Williams opens up on his big Wales disappointment

FORMER Wales captain Ashley Williams has revealed that leaving Swansea City was one of the most difficult moments of his career and admits he was disappointed at being overlooked by Wales boss Ryan Giggs.

Williams, who won 86 caps for his country, announced his retirement from professional football back in January, after being released by Bristol City at the end of last season.

He will forever go down as one of the country’s greatest-ever captains, after leading Wales to a magical semi-final at Euro 2016, but fell out of favour under Giggs.

Despite remaining skipper throughout the Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, his last international appearance was back in June 2019 – a 1-0 defeat away to Hungary.

And, speaking to S4C’s Mwy o Sgorio, Williams admits he was disappointed at the way his international career ended, adding that he never really received an explanation as to why he wasn’t playing.

“The last campaign with Wales was disappointing for me, personally,” he said.

“I felt like I should have been playing and I wasn’t. That’s nothing against the boys that did play. I’d played the most minutes out of all the centre-halves and I wasn’t getting any answers as to why I wasn’t playing so it was tough.

“I still felt like a big part of the group, I was still captain.”

Williams remains a big favourite with Wales fans, and is also fondly remembered by members of the Jack Army following a hugely-successful eight-year spell at the Liberty Stadium.

The feeling is clearly mutual, with the centre-back admitting that his £12m move to Everton in 2016 remains one of the most difficult decisions of his career.

“I think one of the most challenging times for me was to leave Swansea,” he added. “It was a bittersweet moment because I didn’t want to take away from the fact I was joining another unbelievable club, in Everton, but it felt a bit sad to leave Swansea, and all my friends, and somewhere I had lived and played for so long.”

Playing for his country and the Swans has clearly helped to create some special memories for Williams, who’s been lucky enough to play with some really great players over the years.

When asked to name his top three, Williams replied: “Gareth Bale, for obvious reasons. I’ve been left in amazement when I’m on the same pitch as him. I always had a really good view of what he was doing because I was behind him and some of things he would do, you couldn’t believe.

“Leon Britton. We played so many games together and we knew each other’s game so well. I wouldn’t have to say too much, and off the field, we worked together so closely. Thirdly, I would say Joe Allen, for the same reasons really. The player that plays in front of me, I have to have a good relationship with him, and we played so many times together with Swansea, Wales and then Stoke.”

Playing with such great stars will no doubt serve him well in the next chapter of his career, with Williams now looking to move into coaching - a road that could well lead him back to the Wales set-up that he still holds so dear.

“I’m doing my coaching badges, my B Licence and my A Licence, so just waiting to complete that, and hopefully I’ll start in the Wales setup with an agegroup, I feel like I’ve got 20 years of experience behind me, so it would be selfish not to try and pass on the good bits to the next generation.”