Qualifying would put Coleman in dreamland
CHRIS COLEMAN can imagine standing on the touchline leading a Welsh invasion at the Stade de France just as much as he can picture the faces of some supporters who will never truly accept his leadership.
But right now, the landscape is bright. A Cypriot sun beats down on the Wales manager and his nation are on the cusp of qualification for Euro 2016: top of Group B, three points ahead of Belgium.
With a match in Cardiff against Israel on Sunday to follow tonight’s fixture, Coleman (right) knows two wins would complete the job and seal a first major tournament since 1958.
‘I do wonder what it would be like if we were playing in a full house at the Stade de France,’ Coleman said. ‘I was out there watching Belgium and France. I know what our fans are like; we would take thousands.
‘I can’t help thinking about it. I am a human being. But honestly I stop and think about the next game. I know how tough it is going to be. ‘I want to have that experience of being in a major tournament because then you are against the best.’ It is some turnaround from five minutes into this qualifying campaign, when Andorra took a shock lead in the Pyrenees. And remember the 6-1 defeat by Serbia in 2012. Coleman’s job has appeared brittle more than once.
Instead, the Welsh FA would like to tie him down to a contract that extends beyond next summer’s competition in France. He would welcome that, although returning to club management at some stage remains an ambition.
Meanwhile he finds it amusing that others are seeking credit for the run taking Wales to ninth in the world rankings, the team moving one place above England today as previous matches are dismissed from FIFA calculations.
Coleman refuses to name names but predecessors John Toshack and Bobby Gould have spoken on the issue. ‘I never saw anybody saying, “I am responsible for this” when we lost to Serbia. Now we are top and certain people want to take a stake. It doesn’t make me angry, it makes me laugh.’
Sometimes, his association with Swansea does him no favours with sections of the Welsh support.
‘I get the Swansea–Cardiff thing. I played in the fixture and 99 per cent of the time we walk around Cardiff and people come to have a chat. Some will never accept me, though. I find it quite sad.’