Wales boss Chris Coleman heaped praise on his players after their historic and transformative campaign at Euro 2016 ended on Wednesday night. Coleman’s heroes bowed out at the semi-finals after a 2-0 defeat to Portugal in Lyon.

Wales captain Ashley Williams feels the late Gary Speed would be proud of the team’s achievement in reaching the semi-final of Euro 2016. Speed put in motion the changes leading to the greatest moment in Welsh football history before his untimely death in November 2011 at the age of 42.

The ash from the volcano of celebration which erupted on Friday has barely settled, but on Wednesday July 6th Wales will take on Portugal for a place in the UEFA Euro 2016 Final. However, thanks to suspension rules more cruel than kicking a kitten before telling nursery kids that Santa doesn’t exist, Wales will have to do so without stalwart Ben Davies and potential player of the tournament, Aaron Ramsey.

Gareth Bale says Wales’ march to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 has ended the years of “abuse” he has had to endure from club team-mates. Real Madrid forward Bale is usually on his summer holidays when major tournaments are held, but not this time with Wales playing Portugal on Wednesday night for a place in the final of Euro 2016.

Wales boss Chris Coleman has dismissed suggestions that he could become the next England manager. Coleman’s stock has soared as Wales have marched to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, while England’s embarrassment at losing to Iceland and failing to get beyond the last 16 has left them looking for a managerial successor to Roy Hodgson.

Wales reached their first ever semi-final of a major tournament with a magnificent 3-1 victory over Belgium in Lille. On a night dripping with raw emotion in northern France, Wales went one better than their 1958 predecessors who reached the last eight of the World Cup.

Chris Coleman will use the memory of his late father – as well as his footballing forefathers from the 1950s – to try and inspire Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 on Friday night. The Wales manager will summon the emotion of his father Paddy’s pride in his son’s achievements before saying his final words to his players ahead of the quarter-final clash against Belgium in Lille.

Gareth Bale insists Wales can make the last four of Euro 2016 by underlining how they have become a “bogey team” for Belgium. The Wales talisman at the tournament believes the two favourable results achieved against their quarter-final opponents in qualifying – when Wales took four points off the Belgians – have planted seeds of doubt.

Lennie Lawrence is returning to Cardiff City as assistant coach to Paul Trollope. Former Newport County academy coach James Rowberry is also being promoted to an assistant role having impressed as first team coach.

Chris Coleman has told his Wales team not to be content with a place in the last eight of Euro 2016 and to reach for the stars. Wales are the only side from the British Isles to makes the quarter-finals after England humiliatingly followed Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland out in the first knockout stage following their 2-1 defeat to Iceland.

Chris Coleman insists Wales can cope if they need to replace skipper Ashley Williams with James Collins for their Euro 2016 quarter-final showdown with Belgium. Williams remains a doubt after injuring his shoulder in the victory over Northern Ireland and scans undergone by the Swansea City centre-back have yet to prove conclusive.

Wales will find out on Sunday if Ashley Williams can lead his team into their Euro 2016 quarter-final. The Wales skipper will undergo scans on his shoulder to determine his fitness for the next stage of his country’s epic adventure in France on Friday when they will play either Belgium or Hungary for a place in the last four.