Wales vs Netherlands preview: I’ll pick the players I want, says Chris Coleman after Aaron Ramsey row

Arsenal midfielder picked up a hamstring injury on international duty

(Getty Images)

A defiant Chris Coleman has told club managers he will pick the team that he wants for Wales, not see it used as a “vehicle” to rest players ahead of league games.

The Wales manager was recently involved in a public spat over midfielder Aaron Ramsey after he picked up a hamstring injury. Arsenal’s Arsène Wenger said the injury was down to Ramsey being overplayed and that Coleman should have rested him for Wales’ Euro 2016 qualifier against Andorra.

West Bromwich Albion’s Tony Pulis and Garry Monk, the Swansea manager, have also expressed concern about their players being involved in friendly matches during this international break.

Coleman insisted he would select whatever team he wants for tonight’s friendly against the Netherlands, and not one that club managers would prefer him to pick. “We shouldn’t be looked at as a vehicle for players to get rest,” Coleman said ahead of the match at Cardiff City Stadium, which marks the start of Wales’ build-up towards the European Championship finals next summer.

“We’ll have over 25,000 people there on Friday night and they’ll come to see us perform, not have a rest. We’re here to do a job,” he added.

“I’ll rest a player if he’s had a knock, in danger of something happening if he’s so fatigued or coming back from an injury, Or I’ll make a change if I want to give someone else a chance on the pitch. But I don’t think anyone should be saying who I can pick and why.

“As long as we send players back in a fit and healthy state, which 99 times out of 100 we do, it’s not for anybody to suggest who international managers should play or how they play.

“I don’t think, if it was reversed, club managers would like it if we said, ‘rest him because we’re playing afterwards’. I’ve got a team in my head, and the changes I want to make, and it’s got nothing to do with outside influences.”

Coleman must experiment tonight, as his squad has been hit by injuries. Gareth Bale and Ramsey are both absent, as are strikers Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes.

Leicester’s Tom Lawrence, currently on loan at Blackburn, is expected to make his first start and Walsall striker Tom Bradshaw could also make his senior debut.

“There will be times when Gareth and Aaron are not going to be available,” Coleman said. “They’re not going to spend every minute of every game on the pitch together and it’s been well-documented we’ve struggled to get all our best players on the pitch. But when we’ve had to call other players up they’ve always done a great job.

“The strength of the group is togetherness and that’s always been evident.”

The Netherlands failed to qualify for the finals for the first time in three decades. But Coleman expects a difficult test against opponents who are set to include Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Memphis Depay.

“People use the word friendly but I’m not sure they really exist when you’re playing a top-level game of football,” Coleman said. “The fact they’ve not qualified for Euro 2016 means nothing. We’re up against a wounded animal and a dangerous one.”