff, where the FAW offices and training ground are also housed.

One by one squad members arrive, handing over a passport to be checked and receiving a room card.

The days of the likes of Chris Gunter and Aaron Ramsey sharing are over, with every player allocated single rooms which are mapped out and planned – though there is scope for players who are particularly close to be housed near one another.

Players have their own WhatsApp group, but another for information and key reminders rolls over from the previous international.

There is no room for sympathy, either, with dropped or injured players removed from that group to prevent sensitive information being leaked by accident.

It is safe to say that in the months after the 2022 World Cup, the words “Gareth Bale has left the group” rammed home the reality of his retirement.

Daily meetings with other departments – from media to medical – are held by Bellamy before breakfast, with each one laying out plans for the day and making sure everyone remains on the same page.

As training begins, an advanced party heads to Astana via Azerbaijan.

As well as a final check on facilities and security, meeting rooms at the hotel are decked in Wales team branding ready for the team’s arrival.

Among the early travellers is the team chef, who – after liaising with the performance team – has prepared and sent a menu to the hotel a month prior to arrival.

Menus are adapted if certain produce cannot be sourced or is out of season. Recipe cards are provided if local staff cannot quite get used to making staple foods like porridge at breakfast.

With players’ habits and even superstitions in mind, extensive options for food the day before a game and in the final hours before a match are provided – including those baked beans.