Ash bang wallop but Euros now on menu
CHRIS GUNTER will ask Gareth Bale to loan him his jet to fly his family to Albania to see him make history.
Welsh stalwart Gunter earned his 92nd cap coming on as substitute in Friday’s 2-1 defeat at home to Denmark.
The Reading defender is now the joint most-capped Wales international of all time with legendary Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall.
Boss Ryan Giggs has already confirmed Gunter, 29, will break the record in Tuesday’s friendly in Albania.
And the right-back, who made his debut in 2007, is trying to get his family out to the Elbasan Arena – with the help of Wales’ Real Madrid superstar Bale.
Gunter said: “I am going to ask Gaz if I can borrow his plane to get some people over.
“If it is free I am sure they will. It will be a special night.
“It is not the easiest place to get to but if the Welsh fans can then I am sure I can find a way to get some people over.
“There are people from my family who have watched every single game of mine whether live or on TV.
“I know they will be watching wherever. It will be a special night and hopefully we can get a result so I can enjoy it with a win.”
Giggs was still playing 11 years ago when a teenage Gunter made his debut in a 2-2 draw against New Zealand.
He has since become as one of the side’s most consistent players and figured a staggering 66 times for Reading and Wales in 2015/2016 as Chris Coleman’s outfit reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016. He is now poised to join an exclusive club of record international appearance holders featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Cafu, Lothar Matthaus, Alexis Sanchez, Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon, Robbie Keane, Wesley Sneijder and Javier Zanetti.
Gunter added: “Playing for Wales is my honour really so I don’t need to be thanked or appreciated for doing it.
“The support I get is incredible. If I can do it, this will be a real special feeling.”
Since Manchester United legend Giggs took charge, Gunter has lost his regular right-back spot to Swansea’s Connor Roberts, 23.
But the unselfish defender insists he is excited for the future of the Welsh team as Giggs bloods several starlets like David Brooks and Ethan Ampadu ahead of Euro 2020 qualifying.
Gunter said: “With the talent they have, allowing them to flourish is going to ensure a very good future for Wales.
“I feel like we have made another step and now we look forward to hopefully getting to another tournament. As older ones we try and make it as easy as possible for them to come into the squad.
“I think that has been shown in their performances.
“Once you come into this squad, you will be helped as much as possible – not just from the players but from the staff and the country as a whole.
“The way you are appreciated when you play for Wales is something which is quite special and unique to us.
“That saying in football that if you give 100 per cent then anything else is a bonus, in my experience that is not always the case elsewhere.
“But if our fans see players on the pitch who are giving their all, that is almost good enough for this country.
“It has just helped over the past couple of years we have had some good success because we are actually a good team as well.” ASHLEY WILLIAMS feels Wales have laid a solid base for their forthcoming European Championship campaign despite missing out on Nations League promotion.
Their hopes of joining the elite of European football were ended by streetwise Denmark opponents, who won 2-1 in Cardiff on Friday night.
Ryan Giggs’ side had to settle for second place in the group and will be in League B again when the competition resumes in 2020.
Denmark also guaranteed themselves a Euros play-off spot if they do not qualify through the conventional process.
But Wales skipper Williams, looking ahead to the start of European Championship qualification in March, said: “These competitive games have been good. No one really knew what was going on when the Nations League was brought in.
“But it’s been worthwhile for us because we’re in a bit of a transition with all the new players.
“It stands us in good stead to go into the Euro 2020 qualifiers. We want to keep as much momentum as we can and try and qualify through that now.”
Wales head to Albania with manager Giggs expected to make changes for Tuesday’s friendly in Elbasan.
Several of his exciting young players are set to feature and gain more experience ahead of the Euros qualifying campaign.
Stoke defender Williams said: “It’s a chance to extend this camp. At international level you’re not playing week-in, week-out with everyone.
“But we’ll spend more time with each other and play against a very good team.
“Losing to Denmark is nothing to get down about, they are one of the toughest teams I’ve played against for a while at international level.”
Williams added his criticism to the late Kasper Dolberg challenge that sent substitute Ethan Ampadu crashing into the advertising hoardings.
The incident sparked an ugly melee and Giggs, who voiced his feelings to Denmark boss Age Hareide in no uncertain terms, later described it as “a cheap shot” on the Chelsea teenager.
Hareide defended Ajax striker Dolberg by saying he “wouldn’t harm a fly” and blamed Ampadu’s potentially dangerous fall on the boards being too close to the pitch.
But Williams, 34, said: “I think he got assassinated there.
“You can’t shove someone into the barrier like that.”