GARETH Bale has rightly been receiving plenty of plaudits this week for surpassing Gary Lineker as La Liga's highest-scoring Brit. But the fact that he’s back from injury and banging in the goals for Real Madrid rather begs the question – why isn’t he in the Wales squad?

The former Tottenham star scored Madrid's third goal in a 4-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday – just 48 hours after being left out of Chris Coleman’s squad to take on Northern Ireland on Thursday and Ukraine next Monday.

It would be churlish not to congratulate Bale for breaking Lineker's 27-year-old record.

It was his 43rd league goal in just 75 appearances for the Bernabeu club, compared to the Match of the Day host’s 42 in 103 games for Barcelona in the late 1980s.

Afterwards he told the media: “I'll be training [during international break].

“There are a few players who are staying back so I'll be working hard over the next couple of weeks trying to get myself to peak fitness for the next game.”

But, surely, if he’s fit enough to be breaking records in Spain’s top tier then Bale is fit enough to train with his Welsh teammates this week and play 45 minutes against Northern Ireland on Thursday night.

We’re told he was always likely to miss the long trip to Ukraine with his partner due to give birth on Easter Monday.

But it’s a real shame that he won’t be involved in what is Wales’ final home game before the great adventure that will be Euro 2016.

It’s a shame that the Welsh public won’t get another chance to see his unique talent and thank him for dragging the nation to a first major tournament since 1958.

It’s far too early to compare Bale with Ryan Giggs, who famously went nine years without playing an international friendly match for Wales.

But the fact that Bale has been left out of the three friendlies since qualification was secured last October has to be a slight concern.

Coleman is correct to say that nobody can seriously question Bale’s commitment to playing for his country after his superlative efforts in the qualifying campaign.

But the fact that he’s missing friendly matches after ‘consultation’ with Real Madrid is a worrying trend that needs to be nipped in the bud as soon as possible.

And it’s not as if the two upcoming games can be labelled as meaningless friendlies, as is so often the case.

Coleman sees these fixtures and the trip to Sweden on June 5 as crucial to his plans for the first group game in France against Slovakia on June 11.

But, with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey also missing because of injury, the national manager says he is happy to do without his other star man.

Coleman even went as far as to say he wouldn’t worry if Bale only turned up ready to go on June 10 and it’s this summer that is obviously all-important.

He had no qualms about getting into a club v country spat with Arsenal over Ramsey earlier this season but Coleman seems much more circumspect in his relationship with Madrid.

I guess knowing when to fight your battles is all part of being an international manager in the modern game and if Bale bags the winner against England in Lens come June 16 then nobody will remember that he missed a friendly or two in March.

But his absence certainly doesn’t help boost the excitement levels, or ticket sales, ahead of Thursday’s Battle of Britain at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Thankfully there should be an unexpected bonus for any Newport County AFC fans attending the game with former Exiles striker Conor Washington likely to make his debut for the visitors.

It will be a magical moment for Washington and anyone who watched him take his first steps in the Football League with County less than three years ago.

Washington qualifies for Northern Ireland through his Belfast-born grandmother and he made the startling admission this week that he’s never even visited his adopted nation.

But who can blame him for accepting the chance to show what he can do on the international stage?

Hopefully he grabs it with both hands and secures a place on the plane to the Euros because his fairytale story should be an inspiration to everyone.

Just four years ago he was working part-time as a postman and playing for St Ives Town twice a week in the United Counties League

He delivered letters in St Ives, beginning his round at 5.30am and finishing between 11.30am and 1pm, covering 8km.

He would have a nap in the afternoon before Tuesday games but things were a lot tougher playing after a shift on a Saturday.

“It was a grind and some days were brutal,” he told The Times this week. “I had been up since 5am. Once I sprinted doing my round and got my best friend to help me, which is probably a sackable offence. A fan agreed to drive me to the game and we got there at 2.45pm.”

Jez Hall, his manager, was biting his fingernails when they met Daventry on the final day of the season.

“I turned up at 2.57pm for a 3pm kick off. My brother drove me and we arrived at the wrong stadium,” he said.

“Jez called me up, ‘Conor what is going on?’ I was in the race for the golden boot and needed two goals. I ran into the changing room and got taped up. I wasn’t expecting to start. No warm-up. Just ran on and with my first touch I turned and shot and it went into the top corner. I scored four and got the golden boot.”

He’s been on the up ever since and long may the success story continue.