Real Madrid's Gareth Bale and Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey Make Wales Aim High

If ever the dangers of a team pinning its hopes on one megastar were apparent it was this weekend, as Portugal spluttered to a home defeat to Albania. If Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence on Sunday fatally compromised Paulo Bento’s team, Wales have no such worries with his Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale as they begin their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign.

Fortunately for Wales, even if plenty is expected of Bale as they embark on the road to France, he has company. Aaron Ramsey’s dizzying ascent over the last 18 months or so means that, even if he doesn’t quite share the same profile as Bale, Wales now have two bona-fide cracks in their midst.

What this also means is that the pressure is squarely on Chris Coleman to deliver. Hardly a universally popular appointment when succeeding the late Gary Speed in early 2012, Coleman can change perceptions of him if he should lead Wales to a first major championship finals tournament since 1958.

While the contributions of captain Ashley Williams, Liverpool’s Joe Allen and Neil Taylor could be important, it is Bale and Ramsey, and—crucially—Coleman’s handling of them which will define Wales’ immediate future.

His management of Ramsey, in particular, has already come under close scrutiny. The manager took the bold (and controversial) step of taking the captaincy away from Ramsey in October 2012, shortly after Wales were hammered 6-1 in Serbia.

“I think he has felt the pressure of it,” Coleman reasoned at the time, as per BBC Sport. Williams’ promotion at the Arsenal man’s expense was, at the time, the subject of much debate.

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Excepting the horrendous leg injury he suffered in February 2010, it was arguably the first major step back in Ramsey’s career trajectory to that point, having become Wales’ youngest-ever full international in November 2008 at the age of 17—and subsequently the country’s youngest skipper shortly after turning 20.

The midfielder’s stratospheric growth, at least at club level, might lend credence to Coleman’s thinking, but only results in the forthcoming qualifying campaign will truly back him up. Wales’ task is not easy but, as with various minnows and underachievers who have already debuted in the qualifiers, the expanded format offers widespread hope.

It is not unreasonable to expect Belgium and Bosnia-Herzegovina to lead the way in Group B, but Wales should be in the mix for third spot at least. There are few pushovers once Tuesday’s opener at Andorra is out of the way. Israel twice held Portugal in the qualifiers for World Cup 2014, and Wales themselves are among the teams to have fallen in Cyprus in recent years (Wales lost 3-1 in Nicosia back in 2007).

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Yet after the (supposed) demons of the Comunal d’Andorra la Vella’s artificial surface has been negotiated, there is a real chance to make a dent in the group. Bosnia and Cyprus both visit Cardiff in the space of four days in October, and the opportunity is clear. One of the main dangers ahead of this run of fixtures is the sense that Bale will take care of himself, rather than actually needing to be managed. Coleman has openly floated the idea of the Real Madrid star being used at centre-forward, as reported by BBC Wales' Dafydd Pritchard here.

If one lesson can be learned from Ronaldo and Portugal, it’s that the very best should be placed in as similar conditions that they thrive in for their clubs as possible. Coach Bento’s successes in getting the best out of his talisman have come in not overthinking Ronaldo’s role. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The marriage of circumstance, ahead of a 24-team tournament, and the two supreme talents at their disposal, give Wales their best chance of making it in a while. It’s now down to their boss to show he can handle his portion of the pressure.