Ledley blow might not be as hard as losing a Bale or Ramsey, but he’s no ordinary Joe
It was the morning after the night before when I rang Joe Ledley on his mobile. As polite and affable as always, he was still on a high. Buzzing from the fact that Wales had just celebrated qualifying for Euro 2016 in front of their own fans at the end of a 2-0 Cardiff City Stadium victory over Andorra.
Ledley didn’t actually play in the match, but the talk was mostly about him afterwards. Aaron Ramsey had celebrated his opening goal by dashing to the Wales dugout where the whole team insisted Ledley get up to lead the new Zombie Nation dance craze that he had performed a few days earlier in Bosnia.
That one moment embodied just what Ledley means inside the Wales dressing room and why his absence from this summer’s finals in France would be such a blow for the team.
Wales’ strength is based on Together Stronger, but they are very much about Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey. Then Joe Allen, Ashley Williams, possibly Wayne Hennessey.
Ledley is one of those unsung figures who does the undemonstrative work that enables the likes of Bale and Ramsey to strut their stuff.
He’s more likely to capture the headlines for being the new cult figure of the fans, because of that beard and the rave celebrations, than necessarily his deeds on the field of play.
But within the confines of the dressing room, make absolutely no mistake Ledley is viewed as one of the kingpins. If he’s not exactly the glue that holds everything together, he is certainly viewed as a fundamental reason for Wales’ success. His character and bubbly persona rub off on the rest of the players.
Privately, I’ve been dreading Bale or Ramsey getting injured and missing the Euros.
With the Champions League final taking place just days before Wales’ Group B opener with Slovakia, I will be watching Real Madrid versus Atletico Madrid with fingers half covering up my eyes.
But whilst Bale, followed by Ramsey, are the men who matter most, Ledley doesn’t deserve this cruel slice of misfortune and I fervently hope he can make it back in time. Although a fractured leg, however minor, doesn’t sound good just a month out from the tournament a Welsh nation has waited almost 60 years for.
Back to my conversation with Joe the morning