Stoke City have got a major boost ahead of their upcoming season in the Championship as their experienced midfielder Joe Allen has signed a new long-term contract with the club which will now keep him at the Bet365 Stadium for the next four years. This can be counted as a big success for Gary Rowett as one often see players ditching the club once they have been relegated. There were not going to be a dearth of Premier League offers for Joe Allen and such decision will certainly make him a fan favourite at the club.
On the eve of signing his contract, he said,” I spoke to Tony Scholes once the season had ended and he made it very clear that the Club weren’t interested in selling me and that they wanted me to stay on. That stance from the Club, coupled with how settled I am here, how happy I am and how much I’ve enjoyed it, made it pretty straightforward for me.”
He further added,” As players, we have to shoulder responsibility for what happened last season. Sometimes in football when things go wrong players try to wash their hands of it but I’m hoping a few more of the lads will have the same target of trying to set the record straight and helping the Club bounce straight back.”
Allen was being linked to quite a few top flight clubs and Stoke City board would have dreaded to see their midfielder leave in the summer. Allen is a Premier League quality player but has the experience of Championship football from his Swansea City days.
We often don’t see this level of loyalty in today’s day and age and it is good to see that the Welshman has shouldered some responsibility for the last season’s debacle. The 28-year-old former Liverpool man was a regular for his side as he made 38 appearances in all competitions. The Potters will now be hoping that with few other acquisitions in the transfer market, they can build a team which will make their way to the Premier League.
Read More: Stoke City Eyeing A Move For 28 Y/O Italian Forward: Can He Help Them Earn Back Promotion?
The 28-year old’s commitment will certainly solve one of the headaches for Rowett. The former Derby County manager will be aware that the fans would want their side to bounce back to top division straight away and they would be expecting a top 2 finish from the Potters. They are set to lose out on their talismanic winger Xherdan Shaqiri and Joe Allen’s departure would have certainly set them back further.
