GUNTER: RAMSEY’S READY FOR IRELAND
CHRIS Gunter has launched a staunch defence of Wales teammate Aaron Ramsey in the wake of stinging criticism of his Arsenal form.
And, as Ramsey readies himself to show his playmaking qualities in the national shirt against the Republic of Ireland tomorrow, the midfielder has been told he does not have to prove himself to anyone.
Chris Coleman will hope Ramsey is at his best come the pivotal qualifying clash in Dublin as they seek to beat the group leaders on their own patch and put Welsh dreams of making the World Cup firmly on track.
But the 26-year-old arrived into the Wales camp having come under fire for his performances at Arsenal.
The Gunners have struggled in the Premier League and exited the Champions League, all against the backdrop of uncertainty of the future of boss Arsene Wenger.
And Ramsey has been under scrutiny from supporters and pundits, while was the subject of a vicious social media attack from celebrity fan Piers Morgan who labelled the 45-cap ace “spineless, heartless and mediocre’”
The Twitter blast was slammed by angry Wales fans, but Wales teammate Gunter has said Ramsey will ignore the rants – and reckons he only needs to show a tape of his Euro 2016 performances to show just how good he is.
Gunter is set to play his 58th successive Wales game and win his 78th cap for his country, with only Neville Southall and Gary Speed having made more appearances for the national team than him, and he said: “There are not many national teams in the world Aaron wouldn’t get into.
“He proved that in the summer on the top stage, so if he has been getting a bit if criticism of late, just tell Piers Morgan to watch a video of the Euros.
“But all that won’t bother Aaron – we all get stick at certain times and he certainly has had it over the years.
“And for what he has done at Arsenal and Wales from a young age – and knowing him as a player – he doesn’t need to prove how good he is to anyone.
“I have seen it for 16 years, so he doesn’t need to show that in my eyes to anybody.”
Gunter reckons Ramsey has taken stick because of frustration at Arsenal’s recent form, but said none of it will have affected his fellow former Cardiff City product.
The Reading right-back said: “He is completely fine.
“We speak every day, so I know it’s not something that bothers him.
“He doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone and you find out very quickly in football who to listen to and, at the end of the day, the only people you need to impress are your teammates and your manager.”
Wales were without an injured Ramsey for the first three games of this campaign, including the dropped home points with Georgia that have helped Martin O’Neill’s side open up a four-point gap at the top of Group D.
It is a lead Wales hope to cut against the injury-hit hosts, with Gunter acknowledging Wales will always be a bigger threat with Ramsey pulling the strings.
“Because of the player he is you know when he is playing and doing well, but people always say with Aaron ‘we could have done with Aaron in that game,’” said Gunter.
“Sometimes with certain players you realise how good they are when you haven’t got them.
“I think people take Aaron for granted in terms of the things he does with the ball and the things he sees and the passes he plays and when he isn’t on the pitch and we haven’t really got anyone like him to do that then you realise even more and we are a much better team with him in it.” ■■Meanwhile Wales new boy Ben Woodburn looked anything but fazed as he continued his introduction to international football while training alongside Gareth Bale and Co yesterday.
The 17-year-old, who became Liverpool’s youngest ever goalscorer when he was on target against Leeds in November, is believed to be firmly committed to an international future with Wales.