For Wales, there are so many memorable photos from Euro 2016, yet when it comes to the image that best captures the special relationship between the supporters and the players, Chris Gunter’s chin-up gesture after the defeat against England probably takes some beating. Daniel Sturridge had just scored a dramatic injury-time winner to break Wales hearts in Lens and Gunter’s first thought at the final whistle was to lift the spirits of the ‘Red Wall’ at the other end of the stadium.
Eleven weeks on and the Reading right-back is reliving that moment at Hensol Castle, in South Wales, and explaining why their ‘Together Stronger’ mentality is the envy of other nations and something that Chris Coleman’s players want to hold on to throughout their World Cup qualifying campaign, which starts at home against Moldova on Monday night.
“Perhaps because I’ve been around for a few years and never knocked one in the top corner I guess I’m as close to a fan as you’re going to get,” Gunter says, smiling. “The best thing for me, from when I was growing up watching Wales to where it is now, is the bond. I would go to games where there was fighting in the stadium and almost factions within support. Now you’re seeing flags with Cardiff and Swansea badges next to each other, which is unbelievable really and almost sums up the whole feeling around the country. It feels we as players have helped bring people closer together and that’s a great feeling.
“And it will keep going. As long as the team are trying and doing their best, I think it will always be there. The fans can see what they give us, how much it helps us, and it’s important we keep that together because we’re effectively a really small country, but you saw how much of a force we were at the tournament. It’s something other countries would love to have and we know people are probably looking at us and wondering how we’re doing it, if they can replicate it. It’s something we worked hard to make sure happened and it’s important we keep it.”
Gunter admits that he experienced quite a comedown after returning from France. The players had been together for seven weeks, exceeded all expectations by reaching the semi-finals and returned to Wales to be greeted by 200,000 people lining the streets of Cardiff and welcoming them as heroes. Yet all of a sudden it was back to normality. The structured daily routine had gone, and so had the camaraderie and the adrenalin rush.
“For it to all stop was a massive thing – you could get in your car and go anywhere you wanted,” Gunter says, laughing while also making a serious point about the difficulties he had adjusting. “It was pretty tough. I got away [for a break] but all you’re thinking of is what you’ve been through because it’s all in such a short period. I was actually quite pleased to get back in at the club to have something to focus on.”
Gunter, who made his international debut in 2007, seems to have been around the Wales set-up forever and remains on course to be the first player to win 100 caps for his country. Moldova’s visit will be his 74th game for Wales and, at the age of 27, the former Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest defender has time on his side. Only Dean Saunders, Craig Bellamy, Gary Speed and Neville Southall are above him on the all-time Wales appearances list.
His only motivation, however, is to be part of another Wales squad that creates history by qualifying for the World Cup finals. Euro 2016 was the first time Wales had reached a major tournament since 1958 and Gunter is adamant their experience in France has strengthened the desire of the players to ensure they are among the 32 nations on the guest list for Russia in 2018.
“The first time it was wanting to achieve it and be the first squad to do it [for so long] but after what we’ve been through, the determination has to be more because we know what it feels like,” Gunter says. “It’s not a case of now we’ve done it people taking it easy or the hunger won’t be the same; it can only be more because, speaking to the boys and when we were there, it was some of the best weeks we’ve ever had in our lives, so it’s only natural you want it again. We’ll give absolutely everything to replicate what we’ve had in the last two years because it’s a massively special time for this country and us as players as well.”
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