Owain Tudur Jones column: Sgorio pundit on Wales team selection and Bale dilemma

Here we go. It’s the week of the game we’ve been waiting so long for, the massive game against Austria- I cannot wait.

Just thinking of what the atmosphere is going to be like is giving me goose bumps. It has the potential to be another special night at the Cardiff City Stadium.

The big question heading into this game over the last few weeks has been: Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale; where are they at? Although it’s been a frustrating season, I think Ramsey is in a better place than Bale. He’s gone to Rangers and he’s not played anywhere near as much as he’d have expected, a few subs appearances and a couple of starts. But he started on the weekend and he got a goal, so taking that into account, Aaron plays.

Who he plays instead of, it depends on what Rob Page decides to go with tactically. But no matter where, I think he starts on Thursday night.

Gareth is slightly different. I think he’s only played 77 minutes of football since his last appearance for Wales. He’s not in the best place fitness-wise. But the question of whether or nor he starts will depend a lot on Gareth himself. He has that much power and rightly so.

But as our captain, Gareth will have to put the team first. If he does not feel that he’s in a necessary place to start the game, then I’m sure he will say. But I think he plays.

He’s been involved in the Real Madrid squad recently, wasn’t in the squad against Barcelona on the weekend with a slight back concern, but I think if he trains this week, he starts. Whether there is 90 minutes in him or not, I don’t know.

But I think the Bale factor, having him on the pitch, I think he gets in ahead of Harry Wilson and Brennan Johnson, regardless of the seasons they’ve had. And what fantastic options