Jack Collison may have been ruled out of Wales' World Cup qualifier with injury, but that hasn't stopped him signing the praises of Gianfranco Zola.

A knee injury will keep him out of the game in Azerbaijan at the weekend, but the youngster paid tribute to his manager whose faith in him has projected him onto the international stage. Article continues below

"He’s a joy to play under. When you’re in the Premier League there’s no hiding place with the standards expected of you," Collison told Wales Today.

“It’s a pressured environment but I love it. I love being out there and being involved, every minute of it.

“The whole occasion, playing in front of huge crowds, the TV, but the best part of it all is just being able to enjoy playing football.

“And the manager helps with that. He wants us out there playing with a smile on our faces and when you’re allowed to do that it helps you produce the goods on the pitch.”

Discuss this in our forum. It's quick and easy to register