Joe Allen says he will use the 6-1 defeat to Serbia in 2012 as motivation for this Sunday’s clash in Belgrade.
Wales take on group-leaders Serbia on Sunday in a crucial clash and with four points separating the two teams, Coleman’s men need to secure a result.
This Sunday’s trip will bring back sour memories for many of the remaining squad members and indeed Chris Coleman.
Wales were beaten 6-1 by Serbia during the 2014 World Cup campaign, a match many players describe as the worst moment of their Wales career.
Joe Allen is one of the remaining players from that harrowing evening, but he will be putting the memory to good use this weekend.
“It was the worst night in a Welsh shirt, but it gives us an opportunity to show how far we’ve come since then.
“We have come a long way and while we won’t be concentrate on that too much, you can’t help but use it as some sort of motivation and I’ll use that, personally.”
Wales will be without superstar Gareth Bale this weekend after he reached the yellow card limit against Republic of Ireland.
However, Allen believes Wales can cope without their two-time Champions League winner Bale. He added: “Of course we are going to miss him, we can’t hide that, he’s key to us and a world-class player.
“But I like to think one of the main qualities of this team is that we’re all about team work and resilience, and we’re confident we have enough to go and get a result.
“Whether you’re a senior player or new to the squad, everyone understands we’re here together and you have to be on it from day one.
“I like to think we always have a plan B, even when we have Bale playing, and even if it’s as simple as relying on him.
“International football isn’t quite as simple as that though, and we have to pull together to get a result.”
Chris Coleman’s men currently sit four points behind Serbia, who lead the group ahead of Republic of Ireland on goal difference.
Many are labelling the clash as a must-win and after failing to beat Republic of Ireland back in March, there’s a feeling that time is fast running out.
Joe Allen refused to admit the match is a must-win, but he did outline the importance of getting a result in Belgrade.
“It’s an important game in the group and a huge game for us, I’m not going to shy away from that but the further you get into the campaign, the more important they get.
“We’re always looking to get a result and preparations have gone well. A defeat would be bad news for us, it would leave us in a tough position but if we focus on that too much, it would have a bad affect on our performance.”
(Featured image: Steindy)