By the end of a bruising last warm-up game on Saturday, a new chant was emanating from the ‘Red Wall’ of Wales fans. It was their equivalent of the legendary Yaya/Kolo Toure anthem that Manchester City fans always sang, only with Neco and Jonny Williams’ names substituted.
‘Neco, Neco, Neco, Neco, Neco, Neco, Neco Williams...’ This was some send-off to Baku, where Wales play Switzerland on Saturday, and the evidence of the past week is that the young Liverpool defender will leave it all out on the pitch in Azerbaijan.
His harsh early dismissal against France last week left him devastated, with team-mates using jocularity to help him get past it.