Joe Allen: Swansea City boss Russell Martin 'so angry' over Wales midfielder's injury
- Published
Joe Allen has not played for Wales since June
Russell Martin says Swansea City's treatment of the injury which has left Joe Allen in a race to be fit for the World Cup "wasn't good enough".
Allen, 32, has not played since 17 September because of a hamstring problem but has been named in Wales' squad for Qatar.
Martin says Championship Swansea must learn lessons after "red flags" were missed during Allen's rehabilitation.
"I've been so angry about it for Joe," Swansea's head coach said.
Wales manager Robert Page said after naming his World Cup squad that the situation surrounding Allen "could have been avoided".
It is understood the injury was initially diagnosed as a relatively minor problem, when in fact it was significant enough to mean Allen was likely be sidelined until somewhere close to the start of the World Cup.
"The injury couldn't have been avoided," Martin said. "The length of his injury, there's been mistakes, definitely.
"With any of these things you have to seek external expertise and yeah there were a few mistakes along the way.
"Joe's desperation to try and get fit for Swansea first and foremost and not worry about the World Cup meant that we missed a few red flags early on.
"It meant he tried to come back and got re-injured. So there's loads we can do better as a club. In the first instance there were mistakes externally which shouldn't have happened. So collectively, I can't sit here and lie to you, it wasn't good enough.
"I'm pretty sure in a situation like that again, it won't pan out in the same way. There needs to be learning from everyone and hopefully that will be the case."
Martin says Allen is on course to be fit to "contribute at some point in the World Cup", with Wales beginning their campaign against the USA on 21 November.
Page said the former Stoke and Liverpool player is "working every day" in a bid to make himself available.
"It could have been avoided. That's the life of a footballer," Page added.
"It's frustrating but I'm not going to go into detail about that. Swansea... Russell will say what he wants about that.
"I just want to be positive now and move forward. I can't affect what's happened in the past. All I know is that he's now with a medical team that will make sure everything's done possible to get him on that pitch."
Allen, who has 72 caps, is a key player for Wales, having been a central figure in the period of success which has seen them reach three of the last four major tournaments.
He will be joined at Wales' first World Cup in 64 years by club-mate Ben Cabango, but there was no place in Page's 26-man party for Ollie Cooper.
The attacking midfielder, 22, has established himself in some style at Swansea this season, scoring three goals in 17 appearances so far.
Martin, whose side play their final pre-World Cup fixture at Huddersfield Town on Saturday, says he was surprised by Cooper's omission.
Ollie Cooper was left out of the Wales squad for Qatar along with the likes of Tyler Roberts and Rabbi Matondo
"I'm really gutted for Ollie, really disappointed," he said.
"If I was the Wales manager, he'd be going. If you look at the squad, does he deserve to go on merit and performance - without naming any individuals - over any other players in the squad? Yeah, I would say so.
"Are there 20,000 people who come here [to Swansea] and watch him every week that agree he should be in the squad? Yes.
"You understand, Rob Page has gone for loyalty, I've been there and you can understand that. I'm not sure Ollie could have done much more than he has done to be involved."