Jones wants away

Last updated : 10 February 2003 By Christian Kelly

I was quite surprised that Jonah didn't move during the transfer window. He's too good a 'keeper to be second choice, and he clearly wants first team football so he can continue as the Welsh no. 1.

Now I know why he didn't go; the club want a transfer fee for him. Which is is fair enough. Jones has two years to run on his current contract and Alan Blayney isn't ready for first team football yet.

Jones is disappointed at the situation, but is simply making the best of it. He said: 'The manager and me spoke about things during the transfer window, the gaffer wants some money and doesn't want me to go on loan.

'There were opportunities to go, but I have to respect the manager's wishes.

'I can't do anything about that. I've got two years left on my contract so I just work away and wait and hope.

'I could sit in the comfort zone, but I want to play. This is a situation I will have to look at again in the summer as much because of the Wales situation as anything else.

'Mark Hughes has said he would prefer that I was playing club football, that's obvious, and so do I. He'll just have to monitor the situation as each international comes around.

'It's all very frustrating. You train all week for the game on Saturday, as you have to do, and then you go flat because you are sitting on the bench.

'I've been playing regularly for six years, week in week out, and now I'm not.

'There were a few things that came up during the transfer window, but the gaffer wasn't happy with them so I respect his request to stay. He just said they weren't right for the club."