Owain Tudur Jones admits that he cannot argue with the decision of John Toshack to leave him out of the Wales squad
Owain had become an almost regular feature in recent squads but a lack of first team action at the Liberty Stadium to date means that he has found himself back on the edge of the squad but that is not something that the midfielder is even trying to argue with.
OTJ played in the Swans disappointing Carling Cup defeat against Watford on Tuesday night but it has just been in this competition that his main action has been this season although he has made a couple of recent substitute appearances in the Championship.
But was he prepared to add his name to the list of players who have criticised Toshack for his decision? Not likely was the obvious answer to that as he told the Western Mail “I still feel I’ve got a part to play with Wales,” said the North Walian.
“But what can I do? I haven’t been playing for Swansea, so there are no complaints.
“It would be a different scenario if I had been playing and not named in the squad – I’d be more disappointed then.
“But I’ve said all along, a call-up to the national side should feel like something you’ve earned.
“The last time the squad met up, I’d come on at half-time against Preston and came on against Wolves and did well.
“Although I wasn’t starting games, I felt I’d done something for Swansea.
“But since then, I’ve had even less game-time, so there’s no way I can disagree with Toshack over leaving me out.
“If the boys in front of you are playing well, there’s nothing you can do except keep plugging away,” he said.
“We’ve got a big squad here now and we’re all fighting for places.
“It’s frustrating. You wait so long for an opportunity then things just don’t click, like against Watford.
“Maybe it was a case of trying too hard.
“And when you do that, you take something away from your natural game, which is never going to help.
“I had an opportunity to put my hand up and I didn’t take it – how or when the next one will come, I don’t know.
“But all I can do is keep knuckling down and do whatever I can to start playing more football.”