Tuesday 14 June 2016 08:31, UK
Chris Coleman has defended Gareth Bale after Roy Hodgson accused the Wales star of making "disrespectful comments" about England.
Bale questioned England's passion ahead of the weekend's opening Group B games and claimed Wales' neighbours "big themselves up before they've done anything".
That suggestion cut no ice with Hodgson, who responded with a defence of his England players on Monday three days before the sides meet in Lens.
But Bale's comments have been misinterpreted, according to Wales boss Coleman, who said: "If you know Gareth, he is the most down to earth boy you could wish to meet. He is not a disrespectful kid.
"I can understand where Roy was coming from, but I think Gareth meant it in a way of 'little old Wales'. I have said myself, for a long time, we have always settled for too little.
"We have settled for too long for, 'we did really well, we nearly got something.' Or, 'we nearly got there' and we have settled for that. To go that extra mile, we have got to be a bit different to what has gone before.
"We have got to want it a bit more. We have got to offer a bit more - because if you want it, you've got to give it. Gareth was simply saying, we are a small nation. We are a tight nation. Little things mean more to us than to the bigger nations."
Bale has recent form for antagonising future opponents having said in the run-up to the Champions League final that "no Atletico Madrid player would feature in Real Madrid's team."
Bale went on to score as Real won the trophy, and Coleman said: "If you look at the Champions League final, Gareth made a comment about Atletico Madrid. But then he played really well and scored a goal.
"I don't think he has got a problem with backing anything up. I think he looks forward to the great challenges, the big spotlight, and the pressure. He will be relishing this challenge on Thursday."
Bale's comments have been dismissed by England's Jack Wilshere, who said: "We know that Wales don't like us.
"I've never questioned the passion of one of my team-mates. I've never been on the pitch and thought, 'This guy isn't worried about this'. We all care. We all know what it means to people back home. We'll be ready when Thursday comes."
Wales go into the game as group leaders after a Bale free-kick helped them to a 2-1 win over Slovakia on Saturday.
