Ashley Williams insists grudges are like regrets – best left in the past – and he will be focussed only on the future when Wales face Ireland at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday night.
The captain who led his country to the Euro 2016 semi-finals has himself had a traumatic past few months, losing his health for a time as well as his form.
But Williams, currently playing in the Championship on loan at Stoke City, believes Wales have to focus on the road ahead rather than think about settling any scores against the Irish.
Prior to this UEFA Nations League opener, the last time these two sides met was in their two heated and controversial clashes during the qualifying campaign for this year’s World Cup.
Republic captain Seamus Coleman suffered a double leg fracture in a 0-0 Dublin draw that often threatened to spiral out of control.
The Cardiff return, which the Republic won 1-0 to end Wales’ World Cup hopes, was another physical contest which saw Joe Allen forced off early on with concussion.
“There is an element of the past, but it’s up to us to try and block that out and concentrate on the game,” said Williams.
“I don’t see it as a grudge. We’re professionals and there’s a lot of reasons why we want to win this game.
“We haven’t played at home for a while and we want to impress the new manager.”
Irish joy in Cardiff last October was short-lived as Martin O’Neill’s side would go on to lose a World Cup play-off to Denmark the following month.
But it was a chastening and transformational defeat for Wales as manager Chris Coleman left his role little more than a month later.
Ryan Giggs was appointed Coleman’s successor in January and takes charge of Wales on home soil for the first time following friendlies in China and the United States.
“The pain lasted a while, it was quite a bad one and we were all hurting a lot,” said Williams of Wales’ World Cup elimination.
“I don’t think if we beat Ireland now it would erase the pain of that night.
“We missed the World Cup and we can’t put that right now, but we want to get this tournament off to a good start.
“We know Ireland will be physical as it’s the way they play, but we are used to that in the Premier League and the Championship.”
Centre-back Williams is set to win his 80th cap against the Republic, and will hope for a more satisfying experience than his last appearance in May which ended with him in a Los Angeles hospital.
The 34-year-old suffered a collapsed lung as well as multiple breaks on his ribs, making breathing incredibly difficult, after colliding with Javier Hernandez during the 0-0 draw with Mexico.
“It was serious. At the time I didn’t see it like that, it might have been to do with the morphine!” said Williams.
“I just got on with it but I was in a lot of pain – the most I’ve ever been in.
“I had to stay there for a while and then fly back over, but it was more worrying when I thought about it after the event.”
Giggs has reported a full-strength Wales squad, with Gareth Bale fit and firing after scoring in Real Madrid’s opening three La Liga games.
As for the visitors, Stoke winger James McClean has withdrawn from the squad due to a wrist injury.
Defender Shane Duffy and midfielder David Meyler, who both missed training on Monday, were involved in the session on Tuesday that also included goalkeeper Sean McDermott and forward Jonathan Walters after they linked up with the squad.
O’Neill is already missing a number of potential first-team players including Shane Long (foot), James McCarthy (leg), Robbie Brady (ankle), Scott Hogan (groin) and Sean Maguire (hamstring).
Wales are without a win in their last eight meetings with Ireland in all competitions (D4 L4) and have never beaten them in a competitive match (P4 W0 D2 L2).
Opta Stats
Republic of Ireland have kept a clean sheet in six of their last seven games against Wales, conceding just two goals.
Ireland’s eight clean sheets against Wales is their joint-most against another nation in their history in all competitions, also keeping eight clean sheets against Poland and Switzerland.
Away from home, Ireland are unbeaten in their last seven competitive matches (W3 D4), including a 1-0 win over Wales in Cardiff in October 2017.
Wales have only lost one of their last 11 competitive matches at the Cardiff City Stadium (W6 D4), but that came against Ireland in their last such match in October 2017.
Since beating China 6-0 in Ryan Giggs’ first game in charge, Wales have gone two games without a goal; they last went longer without scoring in September 2012 (four games).
Five of Wales’ last eight goals in competitive home matches have been scored by Gareth Bale.
James McClean has scored four of Ireland’s last five away goals in competitive fixtures, including the winner in their last visit to Wales in October 2017.
