IAN RUSH believes Wales and England could both have a major say at Euro 2016 as the tournament enters the knockout phase.

The former Chester, Wrexham and Liverpool striker has attended all three of Wales’ Group B fixtures at the tournament and believes Chris Coleman’s side can go deep in the competition with their side of the draw opening up nicely following the conclusion of the group stages.

Wales face Northern Ireland in Paris in the last 16 tomorrow and Rush believes Coleman’s men can secure a quarter-final berth.

“It’s already been a massive success for Wales, just getting out of the group is fantastic but to get through as group winners is a big help,” the former Juventus hitman said.

“Anything from here is a bonus although I know Wales supporters would be disappointed now if we don’t make the quarters, which shows how far the team have come.

“Quarter-finals would be fantastic and would represent a big success for Chris. Wales are a very dangerous team to play in the knockout rounds because they hold no fear, they showed that against Russia.”

The 54-year-old, who is working as a guest of UEFA at the tournament, believes England’s downfall could be manager Roy Hodgson’s inability to settle on his best team, having made six changes for their crunch Group B clash with Slovakia, with at least four of those players expected to be restored to the line-up for Monday’s last 16 encounter against Iceland in Nice.

“England haven’t clicked yet and I think part of the problem is they don’t know what their best team is,” Rush explained.

“Wales know who their best XI is, they’ve got a system which works and it brings success. England don’t know who they want to start with and that is causing them problems.

“Having said that they should have beaten Russia and they looked good in the second-half against Wales. 

“If it clicks for England they could still have a big say in the competition and they could be dangerous to play if they start converting their chances. You can’t rule them out going far.”

Rush, who remains Wales’ record goalscorer with 28 strikes in 73 appearances for his country, has been delighted to see Wales’ world-class performers Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey getting the chance to showcase their skills on the biggest stage of all.

Great Welsh players in the past including Mark Hughes, Ryan Giggs and Rush have all missed out on the opportunity to represent their country at a major tournament, and Rush believes the current crop deserve all the plaudits they have received in France.

“They’ve been very impressive and I felt they were superb against Russia,” he continued.

“They proved they are not a one man team. It’s all we’d heard in the build-up but by topping the group they’ve proven a point. Bale and Ramsey have been brilliant, but so have the others, and the response after the England defeat was key.

“A lot of the lads were very low after that, but they picked themselves up and have responded in the best way you can, by winning your next match.

“It’s hard to say if this Wales team is the best one I’ve seen, it’s a difficult one because this team has made it into a major tournament so straight away they’ve got one up on us.

“But we had some good sides during the 1980s and I think we’d be a match for the current side, but in terms of playing as a team then yes, the current squad are above the rest.

“It’s good for everybody, it provides the whole country with a real lift and that’s the effect this Wales team is having on people.”