CHRIS COLEMAN HAS called for Wales to focus on the game rather than get caught up in the occasion as they prepare to face England at Euro 2016 on Thursday.
The Group B fixture pits the neighbouring nations against each other in Lens, although there is much more than just local pride at stake.
After goals from Gareth Bale and Hal Robson-Kanu clinched a 2-1 triumph over Slovakia, Wales sit at the top of the pool. A place in the last 16 of the tournament is now well within their reach, although Coleman is refusing to get too carried away by one result.
“We go into our game as underdogs again, England will be expected to win the game again,” he said.
“I think for us we’ve got to make sure there’s no complacency. We know what our identity is, there’s a high focus on our preparation. There is an urgency about us, and that has to remain.
“If we’d lost the first game it didn’t mean we were going home, we’ve won the first game it doesn’t mean that we’re staying, there’s a lot of work to be done.
“We’ve just got to keep our focus on doing what we’ve been doing for a long time, what we can’t do is get over-aroused by the occasion.”
Coleman added it was just “another game of football” and that the identity of the opposition would not factor into the squad’s preparations.
While Wales made a winning start in France, England had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Russia after conceding an injury-time equaliser in Marseille.
“Everybody can say it’s England, it’s Wales, it’s this, it’s that,” Coleman continued.
“It’s another game of football, people will make of it what they want, for us it’s another challenge, we remain focused on what we do, and not so much about who the opposition is and what they do, it’s all about us, that’s what we’ll do.”
