Hal Robson-Kanu: Baggies boss Bilic backs striker for Wales return

Media caption,

Relive Hal Robson Kanu's goal against Belgium back in Euro 2016

West Bromwich Albion manager Slaven Bilic has backed striker Hal Robson-Kanu for a Wales recall at Euro 2020.

Robson-Kanu became a cult figure among Wales fans at Euro 2016 and retired from international football in August 2018.

But the 30-year-old has been linked, external with a return under manager Ryan Giggs.

After watching him score as the Baggies hammered Swansea City 5-1 in the Championship, Bilic said Robson-Kanu "should be" in the Wales squad.

Giggs turned to 6ft 5in Kieffer Moore of Wigan Athletic as Wales secured qualification to next year's European Championship, while Stoke City's Sam Vokes remains an option.

Robson-Kanu scored one of the iconic Euro 2016 goals as Wales beat Belgium 3-1 on the way to the semi-finals and Bilic believes he can still produce such efforts.

Bilic - who made 44 Croatia appearances as a defender - says he followed Wales' progress closely in the qualifiers in which his fellow countrymen topped the group.

"With the greatest respect to Wales players, they qualified so they did a great job," Bilic told BBC Sport Wales.

"I saw because they were in the same group with Croatia and I like Ryan Giggs so I watched their games.

"I don't see many players of Hal's quality (in the Wales squad). They are different, but nobody has what Hal has. That's my opinion.

"I always like my players to play for their international team. It brings them to another level and another motivation and they are basically better players then."

Bilic says Robson-Kanu has been "brilliant" in their promotion charge.

"Hal is for me a top, top, top player. That's why he's playing. He contributes a lot to us.

"Not only goals, the way he keeps the ball. I've said a few times, he plays forward as a number 10, he keeps the ball, he has ideas, he understands the game.

"Hal is, to me, brilliant. To be fair I even wanted to call Ryan Giggs. Of course they are doing brilliantly.

"He has done an unbelievable job, but Hal should be there."

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