Great to be back – Joe Allen savours Wales return but won’t look too far ahead

Joe Allen says he can not focus on the next World Cup following his “whirlwind” return to international football, but insists Wales have unfinished business in the tournament after flopping in Qatar.

Allen quit the international scene in February 2023, just two months after injury had limited his role at the World Cup when Wales scored only once and finished bottom of their group.

But the 34-year-old Swansea midfielder was persuaded to return by new boss Craig Bellamy and joined the squad for this month’s Nations League double-header.

Allen sat out the 2-2 draw in Iceland before playing a key role in Monday’s 1-0 home victory over Montenegro, coming on for the final half-hour to help Wales close out the win that keeps them two points behind group leaders Turkey.

“It’s great to be back,” said Allen after winning his 75th cap and in the wake of Bellamy labelling him one of Wales’ greatest ever players.

“An incredible welcome here from the supporters, but also from my team-mates and all the staff on camp.

“I really enjoyed the week and to round it off with a win was a great feeling.

“I thought it (returning) was unlikely, but I don’t think it’s anything you can 100 per cent rule out.

“When I spoke to Craig I was pretty easily convinced to come back and be part of the set-up.

“I’m really grateful to him for giving me the opportunity. It’s up to me now to prove I still have value and worth to add and help this group.”

Fitness issues have restricted Allen to just a handful of substitute appearances for Swansea this season.

He has not started a game since April 1 and admits to facing an uncertain future had Swansea not offered him a new one-year contract last summer.

Wales visit Turkey and host Iceland when the Nations League group stages concludes in November.

But thoughts are already turning to 2026 World Cup qualifying next year, with Bellamy’s unbeaten four-game start exciting the Wales fan base.

When asked if the World Cup was on his mind, Allen said: “I think we are looking a little bit too far ahead just now.

“This has all been a bit of a whirlwind and how quick this has come around to be back in the fold.

“First and foremost I wanted to get on this camp, get on the pitch at least once over the two games and thankfully I got that chance.

“There’s a big onus on me to really push over the next month. Get as many minutes as I can and be in good shape hopefully for the two games next month.”

Allen recovered from a hamstring injury to play some part at the 2022 World Cup but was nowhere near his best in Qatar

He said: “I made it, which was something, but I really wasn’t in the best shape getting there. There was a flat feeling for everyone at how we performed out there.

“On a personal note, of course it was not what I dreamed of.

“Less so for me, but for the group as a whole, it seems like it is unfinished business on the back of that.

“That’s where you can see the hunger in this group and that’s why it is there. Every camp and every game we have between now and the World Cup campaign is all in preparation to get there and throw everything at doing that.”