David John expects Wales to rise to the occasion in Friday's huge Euro 2016 qualifying clash with Belgium in Cardiff.
Those who have suffered withdrawal symptoms since the end of the football season have the chance to enjoy some competitive action this weekend with meaningful fixtures in the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
It all starts on Friday evening and the pick of the opening night is undoubtedly Wales playing host to Belgium as the two sides locked on 11 points at the top of Group B meet in Cardiff.
The Welsh have put themselves in a fantastic position to qualify for a first major finals since 1958 and this is understandably being advertised as the biggest national game for many a year.
The home side have continued to evolve to the surprise of many under Chris Coleman but the bottom line is that this is the best collection of players perhaps ever to have pulled on the red jersey with a useful blend of solid citizens and match winners.
Gareth Bale may not have had quite the season he would have wished for at club level with Real Madrid but remains a talismanic figure for his country capable of turning the course of a game on his own.
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey is the other star turn in midfield but Joe Ledley and Joe Allen provide good support while a defensive unity led by the immense Ashley Williams has conceded just twice from five qualifying games to date as they remain undefeated.
You can get more than 4/1 in places for the Welsh to claim a vital three points and the issue for punters is will they be able to rise to the occasion with the emphasis now switched from them being plucky underdogs at this level to genuine Euro 2016 finals contenders?
Local rockers Super Furry Animals will be playing before the game and are sure to whip up the crowd into something near frenzy levels - it will be an atmosphere which every top-level footballer surely wants to play in.
But nerves and expectation can play a big part too and the Belgians now rate the second best team in the world rankings for Marc Wilmots with a wealth of depth and talent across the board led by captain Eden Hazard.
They will have to cope without an in-form Marouane Fellaini though after the he pulled up with a muscle injury in training on Wednesday. The midfielder scored twice in a 4-3 friendly success over France in Paris last weekend, a scoreline which grossly flatters the French as they trailed both 3-0 and 4-1 before two late garbage time goals.
Fellaini's physicality will be a miss but he could be replaced by the silky skills of Mousa Dembele while Bundesliga player of the year Kevin De Bruyne is pushing for a place in the starting line-up following an ankle problem. Such are the riches at the disposal of Wilmots, it is the excellent Dries Mertens of Napoli who would be asked to step aside.
Vincent Kompany is also ruled out after a red card against Israel so there will be a little reshuffle as well at the back and perhaps those little changes will be enough for Wales to exploit and steal a march at the top of the group.
There again, it may not such is the quality of the Belgians currently if they are allowed to find their stride.
But I am ready to give the Dragons every opportunity to roar in Cardiff and an odds-against quote for them in the Double Chance market can yield a profit on the game.
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