After an outstanding comeback to the Wales national team, Sorba Thomas believes he has benefited from some “straight talking.”
The Huddersfield Town winger excelled in a 0-0 Nations League tie against Turkey. He recently started a season-long loan with French Ligue 1 club Nantes.
In Craig Bellamy’s debut match as Wales manager, he was a continuous offensive threat and had a goal disallowed in the first half.
After joining Blackburn on loan and then Nantes following a stint back with the Terriers, Thomas has not played for his country since March 2023, a span of eighteen months.
Despite having not started for Wales in over two years, the 25-year-old had an instant impression.
“I felt like I needed a fresh start after Huddersfield (to League One) relegated me,” Thomas stated. “I’m a victor; I’m not a decent defeatist. On the pitch, you can tell when I’m frustrated and furious. I had to make those changes.
“I have to improve as a teammate. Not everything is about “me, me, me.” On occasion, I can utilise the team to improve my appearance, and the team can use me to improve as well.
Many close to me, including my family, friends, agency, and other trainers I’ve worked with, gave me a lot of hard truths and direct advice.
“I accepted it, and moving to France at the perfect time allowed me to disconnect, put my head down, concentrate on football, and work on improving myself. I felt like it was working because I was called up to the Wales squad.
“My goal in being at Nantes is to get better as a player. I will improve as a player because of the new surroundings and challenges, which I can carry over to Wales.
Against Turkey, Thomas seized his chance with great skill, appreciating the chance to return to Wales’ starting lineup and quickly repaying Bellamy’s belief in him.
“I just wanted to show him how good I am on the ball because his faith in me was amazing for me and my family,” Thomas continued. He was a player in the same position as me, so it’s beneficial to pick up tips from him. He draws me aside to offer some guidance.
He advised me to simply be free when I got the ball, and that’s what I did. I’ve taken it on board. On a global scale, we will pose a threat. That’s what the coaching staff and manager are going to force us to do.
Many other countries will be cautious of us because we are a nation that is emerging.
“The manager is an expert at what he does. He has played for elite managers and been around people like Vincent Kompany. It marked the start of a brand-new era.
