Daniel James Returns to Wales Squad Following Penalty Miss and Injury

Daniel James has accumulated 53 appearances for Wales, netting seven goals. The upcoming Nations League fixture between Turkey and Wales is scheduled for Saturday, 16 November, with a 17:00 GMT kick-off at Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri. Coverage will be available live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales, and Radio Cymru, alongside live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Daniel James has stated that his disappointment from the Euros penalty shootout is now in the past, though not completely forgotten, as he seeks to compensate for his recent absence with Craig Bellamy’s Wales squad. The Leeds United winger was responsible for missing the crucial spot-kick when Wales were defeated by Poland in a shootout in March, which resulted in their failure to qualify for Euro 2024. Subsequently, a hamstring injury prevented the 27-year-old from participating in Bellamy’s initial four matches as Wales boss during September and October. However, he has rejoined the team for the current month’s Nations League fixtures against Turkey and Iceland. James commented, “It’s great to be back. I definitely missed it. I was gutted not to be involved in the first two camps.” Regarding the penalty miss, he added, “It [penalty miss] was tough to take, but it’s long gone now. Football isn’t always positive but you have to bounce back. If I said I’d forgotten about it I would be lying, but I won’t let it affect me in future games.” Under Bellamy’s leadership, Wales remains undefeated in their four matches, having achieved two victories and two draws, which places them second in Group B4. On Saturday, they are set to play against group leaders Turkey in Kayseri, where a win is essential to enhance their prospects of securing the group title and gaining promotion to the Nations League’s top tier. Their group stage concludes with a match against Iceland in Cardiff the subsequent Tuesday. Beyond the match outcomes, the expansive new playing style implemented by the former Liverpool and Manchester City forward, Bellamy, has garnered significant attention. Wales’ head coach has expressed enthusiasm about the prospect of collaborating with the swift and direct-running James for the first time, a sentiment that James reciprocates. James remarked, “It’s been brilliant. We’ve dominated the ball a bit more, but we’ve still got that togetherness off the ball to win it back.” He continued, “I’ve been watching and the new style is very enjoyable to watch. I just want to get involved.” Describing Bellamy’s tactical approach, James stated, “I think he wants to get the wingers one-v-one, get them in behind, and that really suits me. I want to be one-v-one, I want to attack in behind. We want to play through the lines and ultimately get in behind so for me his principles suit me well.” Dan James will not let penalty pain affect Wales. Furthermore, James expressed anticipation for working under Bellamy, noting that the former Wales captain was a player he admired during his early aspirations of representing his country. The former Swansea City and Manchester United player stated, “He was a player I aspired to be when I was younger because of his work ethic. He had an aura on the pitch – give him the ball and he will go and get you a goal or an assist.” He further elaborated, “But he was also so important off the ball with his work rate. A lot of his principles – the way he wants to get on the ball, creates one-v-ones and get in behind, while off the ball it is all about how quickly you can win it back – I’ve grown up with at Swansea and with other teams I played with.” James concluded this section by saying, “Having missed the first two camps it’s been all about learning what’s required. I felt like I was missing out and that’s why it’s great to be back.”