LIKE any football fan, Mark Hughes will be glued to his TV throughout the World Cup.

There will no prouder Welshman following his country’s progress in their first appearance in the finals for 64 years.

But as chuffed as Hughes will be to see the red shirts finally featuring in a tournament that proved elusively just out of reach for him as a player and manager, there is that nagging doubt in the back of his mind.

The City manager, again like so many of us, cannot dismiss the misgivings that it should not be taking place in Qatar in the first place.

The prospect of a mid-season World Cup in a country so far removed from football’s traditional global heartlands does not stir the blood in quite the same way.

“It’s not what we are used to,” said Hughes. “It remains to be seen whether it’s as successful as a summer World Cup but my feeling is that it probably won’t be.

“The level of players on show will enable the games themselves to be watchable and enjoyable.

“It’s the circumstances of the World Cup being awarded to the country that it’s being played in just doesn’t sit that well with me. But I’m not the only one that’s said that.”

The main event may be underway now but the build-up has not carried anywhere near the same level of intensity as its predecessors.

From Hughes’ point of view, the fact that City’s season carries on regardless at the same time has naturally watered down the impact of what should be an all-consuming spectacle.

“It’s all a little bit low key, maybe because the marketing of major companies is usually in everybody’s face leading into a World Cup.

“Maybe they’ve tempered their profile because they don’t want to be associated too closely with this one.

“It will still be of interest. There are a lot of games each day so it will be better than watching Sky Sports News on a loop every hour on the hour but it doesn’t feel the same.”

Early matches will be on the screen at Woodhouse Grove while the players have lunch. Not that Hughes has any plans to tinker with training times to fit in with the World Cup schedule.

Wales play USA tonight so there is no potential conflict for their gaffer either.

“I was worrying at one point that it would be during training,” he laughed. “But I’m definitely not going to change any sessions.

“Our priority is what we are doing here. Everybody can record the game, don’t worry about that.

“It’s not happened before so that’s the strange element to it.

“But it’s business as usual for us. We’ve got to get on with our jobs.

“The World Cup can be a distraction for all football people. Most of us enjoy watching football so it’s a good thing from our point of view.

“But in terms of focus, it’s more what we do here and what we do this year than what’s going to happen in the next three or four weeks.”

Not that Hughes will be concentrating on anything else come 7pm and Gareth Bales leads Wales into their group opener.

Hughes added: "It's been a long road to get to a World Cup finals, but thankfully we are there.

"A lot of good teams and players weren't able to get there. I was part of good teams with fantastic players, but we weren't the 'whole deal' whereas this team has been together for a long time now and had the success that has enabled them to be a confident team.

"I don't think Wales, as a team, really fear anybody and will back themselves against anybody. That's not always been the case, trust me.

“Everybody in Wales and with a Welsh connection is looking forward to it. The first game is really important and if we can get off to a winning start, that seems to make it a lot easier to qualify.

“If you are chasing your tail because you have been beaten well in the first one, then it becomes very difficult to qualify for the latter stages. Fingers crossed, they have a good performance."