CHRIS Coleman is preparing for the biggest night of his career and wishing that his late father was with him in France to witness such a huge moment in Welsh football history.

The national manager has been lauded for leading Wales to the brink of the Euro 2016 quarter-finals and his only sadness is that he can’t share the moment with the man who meant most to him.

Paddy Coleman lived to see his son take over from Gary Speed as Wales boss in 2012 but died in 2014 – just before his son set the national side on the road to a first major tournament since 1958.

And when his side kick-off against Belgium in Lille tonight, Coleman admits he’ll take a moment to remember the man who introduced him to the game.

“My dad was born and bred in Dublin,” he said. “He was an Irishman and moved to Swansea when he was about 18. He died two years ago at 74.

“He was a huge football fan. Unfortunately he witnessed the first campaign!

“To be fair I probably helped to put him where he is now! I always felt a bit guilty about it!

“He loved football and would have loved have this,” added Coleman.

“He would have been ecstatic. If you are manager of your country it is different to managing a club.

“Your family feel it much more. It is their country, they feel it.”

Coleman’s sisters and mother Eileen are cheering him on from home in Swansea and keeping him in touch with the mood back home.

“They are on cloud nine at the moment, they are loving it,” he said.

“I have two sisters and they are very nervous, they kind of watch the games from behind a couch most of the time because they are so nervous.

“They keep texting me and on the phone to my mother she is telling me what it is like back home.

“It is an amazing feeling to be a part of it and be in the position I am obviously incredibly proud.

“My father would have loved all that. He would absolutely have loved what is going on here.”

Coleman also speaks to his wife and children and revealed that he is often brought down to earth by messages from his old friends in Wales.

“I never had any messages saying ‘don't worry it will be alright’ when it wasn't going so well, I never had any of that,” he joked.

“They are huge Welsh fans and I think one or two are on the verge of losing their jobs if they spend any more time out here but I am not sure they are worried about that to be honest, they want to just keep experiencing what is going on.”

South Wales Argus: