Exclusive: Luke Williams hails Joe Allen’s influence as Swansea City’s elder statesman

Swansea City boss Luke Williams has identified Joe Allen as an influential figure in the club’s revolution.

Having started his career at the Championship club, Allen returned to the Swansea.com Stadium two years ago following a spell with Stoke City.

Now in his 19th season as a professional, the former Liverpool midfielder is among a small clutch of senior players who remain at Williams’ disposal following his appointment as head coach midway through last term.

Joe Allen’s crucial role in Swansea’s transformation

Despite taking a conscious decision to reduce the age of City’s squad since replacing Michael Duff in South Wales, Williams acknowledged that means the likes of Allen — who has come out of international retirement with Wales — Kyle Naughton and Matt Grimes have been forced to shoulder even greater responsibility.

“Joe is one of those who is hugely important to us, not just on the pitch but off it as well,” Williams told SportsBoom.com

“People might look at him and think ‘He’s coming to the end of his career’ but far from it and he’s helping the younger players so much.”

“He’s done so much in football and it’s great to see that he’s happy to pass that knowledge on to try and give everyone else around him the best possible chance of achieving their potential. That says a lot about him – not only as a player but also as a person – and he’s got so much to give here going forward.”

Reversing his international retirement

Williams isn’t the only person to recognise Allen’s continued contribution as he approaches his 35th birthday.

Craig Bellamy, now in charge of the Welsh national side, recently persuaded Allen to come out of international retirement and named him in his squad for the recent matches against Iceland and Montenegro.

Balancing youth and experience

Allen, who made nearly 100 league appearances for Liverpool between 2012 and 2016, answered Bellamy’s call following the loss of Ethan Ampadu and Aaron Ramsey to injury.

“We’re very youthful at the moment but Joe and Kyle, who has been with us on a long journey, are vital because they give us that balance you need,” Williams continued.

“It’s vital to have that, especially with us bringing in a lot of younger players. Quite a few of those didn’t have any Championship experience and it’s a tough division, with its own unique set of demands, so people like Joe, Kyle and others help them to assimilate and get to grips with things quickly.”

Building for the future at Swansea City

“We lost quite a few (players) this summer and a lot of them were very experienced.

“We’ve been brave with the players we’ve tried to bring in and we’re trying to make progress and improve all the time.”

“If we can have a really good season, then we can look to build on that again. I believe in the players we’ve got here and it’s wonderful to have people like Joe around as well, to help guide and teach them.”

“It’s nice to hear that other people are noticing the improvements we’re making and appreciating what we’re trying to do, as well as go about things.”