Chris Coleman says international football still the highest honour
Friday 13 November 2015 09:13, UK
Wales coach Chris Coleman believes some Premier League managers are unqualified to talk about international football because they have never represented their countries.
Coleman was involved in a public row with Arsenal's Arsene Wenger last week after the Gunners' Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey picked up a hamstring injury, but did not name anyone when speaking ahead of Friday's friendly with the Netherlands in Cardiff.
Both West Brom boss Tony Pulis and Swansea counterpart Garry Monk have questioned the validity of international friendlies, with Pulis describing them as a "waste of space" while Monk labelled them "farcical".
And Coleman said: "I did see some comments come from people who have never played international football and they don't know what it is all about and what it means.
"That is not me having a sideswipe because I can understand why they make certain comments. But representing your country surely still has to mean as much as anything in football.
"There's nothing I could have done that would have meant more to me than playing for Wales, and I don't understand how people can't see that. When people speak clumsily about what should happen and who should play, it is not their job to say that anyway.
"I'm not complaining because certain managers are under pressure themselves, I have been there and sometimes it distorts your thinking. I can understand it but I don't have to agree because I know what this job entails."
Wales' clash with the Netherlands is their first friendly in 17 months and Coleman says he will not risk any player as he begins preparations for Euro 2016 against opponents who surprisingly failed to qualify for the tournament in France.
"There is a responsibility on all of us to make sure we are producing a team that is competing, no matter who we play against," he added.
"The players here with us want to play and I need to find a line where with some I say 'we won't gamble with you, play an hour or 65 minutes or whatever'.
"If they have a knock in the game I'll take them off, but if they are fit and feel good I am not going to stop them playing.
"I've managed in the Premier League and I know what it is like there when the international break comes along and you are losing players.
"The travelling can be disruptive, but international football has always been there and having games that are not campaign games are important."
