Joe Allen has put the disappointment of Wales’ World Cup campaign in Qatar behind him

Joe Allen has pulled the disappointment of Wales’ performance in Qatar out of his system and is ready for another cup run.

The 32-year-old midfield maestro will be hoping to guide Swansea City past Bristol City at Ashton Gate on Sunday to start a strong second half of the season for the club he returned to last summer.

“It was good for me to get back into club football almost immediately after Qatar. We worked so hard to be at the World Championships and it was going to be the pinnacle of our careers,” Allen said.

Joe Allen has put Qatar’s disappointment behind him and is aiming for success with Swansea

“We invested so much to achieve something, but it didn’t quite work out. My aim now is to have a much bigger impact at Swansea in the second half of the season.

“I want to stay fit and play a lot more. The reason I rejoined the club was because I really wanted to help the team improve and I’m confident I can do that in the second half of the season.

The FA Cup holds bittersweet memories for Allen, from when he first sat on the bench in 2007 as a 16-year-old to a semi-final defeat by Liverpool in 2015.

The midfielder wants to lead the club into a successful second half of the season – including against Bristol City at Ashton Gate

“The FA Cup is a great competition full of history and my first experience was at Sheffield United all those years ago,” he added.

“I didn’t get on the pitch but to be on the bench as a 16-year-old in a situation like that and to be a part of it was a big boost for me. It gave me a taste of a football career and gave me extra motivation to make it in the game.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a fairly long career, but that remains a very fond memory of me. One of the disappointments was the defeat in the semifinals at Wembley against Liverpool.

“There is still enough time for another good cup run. That’s what this time of year brings, the thought that this could be your year to run and have some exciting connections and go as far as you can.

Wales were largely eliminated from the World Cup after losing 2-0 to Iran