Allen's Wales return due to 'high quality' not injuries - Bellamy

Midfielder Joe Allen won 74 Wales caps before initially retiring from international football in February 2023

Nations League: Iceland v Wales

Venue: Laugardalsvollur, Reykjavik Date: Friday, 11 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru; live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app

Joe Allen's return to the Wales squad, having retired from international duty 19 months ago, is not just as a stop-gap because of injuries, says national manager Craig Bellamy.

Fellow midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Ethan Ampadu have been ruled out of the Nations League games away to Iceland on 11 October and home to Montenegro three days later.

But Bellamy - who began his tenure in positive fashion last month, with a goalless home draw against Turkey followed by a 2-1 win in Montenegro - has revealed he was keen to bring back 34-year-old former teammate Allen from the moment he took over the Wales reins from Rob Page last July.

"I would have brought him (Allen) in (earlier)," Bellamy said. "He's just high quality and I honestly believe - just from my own experience - as a player he has more to give and the way he's looked after himself through his career.

"Of course, he's had injuries of late over the past season, but I've watched him as well in training for Swansea and he's the type of person, he's the type of profile you'd want in a squad, just by his leadership skills as well.

"I've said about Aaron (Ramsey) as well, he's one of our greatest players and he still has football in him, an engine, I see it as common sense really."

Allen initially called time on his Wales career in February 2023 having won 74 caps and helped his country reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals, Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

The former Liverpool and Stoke City midfielder has not started a game for Swansea yet this season, with five substitute appearances as he was eased back into action following injury by Swans head coach Luke Williams.

Bellamy said the Wales backroom staff will monitor Allen's fitness levels before making any decisions over whether he would feature in both games against Iceland and Montenegro.

"We'll wait and see on that," Bellamy confirmed. "We'll look at training, the data that comes back, speak to Swansea of course on it, see the situation on his rehab work and what he needs to be doing.

"But it's important that by the time these games are finished we send him back to Swansea in a really healthy position to be able to contribute to Swansea as well. That's really important for us and hopefully that'll be the case."

'Let's go, I'm ready'

Bellamy said that among his early Wales duties, one of the first things he did was contact Allen to enquire about his willingness to pull on the Wales shirt once more.

"When you step into this role you look at every player who's available, who can play for you," Bellamy said.

"I wasn't aware of Joe's conversations before (with Wales)... but I was very quick in my conversations with Joe with what he was feeling, 'where do you see yourself at this present moment?'.

"Of course he wanted to concentrate on Swansea, which is very important to him but also to me as well. I like that from a player.

"But given my version of where I see him for us - and I believe it would be a big help to us - and he was just really positive from the start.

"It was just... he was carrying an injury at that time. I was there monitoring the injury in conversations with his manager Luke (Williams), who has been a big help to me not just on a personal level but also in football terms.

"So it's nice when you always have that communication with a manager and he was keeping me updated on Joe's recovery.

"I said to him (Allen), 'look, let's see how these first two games (against Turkey and Montenegro) go as well, let us know what you think after'. And when I spoke to him after he said, 'let's go, I'm ready'."

While Bellamy would not be drawn on whether he foresees Allen being part of Wales' bid to reach the 2026 World Cup, with qualifying due to start in March 2025, he sees the midfield lynchpin as being a crucial part of forming the new "identity" Bellamy wants his squad to attain.

"Obviously I have one eye on the future but also I'm very conscious of the present. It's important how we want to identify our team... I just want us to create our identity. This is where I see us playing now," Bellamy added.

"Joe, due to his experience as a player but also his experience at the club and the teams he's been at, and the managers he's played under, will help us create that identity quicker.

"That's very much here and now. In the long run... players play longer now, they look after themselves in a completely different way and that gives them longevity. Hopefully he'll be able to stay injury-free, that's a crucial part of football as well.

"But also the way I see him playing and the way we set up, I see a perfect role for him. He's a clever player, his football intelligence is ridiculously high and that alone will be a lot for us."