Wales manager Chris Coleman has backed his players to deliver their "gameplan" in Monday's crucial World Cup qualifier against Ireland.

The game is potentially a winner-takes-all affair in Group D, although Wales can finish second with a draw and victory might even see them qualify for the tournament as group winners if Serbia slip up against Georgia. Ireland will miss out on the trip to Russia if they fail to win in Cardiff.

"It's as big as anything we've been involved in," Coleman, who led Wales to the semifinals of Euro 2016, said at his prematch news conference. "We've been here before so we've got that experience, as the Republic of Ireland have, they've been in must win games. That's what makes it exciting.

"I'm looking forward to it, it's a great game, it will be a fantastic atmosphere, there's nothing to fear, nothing to worry about, the occasion is what it is, great for us to be involved in it. We've got a gameplan, we've always got a gameplan, and our players are very good at executing whatever gameplan we put in front of them."

Gareth Bale will watch the game from the stands after missing Friday's crucial 1-0 win in Georgia with a calf injury that may cause him to miss the playoffs.

"A lot of our players do that, they like to be around the lads," Coleman said of Bale staying with the squad rather than returning to Real Madrid. "Especially the ones that have been around a while.

"Obviously he didn't come to Georgia. Two five hour flights in two or three days wasn't going to do him any good."

After Tom Lawrence's winner on Friday, Wales ended the sequence of having not won a match without Bale since 2013, but Coleman played down the importance of that statistic.

"Even when he's fit we haven't got one set system," Coleman said. "I heard someone say Wales are 10 men behind the ball, Bale up front. That's a lazy comment from someone that tactically doesn't know much about football."

When the teams met in Dublin in March, a goalless draw was overshadowed by Ireland captain Seamus Coleman having his leg broken by a heavy challenge from Wales defender Neil Taylor, but Wales boss Coleman insists that won't play on the minds of his players

He said: "No, I don't think that will have any bearing on it. This game tomorrow night will be very similar to the game in Dublin. There'll be lots of contact I would imagine; our players know that.

"It was a physical game out there. It was unfortunate with Seamus, a horrible situation for Seamus mainly. I can't tell you how Ireland are feeling, I can only tell you about us. There won't be any talk from us even about Georgia, it's done, it's in the past. The Republic of Ireland is the future, that's what we're looking at."

Chris Gunter added that Wales are not distracted by the complicated permutations which could determine their World Cup fate.

"We haven't been sat with pen and paper, but we're aware of scores elsewhere," Wales defender Gunter said. "But as players, if we don't take care of our own business, then it doesn't matter what happens elsewhere anyway.

"All we can do is prepare for the game, do our work, and come the final whistle of course we will check what's happened. But not until then. It's important to remember regardless of anything else we have to look after ourselves first and foremost.

"I know what fans are like -- my mates are the same -- but it's about what we do. We have to focus on ourselves and not get distracted by anyone else."

Wales go into the final qualifier on the back of successive wins against Austria, Moldova and Georgia.

"We've got a lot of momentum about us and we're in a good place,'' Gunter said. "The fans after the game on Friday show they really believe now.

"We've won the last three, three clean sheets and we've proven before when we're in that frame of mind we're a tough nation to stop."

Source:
courtesy of ESPNFC

by John Brewin

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