Chris Coleman offers support to under-fire captain Ashley Williams

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 07 November 2017

Coleman offers support to Ashley Williams

Chris Coleman says that Ashley Williams was "absolutely crushed" after last month's defeat to Republic of Ireland, but hopes to see the defender stay on as Wales captain.

Wales manager Chris Coleman has backed Ashley Williams to stay on as national team skipper for another campaign, despite the centre-back being left "crushed" by the failure to qualify for Russia 2018.

The 33-year-old was criticised for quickly leaving the field after last month's 1-0 loss to the Republic of Ireland, having made a mistake in the build-up to the game's decisive moment.

Defeat for Wales in that qualifying shootout cost them a chance of remaining on course for a place in the World Cup finals, but Coleman hopes that Everton defender Williams - a part of the squad to face France and Panama over the next week - will stay on as captain to provide some stability going forward.

"There may be a change in his heart where he will want to do two more campaigns but he will want to do one more campaign probably," he told reporters. "He is a captain for a reason, he never misses games or training and has a real appetite for football. If you play long enough and play enough games you are going to have a bad patch.

"Your character is what makes you stronger and there is no doubt in my mind he will come through it. Look where Everton are, they need fighters and they have got one in him for sure. He was absolutely crushed because I think he felt like me after that Republic game that we are never going to get to a World Cup.

"He looks at it as if he was involved with the goal because of his mistake, but my words were to him that is one. You look at that in isolation, but we had 10 games where he has been a rock again. He came off the pitch and he was inconsolable - he was a broken man and in another place.

"But Ash would never ever show disrespect. He would be the last person to do that because he knows the importance of having the whole nation behind him as the captain of the team."

Coleman gave Williams, formerly of Stockport County and Swansea City, the captain's armband on a permanent basis in October 2012.