WALES manager Chris Coleman admits he’d be in trouble if he hadn’t patched up his differences with Newport’s James Collins.

Injury has ruled out James Chester, the first choice to partner captain Ashley Williams at centre-back, for Saturday’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier in Israel.

And that means that West Ham defender Collins is set to win his 46th cap and his first since the friendly win over Iceland in March last year.

Ahead of the top of the table clash in Haifa, Coleman has spoken of his relief that his clear-the-air talks with Collins 18 months ago were successful.

Collins’ international career seemed to be over following the pair’s spat over availability at the end of the last qualifying campaign.

Coleman claimed the Newport-born star refused to be called up off the stand-by list for a game against Serbia in September 2013.

But the pair agreed to sort out their differences the following month and the former Cardiff and Aston Villa star was recalled to the squad.

The 31-year-old has since seen Hull City’s Chester partner skipper Williams at the heart of the Wales defence in all four of their Euro 2016 qualifying games.

But with Chester having failed to recover from a dislocated shoulder in time to be considered for Saturday’s clash, Coleman has admitted Collins has a chance to grab another opportunity.

“I’m glad we had that coffee together,” said the national manager. “We made sure we had it in the middle of the hotel so it didn’t kick off between us and we could stay civil with the number of people around us!

“But it’s great that he is with us and I think that perhaps what happened has helped him value playing for Wales even more.

“We had our spat, but I have known him since he was a kid and always liked him and when he has been with us he has been right in the middle of everything.

“His presence and personality are going to be very important going forward.

“He has had to wait for his chance but this is an opportunity for him,” he told Media Wales.

“He was brilliant in the last camp, as were Danny Gabbidon and Sam Ricketts, who did not play but were great round the dressing room in Brussels.

“That is great for the younger guys because it is good to have advice from senior players. ‘Ginge’ likes the challenge and the atmosphere we will find ourselves in and it will be a dog-fight, which he enjoys.”