Gareth Bale should be an inspiration to every footballer in Britain, according to the national manager still counting his blessings. Wales boss Chris Coleman is not afraid to admit he is a lucky man in having the Real Madrid superstar in his ranks as he starts out towards the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Hal Robson-Kanu and Jonny Williams will hope to rekindle their Euro 2016 heroics at new clubs after making moves on transfer deadline day. Wales striker Robson-Kanu – who was a free agent after leaving Reading at the end of last season – has joined West Bromwich Albion on a two-year deal with an option for third.

Chris Coleman has revealed he wants to create new memories with Wales to fill the void he felt after Euro 2016. Having been denied a chance to talk to Hull City about their managerial vacancy, Coleman has insisted he is single-minded about guiding Wales to the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

Chris Coleman has questioned why Arsenal did not rest Aaron Ramsey at the start of the season – and suggested the Wales midfielder’s injury could have been avoided. Ramsey is out of Wales’ opening World Cup against Moldova on September 5 with a hamstring strain.

The memories will live on forever, but Euro 2016 is a thing of the past and next month Wales will begin their task of qualifying for their first World Cup finals since 1958. As is often the case every two years with major nations, some players will slowly slip out of the squad and new names will be introduced. Dai Sport columnist Ross Tyson looks at 11 players, who were not with the Wales squad in France, but who could make an impact on the road to Russia. Manager Chris Coleman will name his squad on Wednesday, with the opening game of the campaign on September 5, at home to Moldova.

Jess Fishlock has told her Wales teammates it is time to step up to the mark when they play the Republic of Ireland in Newport on Friday night. The Wales striker has urged the youngsters in the team to grasp their opportunity in the friendly, having gone out of contention to make the UEFA European Championships.

Hull City’s bid to make Chris Coleman their new manager has been blocked by the Football Association of Wales. The club – without a manager since Steve Bruce quit two weeks ago – made an official approach to the FAW asking to speak with Coleman.

Dutchman Leroy Fer reckons he has joined the Euro 2016 winners by signing permanently for Swansea City. Fer – who has agreed a three-year deal after a loan switch last season from QPR – insists the Swans were the Premier League’s top achievers at the tournament in France.

Former Swansea City defender Jazz Richards has completed his move to Cardiff City from Fulham. The Wales international has agreed a three-year deal with Scott Malone going the other way with both players valued around £400,000.

Wales’ run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 saw them climb to 11th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, above England who drop down to 13th following an early exit at the hands of outsiders Iceland. Chris Coleman’s men recovered from losing to England in Lens as they went on to win Group B before beating Northern Ireland, Belgium – currently the second best team in the world behind Argentina – and then losing 2-0 against Portugal, the eventual champions.

Hal Robson-Kanu is wanted by champions Leicester City and newly promoted Hull after his heroics for Wales at Euro 2016. The striker – who scored the goal of the tournament in the quarter-final victory over Belgium – is set for talks with Tigers manager Steve Bruce, but champions Leicester are also keen to speak to a player who is currently without a club after running down his contract with Reading.

The numbers were always stacked against Wales in Lyon but Chris Coleman’s men still return home as heroes, albeit ultimately heroic in failure after manfully battling to defeat by one of European football’s most successful ever teams. This was Wales appearing in a major semi-final for the first time in their history, their first tournament since 1958, undone by one of the world’s best players appearing in his seventh finals for a country that was appearing in its fifth semi-final in 16 years.