Chris Coleman believes some of the bigger nations in world football could be running scared of facing his players after Italy turned down a friendly against Wales next month, leaving his team, now eighth in the Fifa rankings, with a blank diary.
Wales had hoped to capitalise on their remarkable run over the past 12 months, which will see them qualify for next summer’s European Championship finals if they pick up a point from their final two qualifying games, away to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday and at home against Andorra three days later, by setting up two friendlies next month, including at least one against top opponents.
Coleman said Wales have been left frustrated after Italy rejected their offer while Germany and Spain expressed no interest in playing the team who sit above England and only one place behind Brazil in the rankings and features Gareth Bale, the world’s most expensive footballer.
The Wales manager said the traditional big teams like to “keep it among themselves” when it comes to friendlies but he also senses managers are reluctant to take on a country who remain relatively low profile yet pose a significant threat.
“We were turned down by one or two, which is disappointing. Italy didn’t want to play us,” Coleman said. Asked what the reason was for that and whether teams were scared, Coleman replied: “I don’t know, maybe.”
He added: “Look at the friendly games and the big boys keep it among themselves, and that’s disappointing. We kind of thought that we might be able to tempt a Spain or a Germany and find out how good we are but there’s been no interest. We had Holland last summer and you want to play against those sides, those juggernauts. There’s talk of Argentina after Christmas. Should we get to France then we need a couple of really good juicy ones before we get out there. But for next month there’s nothing. Ideally we want two.”
Coleman agreed Wales are not regarded as glamorous opponents yet are capable of giving anyone a game, as they did with the 1-0 win over Belgium in Cardiff in June. “That’s right. We’re in that spot where we are a danger to some of the big boys in that we could win. But we’re not seen as an England, an Italy or a Spain, so we’re in that position.”
Wales are optimistic their chances of setting up a couple of high-profile friendlies will be improved after the draw is made for the European Championship finals in December, with Argentina a prospect. “That’s been on the cards for a long time and it would be great if we could tie that down after Christmas. That would be fantastic,” Coleman said.
Bale, meanwhile, swept the board at Monday night’s FAW annual awards dinner. The Real Madrid forward, who has scored six of Wales nine goals during the qualification campaign, won the player of the year, players’ player of the year and fans’ player of the year awards.
