Wales have suffered from disappointing form ever since qualifying for the Euro 2016 and this has raised concerns ahead of the tournament.
Midfielder Joe Allen, though, reckons that the form will improve once the team gets back players like Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey into the starting line-up. In the absence of these two big names, Wales have managed only one win in the last five matches. Even this victory came against Andorra – one of the minnows in world football – and it was not exactly a convincing win.
Manager Chris Coleman received a lot of praise for guiding Wales to its first major European Championship. This was also the first time Wales will be appearing in a major tournament like the World Cup or the Euros for the first time since 1958. Hence, there is a lot of expectation that the nation will want to do well and continue progressing. Since the form is bleak at the moment, there is a danger of Wales suffering a humiliating exit against the top teams in European football. The nation will be up against England, Russia, and Slovakia in the group stages. Allen claims that any team will miss quality players like Bale and Ramsey. He is confident of the form improving once these players get back into the team.
“Any international team would miss players of that quality. To have the chance to welcome them back into the group is a massive bonus for us. It’s going to help bring the real best out of the team. Whether it is a friendly or not, the result is important, but it’s not the be all and end all at this stage. Teams in the past have flown through friendlies, drubbed teams and then disappointed. So I don’t think it’s too much we will look at,” said Allen.