James Chester feels Euro 2016 hopes hampered by West Brom

Posted Monday, November 16, 2015 by skysports.com

James Chester in action for Wales against Netherlands

Wales defender James Chester admits his hopes of playing at Euro 2016 are suffering from a lack of regular first-team football at West Brom.

Chester has made just one Premier League start since joining Albion from Hull City in the summer, coming on the opening weekend of the season against Manchester City.

He did play for his country on Friday, when he started the 3-2 defeat to a Netherlands side which included Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder in Cardiff.

But while grateful for Wales manager Chris Coleman's support, the 26-year-old concedes his situation is testing.

"To be playing for Wales I have to start playing for my club because it's impossible to play at this level and not be playing week in, week out," Chester said.

"I know myself I need to be playing at my club to give me the best chance of going to France and playing when we get there.

"I don't think it's good enough to be playing for Wales when I'm not playing for West Brom.

"It's nearly impossible to not play every week and then expect to be 100 per cent to stop players of Robben and Sneijder's class - and that's the level we will play in France in every game.

"Chris Coleman has been brilliant to me and that's nice to hear, so it's up to me to go back to West Brom and play. But I'm finding it difficult."

Chester was part of a three-man central defence at Hull and also with the national team, playing a key role in the European Qualifiers.

West Brom boss Tony Pulis indicated he wanted to play Chester at full-back, but the former Manchester United trainee feels he has not been given a chance to impress.

"When I signed he said he knew I could play at centre-back but he wanted to use me at full-back," Chester said.

"I don't really have a problem with that as long as I'm playing in the Premier League, which is where I want to be.

"I think the disappointing part for me is I played the first game of the season and I think I showed enough, with hard work and playing there regularly, that is something I could become quite good at.
"But to only give me one opportunity there I find it quite difficult to understand."