Wales defender Chris Gunter hopes Wednesday's match with Costa Rica will prove a fitting tribute to the memory of Gary Speed.
Wales defender expecting emotional encounter in Speed memorial
Wales defender Chris Gunter hopes Wednesday's match with Costa Rica will prove a fitting tribute to the memory of Gary Speed.
Wales face Costa Rica on Wednesday at the Cardiff City Stadium in a Memorial Match for Speed following the former manager's tragic death in November.
Gunter knows it will be an emotional occasion as players, coaching staff and fans remember Speed with Speed's family also in attendance for the game.
The Nottingham Forest ace admits the job Speed has done with Wales should not be overlooked having guided the side into the top 50 in the FIFA rankings when they were as low as 113 in the past.
Emotional
"It's going to be a really big event in Wales," Gunter told
skysports.com.
"It will be extremely emotional because all the focus will be on Gary Speed and what he has done for us as a team in the time he was our manager was massive and I don't think you can ever overlook how much he done for us in such a short space of time.
"Hopefully we can get a really good result in the game as I am sure that is what he would want."
Gunter admits there will be a sombre mood in the camp, but he believes the players will all draw inspiration from each other in the emotional circumstances.
"There is not really anything you can do to prepare for that I don't think," added Gunter
"It will be nice to see all the staff and I think I saw [Speed's assistant manager] Osian Roberts say the other week that everyone there can draw strength from each other and I am sure that will be the case, because the respect and everything that every single player in the squad had for Gary was so big that we'll all hopefully draw strength from each other."
