Friday night’s win over Belgium in Cardiff moved Wales three points clear in their qualifying group as Coleman looks to become the first Wales manager since 1958 to steer his side to the final stages of a major tournament.
And with Wales moving rapidly up the World rankings they will also have a better chance of qualification for the 2018 World Cup thanks to their new ranking as one of Europe’s top nations when the next set of FIFA rankings are released.
It certainly is good times for the Swansea born Coleman who has steered Wales from the depths of football despair to the position that they now find themselves in.
And Williams, who rarely misses a game for either club nor country, is a massive part of the reason why Wales are where they are at this point in time. Rarely have I seen a better captain at Swansea since he was given the armband full time and he takes the same passion and drive to the national side for whom he has more than 50 caps.
“You see the finished product on the field in Ash, but I see him all week – and he’s brilliant to have in the camp,†said Coleman.
“He’s a top player. He’s at a top-eight club in Swansea but you could see if top clubs look at him – I don’t think he wants to leave, he loves it there, but that’s his ability.
“He shows it with us and hopefully he will get to take on players like Ronaldo next summer because he deserves it and has been brilliant for us.
“He’s full of confidence, fearless and he’s a proper leader. Leaders lead when they really need to; he needed to against Belgium and any time the ball went into the box I thought he’s going to head it and be there for us.
“He’s talking to people, throwing himself in front of the opponents and he’s a fantastic captain.
“He’s his own man and I like him because he will say to me if he’s not sure about something. He uses his experience of coming up against these top players he does and offers suggestions about different ideas.
“If he thinks we should be going a slightly different way he’s not afraid to tell me – but then whatever way we go he is all for it.
“That’s a huge positive for us.”
Williams has almost every summer for the past few years been linked with a move away from Swansea but it is a move that I have to say I can never see happening. For Swansea Ashley WIlliams is an important cog but I think for Ashley Williams, playing for Swansea is just as important.
And it would be fitting if he got the chance to lead his country out n France next summer, and from here it is difficult not to see it happening.
