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WALES stars – including Gareth Bale – were tonight embarrassingly forced to prepare for a World Cup qualifying clash without their manager – after Chris Coleman lost his passport.

Coleman had been due to travel with the national team to Skopje this morning ahead of tomorrow evening’s game with Macedonia.

But the national side were instead farcically left to train at the Philip II Arena without him after he was unable to fly with the squad from Cardiff.

Coleman, 43, instead had to leave the team’s hotel base in Cardiff after discovering the issue on Wednesday night and head to Newport for a replacement passport.

He was said to be due to land in Skopje’s Alexander the Great airport late tonight having had to fly from Heathrow via Vienna in order to meet back up with the team.

Both FA of Wales officials and assistant manager Kit Symons – who took training in place of Coleman – tried to play down the incident which they claimed was the cause of a “passport issue”.

And Symons insisted the former defender’s absence would have no bearing on the game and that the training session has already been planned.

But it was an undoubtedly red-faced moment for Coleman and the FAW after a week of huge profile following Bale’s world record move to Real Madrid.

Gallery: Wales train without Coleman

“It’s not an ideal situation but it’s happened and we have to get on with it,” said Symons ahead of training at Macedonia’s national last night, doing his best to defend Coleman. “There were a couple of passport issues which needed to be resolved and they have been and he will be landing imminently.

“It was a minor issue which has been dealt with so there are no dramas. He hasn’t been able to make training but the tactical work has been done and tonight’s session was planned a long time ago and is the same as it would have been as if he was here. it’s just about the boys stretching their legs tonight so it will not be a disruption.

Asked when the staff was made aware of the problem, Symons said: “It was flagged up quite late on Wednesday and it’s unfortunate and not something any of us would want to happen again.

“But it’s not the end of the world and it won’t affect the preparation.”

Quizzed if it would be used as an excuse should Wales fail to gain the first win of two Coleman has aimed for over the next two games, Symons said: “No, it will make no difference for this one.

Everything had already been put in place.”

Wales captain Ashley Williams said: “Most people did not realise anything was wrong until we were on the plane.

“I don’t think it is too much of a big deal to be honest, it is something that can happen to any of us, we are all human.

“We had our meetings in the week and before the game, and I am sure it will not be a disruption.”