England vs Wales Euro 2016: Chris Coleman backs Gareth Bale over 'pride and passion' comments

Wales manager Chris Coleman defended Gareth Bale against accusations of lacking respect from England manager Roy Hodgson, and promised that Bale would be able to deliver on his words when the two teams meet in Lens on Thursday.

Bale is not generally outspoken but he surprised many – and upset Hodgson – when he said last Friday that Wales have more “pride and passion” than England. Hodgson said that Bale’s comments were “disrespectful” but Coleman sprung to Bale’s defence on Monday, saying that Bale was making a point about smaller nations being tighter-knit.

“Gareth is the most down to earth boy you could meet,” Coleman said at Wales’ base in Dinard on Monday afternoon. “He is not a disrespectful kid. Gareth meant it about ‘little old Wales’. I think Gareth was simply saying that because we are a small nation, a tight nation, probably little things mean more to us than the bigger nations. I understand where Roy is coming from, but Gareth would not have meant that in a disrespectful way.”

Coleman said that for Wales to do better than they have done in the recent past, they needed a more aggressive attitude, like the one that Bale showed. “We have always settled for too little,” Coleman said. “To go that extra mile, you have got to be a bit different from what has come before you. You have to want it a bit more, be willing to offer a bit more. If you want it, you have got to give it.”

Before the Champions League final, Bale said that no Atletico Madrid player would make it into the Real Madrid first team. Bale then played excellently and scored a penalty as he won his second European Cup in three seasons at the Bernabeu. Coleman pointed to that as proof that Bale was good enough to deliver on his words.

“He went into that final, played really well and scored,” Coleman said. “I don’t think Bale 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, he wouldn’t be where he is, and I think he will be relishing the challenge on Thursday.”