New Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut hopes to soon meet Aaron Ramsey after declaring himself happy enough with his team’s pre-season progress so far. The new Bluebirds boss was left encouraged by his side’s application in a 2-0 victory against well-drilled Cymru Premier outfit Penybont in Bulut’s first match in charge. Cardiff are rebuilding and that could yet involve Wales captain Ramsey, with the Turkish manager keen to discuss a move back to the club for Ramsey, a closing of the circle to where he began his career.

Defiant Rob Page insists Wales can still automatically qualify for Euro 2024 next summer, despite suffering a second successive group defeat in Turkey. Wales suffered a 2-0 loss in Samsun on the back of Friday’s horror show against Armenia, when opponents ranked 97th in the world claimed a 4-2 victory in Cardiff.

Rob Page has defended Wales’ dismal record over the past 12 months by insisting his side are a team in transition. Page signed a four-year contract in September but has come under increasing pressure after a dreadful run of one win in 11 games since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Aaron Ramsey has admitted that last year’s World Cup finals campaign was a massive disappointment for Wales, but he is confident they can continue to make amends in their Euro qualification bid. The Wales captain will lead his county when they host Armenia in Cardiff on Friday before heading to Turkey three days later, having made a positive start to Euro 2024 qualifying.

Gareth Bale is poised to return to the Wales squad – but as a mentor, rather than a maestro on the field. Wales manager Rob Page has held talks this week with Bale about a formal role that will tap into his vast knowledge and expertise, but will not involve coaching. Bale is living in LA and has been playing a lot of golf since he retired from football in January, but Page has kept in regular contact and views the former captain as an asset on the route to qualification for Euro 2024.

David Brooks has been handed an emotional return to the Wales camp for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey. But while Wales head coach Rob Page was delighted to welcome back the Bournemouth playmaker, he was forced to exclude Luton Town skipper Tom Lockyer after his collapse in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday.

David Brooks has returned to the Wales squad, 19 months after being given a cancer diagnosis and only 10 days after making his first Premier League start since his return to action. The Bournemouth fielder has been included in manager Rob Page’s squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.

Wales feel the legacy left by Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and others at Euro 2016 has been integral to them qualifying for a first major youth tournament for over 40 years. Later this month Wales will join the likes of England, France and Germany at the UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals in Hungary.

Ethan Ampadu believes Wales’ fast start to Euro 2024 qualifying shows painful World Cup lessons have been learned. Wales’ first World Cup appearance for 64 years turned into a damp squib in Qatar as Rob Page’s side finished bottom of their group with no wins and only one goal from three matches – a Gareth Bale penalty.

It will be interesting to see who is the proudest person leading out Wales in front of a packed house at Cardiff City Stadium against Latvia on Tuesday night – Wales skipper Aaron Ramsey or his seven-year-old son, Sonny. Both got a taste of captaincy last weekend – Aaron with Wales in Croatia and Sonny with the pre-academy side at Cardiff Cosmos.

Chris Mepham believes Wales can cope without the likes of Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, Joe Allen and Johnny Williams when they usher in ‘a new era’ in Croatia this weekend. The four retirees will be watching from the sidelines as Rob Page’s new look side kick-off their latest European campaign in Zagreb. Latvia – Tuesday’s opponents at the Cardiff City Stadium – Armenia and Turkey complete the Group D line-up, with the top two teams qualifying automatically for the finals in Germany.

Rob Page’s Wales squad announcement for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Croatia and Latvia last week was a landmark moment for Welsh football. The dark hour which had been a subject of dread for an entire sporting generation had actually arrived: Gareth Bale was no longer be available for Wales selection. His contributions in a red shirt – as well as those of fellow national team heroes, Joe Allen and Chris Gunter – have now officially entered the realm of memory.