COLEMAN: ROAR US TO FINALS Chester happy to lay the demon of ‘no Bale, no chance’ as he hails new Dragon leaders
JAMES CHESTER believes Wales are ready to qualify tonight after claiming Friday’s win without Gareth Bale has “put that demon to bed”.
FROM BACK PAGE Cardiff and Group D leaders Serbia slip up.
Euro 2016 semi-finalists Wales have not reached a World Cup since 1958.
And Coleman admitted: “It is as big as anything we have been involved in. We have to give everything we’ve got.
“But my team always do. They were labelled this golden bunch of players before we qualified for a tournament and I fought against that.
“But they have earned it, this group of players have made a difference.
“This is their time, they are doing a great job, doing fantastically well.
“It is a golden era, they have proved that but whatever they have done is in the past. We can’t be thinking we have done really well, it is not going to help us tonight.”
A sell-out 33,000 crowd is due at the Cardiff City Stadium. Unbeaten Wales have pulled off three successive wins without conceding to climb back into the race for Russia.
Boss Coleman added: “The excitement in the country is incredible. To the Welsh nation I say, ‘Be there for us and we will make you proud like we have done’.
“Three or four games ago it was looking possible but unlikely. We have shown great resilience. There’s nothing to fear or worry about.
“I don’t have any fear. It is a great game to be involved in.”
Wales Player of the Year Chris Gunter (above) said: “We are going in with momentum and are confident.”