Coleman: Big-game Bale will relish the spotlight
GARETH BALE is going to back up his claims that Wales have more pride than England by beating them on the pitch, according to manager Chris Coleman.
Coleman insisted the Real Madrid star was not showing disrespect with his bold words, explaining that Bale was emphasising the closeness within their camp.
Bale lit the touch-paper by calling England ‘the enemy’ and saying they ‘ big themselves up before they’ve done anything’, with Roy Hodgson describing the comments as ‘disrespectful’. But ahead of Wales facing England in two days’ time, Coleman defended his star man and described how his side need to possess the kind of winning mentality he was demonstrating.
He said: ‘Gareth is the most down-to-earth boy you could wish to meet. He is not a disrespectful kid. I can understand where Roy was coming from, but I think Gareth meant it in a way of us being seen as little old Wales.
‘I have said myself, for a long time, we have always settled for too little. We have settled for too long for, “We did really well, we nearly got something”. Or, “We nearly got there” and we have settled for that.
‘To go that extra mile, we have got to be a bit different to what has gone before. We have got to want it a bit more, offer a bit more.
‘Gareth was simply saying, “We are a small nation. We are a tight nation. Little things mean more to us than to the bigger nations”. I understand where Roy is coming from, but Gareth was not being disrespectful.’
Coleman (right) believes Bale will do the business on the pitch, as he did against Slovakia by scoring a brilliant free-kick. He drew on the example from before the Champi- ons League final, when Bale was criticised for saying not one Atletico player would get in Real’s side but went on to provide an assist in a terrific display and convert a penalty in the shootout.
‘If you look at the Champions League final, Gareth made a comment in that — something about Atletico Madrid,’ said Coleman. ‘But he went into the final, played really well, and scored a goal (in the shootout).
‘I don’t think Gareth has got a problem with backing anything up. He looks forward to the great challenges, the big spotlight, and the pressure. If he didn’t enjoy it, then he wouldn’t be where he is, playing at the very top. He will be relishing this challenge.’
Coleman said Bale could play up front again, although he will be tempted to start match-winner Hal Robson-Kanu, allowing the world’s most expensive player to drop to his more familiar deeper position.
‘There’s an option there,’ said Coleman. ‘Or I could put him back in the normal role he plays for us. We have got until Thursday to work on one or two pieces.
‘I was more than happy with him at the weekend. He scored a great freekick and had a couple of good chances playing in the No 9 role. So there will be a chat with him and we will look to see if we will keep him there or move him.’ At the opposite end of the pitch, Wayne Hennessey has warned his team-mates to be vigilant of Jamie Vardy’s penalty-winning movement in the box, describing how he ‘cuts across defenders and goes down’. The Wales goalkeeper said it would be ‘stupid’ not to recognise the strategy employed by the England striker. Vardy has an unprecedented ability to earn spot-kicks, gaining seven for Leicester during their charge to the Premier League title — four more than any other player and five greater than Arsenal’s entire team, the club looking to sign the 29- year- old after activating a release clause in his contract.
But he has been accused of diving in his career and was sent off for a second yellow card against West Ham at the end of last season when falling under pressure from centre back Angelo Ogbonna.
Hennessey, who is fighting to be fit for the Group B encounter, has urged his defenders to be careful should Vardy burst past them in the area.
‘Vardy can be quite clever in the box and go down,’ said the Crystal Palace keeper. ‘You can’t touch him. We are all not stupid. We watch the games as well. He will cut across defenders and go down.’
Having not played in the draw with Russia, Hennessey believes Vardy will feature against Wales. ‘Vardy will be flying at the moment from winning the league and everything so I would probably bet he will start.’