Wales manager Gemma Grainger believes the journey to qualification for a major tournament starts on Friday night in Iceland. The fixture may be their opener in the UEFA Women’s Nations League – rather than World Cup or European Championship – but Grainger insists the route this tournament offers as a back-up for Euros qualification is invaluable.

Joe Rodon was harshly sent off according to his manager Daniel Farke as Leeds United earned a goalless draw at Hull City. Wales defender Rodon was dismissed for a second bookable offence on the hour and will now be suspended for Leeds’ next game against Watford.

Michael Duff has suggested he may have only three games left to save his job after Swansea City completed their worst start to a season for 32 years. The Swans head coach is still searching for his first league win as manager seven matches into the season after his team were held to a 1-1 draw at Queens Park Rangers.

Erol Bulut insists Cardiff City have proved they can cope when they are without Aaron Ramsey. The Bluebirds manager watched his team overcome Coventry City, 3-2, at home on Tuesday night, despite being without their talismanic captain.

Welsh stars such as Sophie Ingle, Angharad James, Carrie Jones, Hayley Ladd and Gemma Evans are paving the way towards the world’s first billion-pounds women’s football league, according to Women’s Super League officials. The English Women’s Super League is confident of becoming the first billion pound women’s league in the world within 10 years, the chair of the WSL’s board said ahead of the new season that begins next month.

Nottingham Forest’s Welsh boss Steve Cooper expected Callum Hudson-Odoi to have a big impact as his “moment of brilliance” earned a 1-1 draw with Burnley. Hudson-Odoi reminded the Premier League what he is capable of with a fine debut goal, bringing his side level with a brilliant curling effort in the second half after Zeki Amdouni had put the Clarets ahead.

Erol Bulut has revealed he had heard a lot about Ollie Tanner – and most of it was bad. A good job, then, that the Cardiff City manager decided his own eyes could provide the best evidence when sizing up the club’s 21-year-old winger.

Erol Bulut will continue to throw a Tanner in the works of opposition defences after 21-year-old Ollie broke Swansea City’s previously smooth-running derby day dominance. Bluebirds manager Bulut has used Tanner sparingly since the Turkish boss arrived in the capital this summer. He even revealed after Cardiff’s 2-0 victory on Saturday night that he and the winger have a running joke that the player is better as a substitute than when he starts.

Swansea City would like to issue a correction. When their head coach, Michael Duff, said he would rather gain promotion than win their derbies against Cardiff City, he didn’t really mean it.

Gemma Grainger has named uncapped duo Lauren Thomas and Mary McAteer in the Wales squad for the opening matches of the UEFA Women’s Nations League. Wrexham born Thomas of Blackburn Rovers has received her first senior team call-up for the games away to Iceland (Friday 22 September) and home to Denmark (Tuesday 26 September).

Joe Allen has told his Swansea City teammates they have to improve if they are to have any hope of keeping their arm lock on rivals Cardiff City this weekend. The former Wales midfielder will be part of a Swans team looking for a fifth successive derby victory over the Bluebirds when they visit the capital on Saturday night.

Jordan James described playing for Wales at the age of 19 as “unbelievable” as he reflected on a Riga performance that left his watching grandparents in tears. Birmingham City midfielder James made his first competitive Wales start on Monday as Rob Page’s side revived Euro 2024 qualifying ambitions with a 2-0 victory over Latvia.

David Brooks paid tribute to the fans who supported him after he scored his first goal for Wales since recovering from his cancer diagnosis. The Bournemouth star struck the second goal in Wales’ vital 2-0 victory in Latvia on Monday night which has kept alive their hopes of qualification for Euro 2024.

Bradley Davies picked the hottest day of the year to make his Bridgend debut, but he loved every one of the 67 minutes he played. When you are fast approaching your 37th birthday, and you are supposed to have hung up your boots and be coaching, rather than playing, for a living, turning out against one of the best packs in the Indigo Premiership is not the easiest task.

Brennan Johnson said farewell to Neco Williams with a last supper in London, but now the Wales pair aim to feast on Latvia on Monday night. Striker Johnson decided to meet up with some of his Wales pals last week to celebrate his £47.5m deadline day move from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham.

Connor Roberts insists it is naive to expect Wales to qualify for every major tournament. Wales have reached the last two European Championships and the 2022 World Cup after ending a 58-year wait to play at a major tournament. But making Euro 2024 in Germany next summer was seriously dented by qualifying defeats to Armenia and Turkey in June.

Rob Page insisted the game he didn’t want gave him the outcome he needed. The Wales manager saw his team keep a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw at home to South Korea in a friendly that was still fully contested.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min says he cannot wait to play with £47.5million deadline-day signing Brennan Johnson. The two players could be in direct opposition on Thursday when Johnson’s Wales host Son’s South Korea in a Cardiff friendly.

Rob Page says he wishes Wales were not playing a friendly against South Korea on Thursday. The Wales manager and his team are not in Euro 2024 action until Monday when they travel to Latvia for a crucial Group D qualifying clash.

Ethan Ampadu believes Wales will feel the benefit of his settled life at Leeds and the end of his wanderlust. Ampadu holds no regrets over leaving Chelsea this summer and heading to Elland Road after loan spells at RB Leipzig, Sheffield United, Venezia and Spezia – at the last three clubs he suffered relegation.