Time up for Joe Allen at Swansea City ?
Friday, 29th Sep 2023 08:00 by Keith Haynes

Joe Allen is now thirty three years of age. We don’t need to recall his past glories as a professional footballer, we know full well there are many. What we should be dwelling on now is who is Joe Allen today, and what indeed has he left in him as a professional footballer ?

It isn’t meant to be discourteous of course, he has a bright future ahead of him, that is if he chooses a new pathway. Money will always be the first question in any career change. Can I afford it ? And many other criteria of course. In Joe’s case that possibly isn’t an avenue of exploration. Michael Duff stated after the home defeat against Bristol City that he was potentially the richest man in the stadium. We agree entirely, Joe Allen’s career earnings are in the multi millions, so cash and its availability will never be an issue.

We pose the future question now of course, and include Joe Allen as he is thirty four in March. Come the summer he will be out of contract at Swansea. We have to be entirely honest he won’t be getting a new offer and here is why. So far this season he has accumulated forty nine minutes of football in a Swans shirt, albeit over three games. That’s alarming for some who expected a fully fit Joe Allen when he signed his two year deal last summer. His longest stint - thirty minutes as a substitute during that Bristol City game inspiring plaudits a plenty from Michael Duff. “Joe Allen epitomises what we want, he is probably the richest man in the stadium and he has had an unbelievable career. But when he came on, he immediately showed spirit and tenacity and we need that all over the pitch. We cannot be going around jogging, we need to be sprinting and working harder than the opposition. We have got the players in the building now, we have some time to work with them and try and shift this weakness in the group.”

Sadly that was Joe Allen’s last appearance before breaking down during the pre match warm up prior to the Cardiff City debacle two weeks later. When you look back at the season Joe had with Stoke before signing for the Swans you can easily see why he was considered more than just a ‘gamble’ when he became available as a free agent in 2023. From his forty one games he completed over thirty full ninety minutes.

No blame can be adduced here. It just happened.

Becoming the first Swansea player to play in a World Cup proper since 1958 it was evident then there were some serious issues with Joe’s overall fitness. His performances against Iran and England far below what many have come to expect. On his return to Wales he did feature in thirteen of the Swans fourteen games before breaking down again. From there only four more appearances were chalked up. In fact last season Joe played in only two games where he completed ninety minutes.

It has already been intimated by Michael Duff, and he would know having the full medical facts on Joe that decisions have to be made. An offer to ‘see what the coaching side of the game‘ consists of is something that Joe will most certainly consider. However, from the times I have spoken to him he seems a shy and retiring person, magnanimous yes, and intelligent, that’s beyond doubt, but is he suited to that side of the game ?

More importantly is that a decision he wants to make ?

His wealth means nothing compared to his family values, to be in the part of Wales he loves is his main thrust. Would he welcome the stresses of coaching and potential management ? Personally the latter I think not. However, if there was to be a dream, and one which would return the club back to a more fitting style of football there are a variety of permutations. One includes Kyle Naughton another elder statesman of the Swansea side, the dream ticket of Allen and Naughton with a smattering of Leon Briton sounds a no brainer on paper. But I have my doubts, and anyway that’s a way off as it stands. Joe is back home but sadly the clubs coffers are being drained as a result, a club which places its financial status above all else, that’s not disrespectful to Joe, that’s a fact. So, here is the rub.

There won’t be a contract awaiting Joe in 2024, it would be madness to even consider it. So, what else is there for him other than what we have already discussed ?

Keith Haynes is the owner and editor of Swansea Independent. He has written numerous books on Swansea City including two blow by blow accounts of the Swans promotion season from the Championship, and their inaugural campaign in the Premier League. He watched his first game as a four year old with his father in 1968