Vitor Matos has urged the Swansea City players who have missed out on the World Cup to use their disappointment as the start of a journey to Euro 2028.
Wales duo Ben Cabango and Liam Cullen will return to Swansea duty at Sheffield United on Friday having seen their hopes of reaching this year’s World Cup ended by play-off semi-final defeat Bosnia-Herzegovina.
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Ethan Galbraith was another player left frustrated after Northern Ireland’s play-off loss to Italy, while Adam Idah was part of the Republic of Ireland squad beaten on penalties by the Czech Republic in their semi-final.
Matos says he has spoken to all four players following their international setbacks – and told them to look to the future.
“I was in contact with all of them, all different human beings, different ways of dealing with the disappointment,” the Swansea head coach said.
“Now it is back to club life and it is different, maybe a fresh place as well for all of them, so that’s quite important.
[FAW]
“It’s always about speaking about what will be the next thing. So who can tell if, for example in the case of Wales, being out of the World Cup cannot be a start of a really nice story for the Euros?”
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Matos says being within sight of a World Cup place was “massive” for his players – but believes the focus now must be on the next European Championship, which is being held in the British Isles.
“You need to go for the next competition and the next competition is just there outside of the door,” he added.
“The most important thing is why can they not try everything to reach the Euros? I think that’s how the players need to look, that’s how fans need to look and I think that’s the step everyone needs to take.
“So that was the conversation with the players involved on the play-offs. All of them of course disappointed but I think step by step they will be back again.”
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