Chris legend for making Dragons fire

CHRIS COLEMAN can hold his head high after taking Wales from 87th in the FIFA world rankings to – at one point – eighth.

The heartbreaking near-miss with the World Cup play-offs does not change his standing in my eyes. His stock is still high and he has done an unbelievable job.

Coleman has yet to decide whether to carry on as manager – but if steps down, he leaves as a legend.

He took the Dragons on a journey we will never forget – to the European Championship semi-finals.

If he opts to go, he would be a very attractive candidate for a Premier League club struggling after 15 games, or a team towards the top end of the Championship.

Coleman (above) has proved he can galvanise a squad and, whatever happens next, has been Wales’ most successful manager since Jimmy Murphy took us to the World Cup 60 years ago.

As for my old Leicester boss Martin O’Neill, who masterminded the Republic of Ireland’s smashand-grab raid in Cardiff on Monday night... he’s still the master.

When it comes to small details and expert management with finite resources, no one does it better.

I hope Ireland reach the finals because O’Neill deserves to test himself on the biggest stage of all.