Wales boss Chris Coleman refuses to back down over player selection

Chris Coleman insists Wales will not be used as a "vehicle" to rest players ahead of club games.

The Wales boss was involved in a public disagreement with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger last week after midfielder Aaron Ramsey suffered a hamstring injury in October. 

Wenger was accused of a "cheap shot" by Coleman after the Frenchman said Ramsey should have been rested for Wales' final European Qualifier against Andorra with qualification already guaranteed. 

West Brom manager Tony Pulis and Swansea boss Garry Monk have since expressed their concern about their players being involved in the upcoming international friendly with the Netherlands at the Cardiff City Stadium on Friday. 

But Coleman is adamant he will select the team he sees fit and not a side club managers would prefer him to pick.

"We shouldn't be looked at as a vehicle for players to get rest," Coleman said. "We'll have over 25,000 people there on Friday night and they'll come to see us perform, not have a rest. We're here to do a job.

"I'll rest a player if he's had a knock, in danger of something happening if he's so fatigued or coming back from an injury.

"Or I'll make a change if I want to give someone else a chance on the pitch. But I don't think anyone should be saying who I can pick and why.

"As long we send players back in a fit and healthy state, which 99 times out of 100 we do, it's not for anybody to suggest who international managers should play or how they play.

"I don't think if it was reversed club managers would like if we said rest him because we're playing afterwards. I've got a team in my head, and the changes I want to make, and it's got nothing to do with outside influences."

Coleman's squad has been beset by injuries for Wales' first friendly since they lost 2-0 to the Netherlands in Amsterdam in June 2014.

Gareth Bale and Ramsey are absent, as are strikers Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes.

Leicester City forward Tom Lawrence, currently on loan at Blackburn, is expected to make his first start and Walsall striker Tom Bradshaw could also make his senior debut.

"There will be times when Gareth and Aaron are not going to be available," Coleman said. "They're not going to spend every minute of every game on the pitch together and it's been well-documented we've struggled to get all our best players on the pitch.

"But when we've had to call other players up they've always done a great job. We've got two world-class players, but the strength of the group is togetherness and that's always been evident."