GET OVER IT,WAYNE
Vokes and his Wales team are moving on after furore over Iceland celebration
SITTING on a finely upholstered sofa in a reception room of Cardiff’s Hensol Castle, Sam Vokes is answering a question centring on Wayne Rooney and exemplifying the mentality Wales have taken after the summer of their lives.
Rooney conceded last week he found the leaked video of the Welsh squad’s wild celebrations following England’s demise to Iceland rather unedifying. He suggested it was disrespectful to club team-mates experiencing pain.
Vokes, though, who has an England goalkeeper as his Burnley colleague, has already moved past all that and is casting his mind forward to a World Cup qualifying campaign that Wales hope will lead to more moments of cheer.
‘We’ve got Tom Heaton at our place but nothing has really been mentioned about the Iceland celebrations,’ said Vokes. ‘I suppose we forget about it now. We have moved on like we have with that campaign. The summer’s gone and we can crack on with this one.’
Parking those memories of an unforgettable few weeks in France must be difficult. They are still fresh in the minds of Wales’ players, who have been reminiscing fondly during the past week.
Discussions have inevitably fallen on the demolition of Russia to top their group, the jolting victory over Belgium and the homecoming parade in Cardiff through of hundreds of thousands of fans.
But, like that Iceland episode, they will be consigned to the past as a new challenge opens up. Tomorrow night Wales face Moldova to kick off qualifying for the World Cup in Russia in two years. Following that run to the Euro semi-final, hope has shifted to expectation.
Ian Rush thinks lower ranked visiting teams will be happy to leave Wales with a point and may be inclined to ‘park the bus’.
Chris Coleman will consider a change in formation from five at the back to four in order to unleash more assertive attacking, rather than reacting on the counter.
Aaron Ramsey’s absence through injury is therefore a major blow. The Arsenal midfielder produced his finest displays in a national jersey in France but Coleman will need to find creativity elsewhere.
Joe Allen will be entrusted once more, after a Euros when he affirmed his elite ability in picking a pass and driving play forwards. Jurgen Klopp had a different perspective, allowing him to leave Liverpool for Stoke in a move that disheartened Rush.
‘I was disappointed because he had a fantastic Euros,’ said Liverpool’s record goalscorer. ‘He was excellent. I was sad to see him go. In the last three months for Liverpool he did what the manager asked, he got in those attacking positions.’
Andy King, who started the semifinal against Portugal with Ramsey suspended, is expected to come in again.
The Leicester midfielder said: ‘It seemed like we had a while off but when we met up this week it seemed we had only been away a few minutes. There is a real feel-good factor and in a World Cup qualifying campaign it is important we get off to a good start so we really want to do that.’
Chris Gunter echoed that sentiment. ‘It’s always been like that,’ he said. ‘We stay in touch when we’re away on the group chat and I think, honestly, we could have a year gap and when we came back it would be the same.
‘It is a group of good people who care for each other. When we’re on the pitch we all want the same thing and we trust each other to deliver. When you put that together it’s a massively hard force to stop.’
The scoring burden was shared around in France, with six different players getting at least one — in contrast to the qualifying campaign when Gareth Bale contributed seven of Wales’ 11. Vokes believes a more even distribution will continue.
He may start tomorrow as he has games under his belt for Burnley, while Hal Robson-Kanu is probably a little ring-rusty after only sealing a move to West Bromwich on deadline day.
Vokes said: ‘ Scoring against Belgium was a great moment and my old man was in with the fans so when I celebrated there was a picture with me pointing up to him and my brother.
‘I saw my dad running down the stairs — I think he went over the barrier!
‘I pride myself on those sorts of goals and I want there to be more to come.’