Chris Coleman is in calm and confident mood ahead of Wales’ crucial World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on Friday night. Third-placed Wales have ground to make up, with their opponents and Group D leaders and four points ahead of them before their Aviva Stadium clash.

Chris Coleman has insisted that even a half-baked Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale can help Wales turn up the heat on the Republic of Ireland on Friday. The Wales boss has admitted his team’s World Cup qualification campaign has failed to rise as injuries have meant the pair have only played together in one match so far.

Chris Coleman may cap 17-year-old Ben Woodburn for Wales next week – but it will be in order to beat the Republic of Ireland, rather than keep him out of England’s clutches. The Liverpool youngster has been included in Coleman’s squad for the World Cup qualifier in Dublin on March 24, but the manager insists he is there on merit rather than to end his eligibility for England.

Wales manager Chris Coleman will name his next squad on Thursday, ahead of his team’s crunch World Cup qualifier against Ireland in Dublin on March 24. Ross Tyson reckons some freshening up is needed as spring approaches and suggests Coleman looks first at Ipswich’s loan striker Tom Lawrence. It’s still pretty cold and wet here in Wales, but Spring is upon us and that means our biggest World Cup fixture since Paul Bodin had everybody’s heads in their hands in 1993. Fail to win and you’ll be far less likely to be Putin in leave requests for a trip to Russia in 2018 (No, I’m not sorry).

Gareth Bale believes English clubs are suffering in the Champions League because they do not have a winter break. The Wales star – who is on track to face Ireland this month in his country’s crucial World Cup qualifier – has won the competition twice since his big-money move from Tottenham to Real Madrid in 2013 and is targeting a third crown with the Spanish giants this season.

Wales coach Jayne Ludlow hopes this week’s Cyprus Cup will be another chance to grow the women’s game. Ludlow’s side begin their campaign against Hungary in Paralimni on Wednesday hoping to avenge a cruel defeat last year.

Jayne Ludlow is relishing the prospect of another strong Cyprus Cup campaign after announcing the Wales women’s squad for the tournament which starts on St David’s Day. Wales will face Hungary, the Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland after being drawn in Group C.

Gareth Bale has given Wales a huge boost by finally returning to training for Real Madrid after his ankle injury. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since suffering the injury in Madrid’s Champions League win over Sporting Lisbon on November 22.

Former Wales midfielder Carl Robinson tested his Vancouver Whitecaps players on and off the pitch when he brought them to South Wales on a 10-day pre-season tour. Robinson, from Llandrindod Wells in Powys, set his squad a series of questions on Wales and they weren’t at all easy for footballers drawn from all over the world including Denmark, Gambia, Costa Rica, Uruguay, USA, Canada, Argentina, Peru and Italy.

Chris Coleman has lost one of his close allies in the Welsh national setup with age-grade chief Geraint Williams leaving the post.

Ben Woodburn can cope with the hype surrounding his Liverpool breakththrough – according to clubmate Divock Origi. Welsh youngster Woodburn became the club’s youngest scorer at the age of 17 years and 45 days, beating Michael Owen’s record by 98 days, with a goal in the EFL Cup quarter-final win over Leeds on Tuesday.

Gareth Bale is in danger of missing Wales’ crunch World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland after being ruled out for up to four months with an ankle injury. The Real Madrid star will struggle to make the March 24 date after his club revealed the seriousness of the injury on Thursday.