From Graham Thomas in Dinard
Chris Coleman has warned England that Gareth Bale will walk the walk after talking the talk that angered their manager.
Roy Hodgson claimed Bale was being “disrespectful” after the Wales talisman said England could not match their Euro 2016 group rivals for passion.
Bale also got under English skin with his suggestion that Hodgson’s team “big themselves up before they have done anything.”
But far from trying to extinguish the flames that Bale had deliberately sparked, Wales manager Coleman has chosen to fan them by claiming that not only was his Real Madrid star right, but that Bale will back up his incendiary remarks with a few explosions on the pitch when the teams clash in Lens on Thursday night.
As evidence that Bale can deliver after giving an honest assessment of the opposition designed to unnerve them, Coleman pointed to the build-up to this season’s Champions League Final. During that, Bale was quoted as saying that no Atletico Madrid players would get into the Real Madrid team.
“If you look at the Champions League Final, Gareth made a comment in that – something about Atletico Madrid,” said Coleman.
“Whether he said it, or whether he didn’t, he was reported as having said it. But he went in to the final, played really well, and scored a penalty.
“I don’t think Bale has got a problem with backing anything up. I think 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. He will be relishing this challenge on Thursday.”
Coleman appears fully at ease with the chord struck by Bale – one of calm confidence ahead of the England match. The manager insists that the days of holding to an inferiority complex towards their neighbours and rivals are now a thing of the past.
“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. We have got to offer a bit more – because if you want it, you’ve got to give it.
“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.
“If you know Gareth, he is the most down to earth boy you could wish to meet. He is not a disrespectful kid. I think Gareth meant it in in a way of ‘little old Wales’.”
Having backed Bale’s comments and well as his talent to deliver, Coleman must now decide exactly where to utilise his most dangerous player and the one England fear most.
Bale began the 2-1 victory over Slovakia as lone central striker, with Jonny Williams linking with him from midfield. But when Hal Robson-Kanu replaced Williams – and went on to score the winner – Bale played more of a withdrawn, wandering role with Reading striker Robson-Kanu as the target man.
Coleman added: “I am tempted to keep him as the main striker. There’s an option there – or put him back in the normal role he plays for us.
“But I think that we have got between now and Thursday to work on one or two pieces. I was happy with him at the weekend – more than happy with him. He scored a great free-kick and had a couple of good chances playing in the No.9 role.
“We have played him as a No.9 before and he never got a kick. We played him against Belgium and we couldn’t get the ball to give to him. So, that didn’t work so well.
“But at the weekend, he got his chances and he was effective. So, there will be a chat with him and we will look to see if we will keep him there or move him.”
Coleman’s main selection concern is the fitness of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey who missed the opening game with a back strain.
Hennessey is not expected to train on Tuesday, but Wales hope an injection will allow him to resume on Wednesday and be fit for the game the following day.