NEWPORT’S Chris Gunter says the Wales players can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves as the injuries mount up ahead of the Euro 2016 qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

With James Collins (groin) and Lee Evans (hamstring) both ruled out for the double-header against Bosnia on Friday night and Cyprus on Monday, Gunter is left to fly the flag alone for Newport.

Wales boss Chris Coleman will also be without midfielders Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen and Newcastle’s Paul Dummett, with Declan John of Cardiff City and Joe Walsh of Crawley Town called up as replacements.

It’s a familiar tale of woe for the national side over the last decade and more but Gunter says the remaining players can’t let it affect them ahead of two crucial games at the Cardiff City Stadium.

“We don’t feel like things are conspiring against us,” said the Reading defender.

“There’s no point us turning up and feeling sorry for ourselves and thinking it always happens.

“You try not to think about it and just concentrate on making sure you’re fit and ready to go.

“I think as a player you realise that with a squad of 24 players not everyone is going to be fit.

“You don’t like to see any player injured but it’s a part of the game.

“That’s just the way it is. We’re not going to qualify for a major tournament with 11 players; we need a group of 25 or more over the campaign.”

While Real Madrid star Gareth Bale remains fit there is still an air of excitement around Wales’ hopes of making it to the European Championships in France.

That that is demonstrated by the fact that 25,000 tickets have already been sold for Friday’s match, according to the Football Association of Wales.

“There definitely seems to be a greater optimism and a lot of excitement around the place and hopefully we can use that to our advantage,” added Gunter.

“Hopefully this is the time but there are quality teams in this group and their aspiration is to qualify as well.

“We’ve got no right to think we will qualify just because we’ve got world class players in our team.

“We have to approach every game almost like it’s a final, starting on Friday.”