WALES captain Ashley Williams admits the players will have an extra motivation when they take on Portugal in tomorrow’s Euro 2016 semi-final – to honour the memory of former manager Gary Speed.

The two sides go head to head in Lyon for the right to play either hosts France or world champions Germany in Sunday’s final in Paris.

Speed, also a former Wales skipper, was national manager for 10 matches before his death in 2011 and Williams says the players want to make him proud on the biggest night of their careers.

“I was thinking about him on the plane coming over,” said Williams.

“I was reading Chris Wathan's book [on Wales – Together Stronger] and it brought it back to me at the time.

“My thought coming in was I hope he'd be proud of us.

“He saw us grow up and, what we've achieved today, he's always in the back of our minds.

“When we achieve something, we think about him.”

Current manager Chris Coleman, who succeeded Speed, says he thinks about his good friend every day and tomorrow will be no exception.

“If you think about Gary Speed, he had 10 games as a manager,” said Coleman.

“People talk about his legacy as a manager, but it's hard to have a legacy in 10 games.

“Speedo's legacy is 85 caps for Wales, and maybe over 50 as a captain, plus his 10 games as a manager in which he won five and showed great promise as a young manager.

“And then what happened, happened, unfortunately.

“He's not just a Welsh but a sporting icon,” he added.

“But I don't need a game of football for me to remember Speeds. I think about him every day, not just because I'm at a tournament.

“I don't need Wales football to remind me of my friend. He could be sitting here where I am, enjoying what we're enjoying.

“Unfortunately that was taken away. We always remember Speeds. I don't need football to do that.”

South Wales Argus: