IRISH WON’T FAZE BALE – COLEMAN

CHRIS Coleman has told the Republic of Ireland they’ll be wasting their time trying to get under the skin of Gareth Bale at next week’s World Cup showdown in Dublin.

The countdown to the qualifying clash at the Aviva Stadium began in earnest yesterday as Chris Coleman named a 23-man squad to take across the Irish Sea, including a first call-up for 17-year-old Liverpool starlet Ben Woodburn.

Yet it will still be talisman Bale who will be seen as key to chances of victory against the group leaders.

Coleman is adamant the Real Madrid ace will be hitting top form when it comes to next Friday’s all-Celtic tussle, despite having to fight back to fitness following an ankle operation in December.

Bale is expected to feature against Athletic Bilbao having seen his comeback disrupted by a two-game suspension, the result of a rare red card issued when he reacted to challenges from Las Palmas’ Jonathan Viera. But Coleman – who flew out to check on Bale’s progress last month – insists no attempt to wind-up the Wales hero will work next week, declaring: “Anyone sensible looking at Gareth will see that’s not something he normally does.

“But I won’t be worried about him because all his career he’s been kicked from pillar to post.

“I remember when we played Scotland and some ex-player said ‘He can’t play if he hasn’t got any legs’. I thought, ‘Does he really seriously think that is going to bother Gareth?’”