Collins has international future - Coleman

Wales manager Chris Coleman insists James Collins still has an international future despite omitting the Villa defender from his squad.

Collins, 28, was left out of the squad for the end-of-season friendly against Mexico along with Danny Gabbidon and Rob Earnshaw. Collins has been an integral part of the Wales squad over the last eight years, but lost his place in the side during the latter stages of Gary Speed's time in charge, with Cardiff's Darcy Blake being preferred as Ashley Williams' centre-half colleague. Collins' omission comes less than a week after he, along with Villa team-mates Chris Herd and Fabian Delph, was disciplined following a nightclub fracas after the club's awards ceremony. But Coleman says the decision to leave out Collins, along with Gabbidon and Earnshaw, will allow the trio a full summer's rest and give him the chance to evaluate other players. "James Collins has lost his place with Ashley Williams being really the mainstay and Darcy Blake has done well at international level," he said. "They haven't done anything wrong there. James has had a long hard season, he has had a few niggles. "I know all about James. I'm not going to learn anything from James. I'm not going to learn anything from Danny or Robert in this game. I may learn other things from players I don't know so well. I spoke to Robbie and Danny and they are fine. It's not me burning bridges with these experienced players. On the contrary they are very much part of our make-up and squad going forward."