Coleman: Euro 2016 spirit can drive Wales to more glory
Wales were celebrating a 2-1 triumph over Slovakia to spark a stunning run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals on this day a year ago. But fast-forward 12 months and there is a serious threat their dreams of qualifying for a first World Cup in 60 years could be over if they fail to beat Serbia for the first time.
The last time Chris Coleman took his side to the Balkan state, they were humiliated 6-1 to end any hopes of reaching the finals in Brazil. But the Wales manager wants to channel the spirit of their Euro campaign to get them back on the road to Russia.
“We’ve tried desperately hard to move on from Euro 2016, but you still keep it in the back of your mind,” he said. “It’s a different challenge for us. And if we want that again, we need to take care of this challenge, because if we want to go and sample tournament football, then we need to take care of business now.
“I’m not panicking because I think we’ve got enough to just touch those right buttons again. We’re not far away from getting back what we had to get to where we need to be to sample that whole experience again. It was absolutely amazing and that’s why it’s so hard to get to these tournaments.
“A little bit of focus in the right times in games, mental sharpness, that’s what we’ve got to get back.”
If Wales are to reach their first World Cup finals since 1958, they will have to do it without talisman Gareth Bale, who is suspended after picking up a yellow card in Dublin. Neil Taylor is also banned, while Hal Robson-Kanu, James Collins, Andy King and Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn have all been forced to withdraw. However, Coleman believes Wales have proven they are capable of getting a result in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the Stadion Rajko Mitic.
He said: “We are four points behind with five games to play, but are we good enough to win three or four on the bounce? I don’t have to tell you the answer to that. Whether it’s Serbia away, it doesn’t matter. I know we can get a result. We’ve gone to hard places before, we just need to do it again. Gareth’s absence can’t affect us. It’s about us, the players who are available going in there and producing it.
“There’s another 12 points after that and if it’s the second place that we’re chasing, but it’s doable, then I’ve got to absolutely go for that. I’m still optimistic. I’m optimistic of getting a result in Serbia.”