In-form Ashley Williams eyes opportunity with Wales

Ashley Williams insists he has a major role to play in helping Wales reach next summer’s European Championship.

Williams remains Wales captain and is his country’s fourth most capped player with 86 appearances. But the 35-year-old has started only one of Wales’s six Euro 2020 qualifiers, with Chris ­Mepham, Joe Rodon and Tom Lockyer seemingly above him in the pecking ­order of central defenders.​

Rodon will miss the decisive qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Hungary after undergoing ankle surgery, while Mepham has not seen first-team action at Bournemouth since Sept 25.​

Williams, released by Everton last summer, began the season without a club, but joined Bristol City in ­August and has been influential in their rise into the Sky Bet Championship play-off places. “The main thing is that I’m playing at Bristol and playing well,” Williams said. “That’s my main focus and then it’s on the gaffer [Ryan Giggs] whatever teams he picks. He knows that I am playing well and I want to play. I was disappointed not to play against Slovakia and Croatia [last month], but my form is good.”​

Williams says he will consider his international future at the end of the Euro 2020 campaign. Wales need to win their final two games to keep alive automatic qualification hopes. Even if they drop points – or Slovakia deny them by winning their final two games, one of which is away to group leaders Croatia – Wales should make the Euro 2020 play-offs in March. “The Hungary game in Cardiff will be incredible if we can win in Azerbaijan [on Saturday],” said Williams.​

Real Madrid forward ­Gareth Bale trained with the rest of the squad on Monday having not played since suffering a calf injury during the 1-1 draw against Croatia on Oct 13. Williams, Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Manchester United winger Daniel James missed training after being involved for their clubs on Sunday.