Football
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Chris Coleman says he and Wales are still 'apart' on new contract talks

Chris Coleman says he remains "apart" from the Football Association of Wales after opening talks over a new contract.

And the Wales manager has admitted it is possible that he will not sign a new deal before Euro 2016, leaving Wales at risk of losing the man who has steered them to their first major tournament in over half a century.

Coleman's contract expires after the finals in France this summer and he wants to stay on to lead his country into the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

But talks still have some way to go if Coleman is to continue in a job which he started in January 2012 when succeeding the late Gary Speed.

"We opened negotiations last Monday and it never went very far," said Coleman. "But it wasn't disappointing because it's an important decision to go into the World Cup, for me and Wales.

"It has to be right. I didn't expect the first negotiations to be, 'Great, is that it? Let's do it.' It's not going to be like that. We are apart.

"I've never signed a contract where the first negotiations are 'You want that? I can give you that. Shake hands and it's done.' That never happens.

"At the minute, I am thinking. 'That was the first one. We will have another one.'"

Wales crank up their Euro 2016 build-up this week with friendlies against fellow finalists Northern Ireland and Ukraine.

Coleman's side welcome the Irish to Cardiff on Thursday before playing in Kiev four days later, and contract talks have been placed on the back-burner for now.

"I'm now in game mode," said Coleman. "All I can think about is Northern Ireland.

"Everything else has to wait until those two weeks are done, and once it is we go straight back into it.

"The powers that be know me. They know I just want to get my head down with these two games.

"It's not a stalling tactic because it's all about the games. Once they have gone, then who knows? In the next one we could nail it.

"Ideally, it will be done before we go to the tournament -- but if we don't agree then it won't be done."

Coleman spent four years managing in the Premier League at Fulham between 2003 and 2007 and has also had spells abroad in Spain and Greece.

His stock is currently high after leading Wales to their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup and it is understood there has been some interest from clubs both at home and abroad in acquiring his services.

"I wouldn't say someone has sat me down and said, 'Are you coming to us?"' added Coleman. "It doesn't work like that. Managers are stocks and shares, aren't we?

"At the minute, it has gone well with Wales, but this time two years ago there wouldn't have been a hint of someone else.

"I'd have been in a long list of names if there was a job to apply for because there are only so many jobs. But I haven't worked this hard to where we are to start thinking about a job offer somewhere else. What I think about is what is in front of me.

"I hope everyone knows what it means to me to manage Wales and to do well in this tournament. I am not thinking about the World Cup campaign and I'm not thinking about my contract.

"We have two games to prepare for what is coming in the summer. That's all I'm thinking about."

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