HAPPY JOE LUCKY
Allen is still daring to dream
PLENTY of people have missed out or lost much in the last 12 months – but for Joe Allen temporary suspension of life as we know it has been a positive.
Fortune dealt Allen a potentially careerending blow last March when the Wales international ruptured his Achilles tendon.
Not only did it rule out his participation in the Euros for Wales later that summer but, a few days shy of his 30th birthday, there were no guarantees of a return at international level.
Yet, 12 months later, Allen is back. And not only is he eyeing a comeback against the No.1-ranked team in the world, Belgium, as Wales start their World Cup qualification campaign, his Euros dream is back on.
There is some neat connecting threads in tomorrow’s opposition, given that Belgium provided the Stoke playmaker with his greatest football memory in the Euro 2016 quarter-final when Chris Coleman’s side reached the final four.
There will also no doubt be warm fist bumps for opposing manager Roberto Martinez, who gave Allen his debut at Swansea over a decade ago.
“Just competing against a team like Belgium on Wednesday in a hugely important World Cup qualifier is a great one to come back into,” said the midfielder, who turned 31 this month.
“It is a real pleasure to be back and coming into a camp that has had some really good results. It was always a great incentive to get fit and to be in contention to make it for the Euros.”
Allen insists he did not believe the injury would finish his international career, despite it taking three and a half months longer than he had hoped to get back on the field.
He added: “It was tough but one of the things that settled me down was that Wales were always in touch. Knowing I was not forgotten was important because you want to feel like you are part of the plan.”
Belgium presents a stiff return but Allen is hoping there may be just a trace of a hangover for Martinez’s side from that momentous 3-1 victory in 2016. He said: “It is natural for us to talk about it and refer to it but the two teams have changed an awful lot since then.
“Hopefully we can use the disappointment they have, having played us before, to our advantage.”