Chris Coleman suggests Wales' Gareth Bale is at his best when he feels wanted

Posted Sunday, June 07, 2015 by skysports.com

Wales manager Chris Coleman says Gareth Bale is at his best when he feels wanted and is not "hung out to dry".

Victory over Group B leaders Belgium this week would see Coleman's side take a huge step towards qualifying for Euro 2016 and he began the build-up to that match by criticising his star player's treatment at Real Madrid.

Bale has been heavily criticised in Spain after an indifferent season with his club side, but he continues to be the standard bearer for his country and will win his 50th cap at the Cardiff City Stadium on Friday night.

"It's nice to be in an environment where you feel wanted," Coleman said of Bale.

"It's not so nice when you don't feel wanted. I'm not putting words in his mouth, but he knows what he's going to get when he walks onto the pitch at the Cardiff City Stadium.

"The people in the stadium will be right with him, the whole nation will be with him, and I think he'll enjoy that.

"He's loved here. He feels like he won't get hung out to dry, not here.

"He knows how important he is to us and he knows what people think of him and he thrives on that.

"He knows what the Welsh people think of him and he feels more loved here."

Coleman admits he is driving his new wife, Sky Sports News HQ's Charlotte Jackson, crazy by studying the different permutations in Wales' group.

"I've looked at every possible result from every team in every game and where we could be," Coleman said.