By Gareth james
Wales midfielder Josh Sheehan feels the ‘Swansea Way,’ has signposted a route from the lower reaches of the Football League to the international highway.
Sheehan delivered an outstanding performance last month in a match against Montenegro, helping Wales secure a 1-0 home victory and keep their unbeaten run in the Nations League intact.
Ex-Swan Josh Sheehan says ‘Swansea Way’ central to his career, POTM for Wales v Montenegro last month.
️ “A big part was growing up in the Swans Academy…that’s the type of player I am. Obviously since Roberto Martinez was there they’ve played in a similar ilk to Wales now.” pic.twitter.com/FWutikQznL
— Phil Blanche (@philblanche) November 13, 2024
This performance was another high point for the 29-year-old Bolton player, who previously had the honor of captaining his country in a summer friendly against Gibraltar.
“I’ve been in a fair few camps over the last few years and I’ve always wanted to get an opportunity like that, especially in front of our home crowd,” Sheehan said ahead of Wales’ second-to-last Nations League group match in Turkey on Saturday.
“I’ve been waiting for that chance and the manager (Craig Bellamy) gave me the belief that I could stamp my authority on the game. I felt I did that.
“I think the type of player I am – a technical player – that the jump (from League One) personally isn’t as big as it may be, it’s more the physical side.
“I feel like I’m good enough to play as high a level as I can. I more than hold my own in training.
“It’s not something I think about, because I believe in my own ability.”
The eight-times capped Sheehan – who was unable to join Wales’ 2022 World Cup squad due to an ACL injury – has played over 330 matches across a career spanning stints at Yeovil, Newport, and Bolton.
But the Carmarthenshire-born player emphasizes that his early development at Swansea was pivotal, despite his limited exposure to first-team football at his local club, where his senior experience was a single League Cup appearance in 2014.
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At that time, Garry Monk was managing the then-Premier League club, though it was Roberto Martinez, now the head coach of Portugal, who had established the ‘Swansea Way,’ a style of play that left a lasting influence on the club.
Sheehan remarked: “A big part was growing up in the Swans Academy, helping me going forward in my career. That’s the type of player I am.
“Obviously since Roberto Martinez was there they’ve played in a similar ilk to how Wales are playing now.
“Every part of the journey, even going through the serious injuries, is important.
“Sometimes when you get a long period of time off you learn from just watching more football and speaking to different people.
“I feel like the last few years I’ve been more consistent in my game and the manager coming here is the perfect time for Wales moving forward. The way he sees football complements a lot of players in our squad.”
Following their trip to Turkey, Wales will host Iceland in Cardiff three days later.
Two victories would ensure Wales finishes top of the group, securing promotion to League A for the next Nations League tournament.
