Chris Coleman and FAW 'apart' over fresh contract talks

Wales manager Chris Coleman says he and the Football Association of Wales are "apart" on fresh contract talks that "never went very far" in the opening meeting.

Coleman's deal ends after Euro 2016, the first major tournament Wales have qualified for since the 1958 World Cup.

The 45-year-old hopes to stay in charge for the bid to make the 2018 World Cup.

"It has to be right. I didn't expect the first negotiations to be, 'Great, is that it? Let's do it,' he said.

"It's not going to be like that. We are apart.

"But it wasn't disappointing because it's an important decision to go into the World Cup, for me and Wales.

Contract negotiations opened last Monday but no further talks between the FAW and their manager are scheduled, with Coleman in "game mode" for Wales' friendlies against Northern Ireland and Ukraine.

They host Northern Ireland in Cardiff on Thursday and travel to Ukraine four days later in their Euro 2016 build-up.

"All I can think about is Northern Ireland," said Coleman, a former Wales defender.

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

He added: "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."