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Topics: Wales, Football World Cup, Gareth Bale, Qatar
Marcus Chan
Wales superstar Gareth Bale will not be able to play golf during the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
It is well-documented that Bale is a keen golfer and has been pictured on the golf course on many different occasions.
Prior to the tournament, Wales boss Rob Page went to the Doha Golf Club in June in a bid to set up a round of golf for his squad.
However, Page has now revealed that it is unlikely they will be able to go ahead with the plan due to the lack of time between matches.
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Page said: “We had a round of golf planned. I went to the Doha club, it’s run by a British lad. He said, ‘I’ll book you a time’.
"But it gets dark at four o’clock. We looked at it but there are other functions we might have to do, so we will probably not get the chance to do it.”
The Wales boss was then asked whether he has told his captain Bale. Page replied: “Yeah. There’s no golf. We’re out there to do a job.
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“In the past, I may get Gareth, Kieffer Moore or Aaron Ramsey come up to me and say, ‘What’s the plan for tomorrow afternoon? Are there meetings?’
“I’d say, ‘No, there are no meetings, so if you want nine holes then go and play’.
“But that is when you have a week building up to a double-header. Out there, we won’t have enough time. Every four days there is a game. It’s relentless.”
Wales qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1958 after a playoff victory against Ukraine. They are in Group B alongside Iran, USA and rivals England.
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Page is set to announce his 26-man squad on Wednesday as their opener against the USA is just 12 days away. Bale is set to captain his country despite reports that he is not 100% fit.
Bale played a key role for his club, Los Angeles FC on Saturday after scoring a late equaliser to force a penalty shoot-out against Philadelphia Union, which LAFC won, clinching the MLS Cup.
How far can Wales go in the World Cup? Only time will tell.