Ex-Wales star Allen set to resist calls to come out of international retirement

JOE ALLEN has no current plans to come out of Wales retirement.

The Swansea midfielder, 33, called time on his international career in February following last year’s World Cup.

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Wales have picked up just four points from their opening four Euro 2024 qualifiers without the 74-cap star – including the embarrassing 4-2 home loss to Armenia.

Ex-team-mate Owain Tudur Jones has called for Dragons boss Robert Page to try and convince Allen to reverse his decision before their hopes of qualifying for Germany evaporate completely.

But SunSport understands ex-Liverpool ace Allen is focusing on his club career for now ahead of a new start under Swansea chief Michael Duff at the Championship outfit.

Allen was a key player in Wales squads which qualified two Euros finals and then last November’s global finals.

Unfortunately for Allen, he wasn’t fully fit for Wales’ first World Cup since 1958 following a serious hamstring injury.

He missed the opening 1-1 draw with USA, came off the bench in the 2-0 loss to Iran and started in the final group match – the 3-0 defeat to arch rivals England.

But Allen then quit international football following the disappointment of Qatar as the Dragons collected just one point and scored once in three group games.

Allen was one of four players to retire post-World Cup, talisman Gareth Bale, Jonny Williams and Chris Gunter being the others.

Calls for Allen to return have surfaced since the recent international break where Wales’ midfield were overrun and torn apart in the Armenian humiliation on June 16.

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Joe Morrell was then brought in to help Ethan Ampadu and Aaron Ramsey and offer the defence more protection in Turkey three days later.

But the Portsmouth midfielder got sent off in the 41st minute before a 2-0 defeat piled on more misery on under-fire boss Page.

Wales’ automatic hopes are all but over as the Dragons lie fourth in Group D ahead of the September 11 fixture away to Latvia.

But there could be a lifeline for Page’s side with a play-off semi-final against Estonia next March a possibility.