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Joe Allen grateful for FA Cup tonic with Swansea as he looks to put the disappointment of Wales’ World Cup campaign behind him… as his side prepare for the thrilling third round tie at rivals Bristol City
- The Wales midfielder was part of a squad that failed to win a game at Qatar 2022
- They were knocked out having lost to Iran and England in the last two games.
- Joe Allen said he was trying hard to put that disappointment behind him.
Joe Allen has gotten the disappointment of Wales’ performance in Qatar out of his system and is ready for another run in the cup.
The 32-year-old midfield maestro will hope to lead Swansea City past Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Sunday to launch a solid second half of the season for the club he returned to last summer.
“It’s been good for me to get back into club football almost immediately after Qatar. We worked very hard to get to the World Cup and it was supposed to be the pinnacle of our careers,” Allen said.
Joe Allen has put Qatar disappointment behind him as he battles for success with Swansea
“We did a lot to achieve something, but it didn’t quite happen. The aim for me now is to have a much bigger impact in the second half of the season at Swansea.
I want to be fit and play a lot more. The reason I rejoined the club was because I really wanted to help the team improve and I am confident that I can do it in the second half of the season.”
The FA Cup holds bittersweet memories for Allen, from as a 16-year-old on the bench for the first time in 2007 to a semi-final loss to Liverpool in 2015.
The midfielder is looking to lead the club to a successful second half of the season, including against Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
“The FA Cup is a great competition that is steeped in history and my first experience was at Sheffield United so many years ago,” he added.
“I didn’t get on the field, but at 16, being on the bench in that kind of situation and being a part of it, it was a big boost for me.” It gave me a taste of what a football career was like and gave me a little more motivation to succeed in the game.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have quite a long career, but that’s still a very fond memory of mine. One of the disappointments was losing a semi-final at Wembley with Liverpool.
‘There is still plenty of time to have another good cup run. That’s what this time of year brings, the idea that this could be your year to run and have some exciting bonds and go as far as possible.
Wales were knocked out of the overall World Cup due to their 2–0 loss at the hands of Iran.