Wales manager Chris Coleman has signed a two-year contract extension to take in the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.
The deal, which was announced at a Football Association of Wales press conference yesterday afternoon, ends uncertainty over Coleman’s future ahead of Euro 2016 in France next month.
Coleman succeeded the late Gary Speed in January 2012 and has guided Wales to their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup.
Coleman had been linked with Aston Villa and Swansea over the last few weeks, but the former defender said it was always his intention to sign a new Wales deal.
“I am delighted to get this opportunity to build on what we’ve achieved so far,” the 45-year-old said. “It’s a big challenge but it’s one that I feel we can conquer.
“Once you’ve had a taste of club management you do miss that day-to-day involvement because international management can be a bit lonely.
“There’s a lot of things out of your control which takes a bit of getting used to.
“But the over-riding factor is that I’m only going to manage Wales one time – it’s not a job you’re going to go back to.
“This is a one-off for me, and the fact there’s such a good group and a good feeling is not something I want to hand over to someone else really easily.
“This is not the time to sit back and enjoy the moment. This is the time we push on and do something special.”
Coleman said in March that there had to be changes behind the scenes in Welsh football for him to commit another deal.
He said agreement had been reached over those issues, with both himself and the FAW giving ground.
“It was very important that everything came to a conclusion before we embark on this journey in front of us, and we can concentrate on what’s made us strong,” Coleman said.
“It wasn’t a case of looking at what we’ve done. We need to keep on improving things and pushing each other before we even get to the players.
“I think both parties showed real meaning in trying to get the deal done. The FAW showed that they really wanted me and I showed them that I wanted to stay.”