CHRIS COLEMAN will step down as Wales boss after the next World Cup campaign.

Coleman, 46, who took over as Welsh boss in January 2012, has just signed a new deal with the FAW.

But he said: "I am sure this will be my last campaign whether we qualify or not."

Coleman, who led his nation to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, has a contract that takes him up to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

And he added: "That will be six years in the job, which is a long time.

"This will be my last hit at it, so I will give it my best shot. But I would not consider going anywhere else. I want to see this through.

"There's loads of work to be done with this team. I'll give everything I've got in this next campaign."

Coleman laughed about the fact he signed a new deal before the Euros.

He said: "My staff joked my timing was not the best as a player and it's the same now! If they wanted to talk about another deal, I'd be cashing in!"

Coleman also delivered a fierce defence of his Welsh heroes born in England, claiming it is a player's "heritage" which matters.

Speaking here at Wales' HQ in Brittany before heading to Cardiff for last night's open-top bus parade, manager Coleman also had a dig at the English rugby union team.

Simon Church, Sam Vokes, James Chester, Ashley Williams, Andy King, Dave Edwards, Jonny Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu and George Williams were all born in England.

But Coleman said: "There has been a lot said about some of our players who were not born in Wales but they have mums or dads who are Welsh.

"It is funny, really, because some people use that against us.

"It had not been said about us for a long, long time and when we started doing well, we get banged over the head with that.
"But if you look at other sports, the English rugby team, where are half of those players born?

"They are not born in England but they have got English heritage which is fine. No complaints then.

"Now, we get to the semi-finals and nine or 10 of our players are born here or there but it is nonsense.

"They have Welsh blood in them.

"It is not as though they have been to Aberystwyth for the weekend a year ago.

"If they have Welsh blood that is good. We have to be greedy with what we have and we are always looking to improve in strength and depth.

"It will always be a little problem for us because we are such a small nation. I would not go down the road as if we are bending the rules but if there is Welsh blood in the family, they are welcome with us.
"I think, because we are a small nation, that strength in depth is always going to be a challenge.

"But that's not to say that some of the younger ones can't make a challenge.

"They can stake a claim and keep pushing the lads who have been a part of it these last two or three years.

"I think in the tournament, we didn't really rotate a lot.
"We kept the same team and tried to go as strong as we could in every game.

"I think that maybe there was a bit of fatigue there in that last game against Portugal but that's a learning curve for us."

Coleman accepts everything concerning Welsh football has changed.

The Wales public will now expect success and opponents will see the Dragons as a threat, meaning they are likely to approach games in a more defensive manner.

Potentially, it could be extremely frustrating. Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey are used to dealing with high expectancy levels but most of the other players have not found themselves in such a situation.

Until now.

Coleman added: "That is a challenge for us. Balo (Bale) is used to walking on to the pitch — and Rambo (Ramsey) — where every game they are playing there is an expectancy.

"With Balo it is not just Real Madrid winning, they have to win in a certain style. They are used to it but most of us are not, that is a challenge for us.

"We will discuss that with them all, the team and the staff, and how we prepare and manage the expectancy and the performance.

"It is going to be difficult for us and we know what football is like.

"You can come crashing down to earth and we know that. We have to be positive with it.

"We can't now decide because it will get a little heated now and expectancy is turned up, we will go back into our little shells and hide. We have to step up and face the music.

"We have shown we are a good team and we have to keep showing it.

"And whatever challenges are in front of us, we have to go meet it but it will be a new challenge for us."

Wales' next challenge is reaching the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

They have Austria, Serbia, Moldova, Georgia and Ireland in their Group D qualifying group.

There will be a few bumps along the road for Coleman, of that there is no doubt, and he is expecting them.

He said: "It is about not panicking. If we do change formation on the pitch our style of play is normally the same, we believe in our identity.

"We don't want to change anything too drastically because the formula we have works.

"The biggest challenge for us is we will be a scalp in this campaign because of what we've just done."