Chris Coleman was flying home today determined to build on Wales’ thrilling march to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
Wales are expected to move up from 26th to 11th in the Fifa world rankings — the highest-placed home nation — and Coleman has already drawn up a to-do list to ensure they do not rest on their laurels.
“Can we work on our facilities, can we find a better way to work with our under-age players?” he asked today.
“Can we improve our structure? Can we improve our young players? There is a long list of things to concentrate on, something to work on when we get back. We have to go to work immediately.”
Coleman, who said it had been a privilege to lead Wales in France, claimed he would not take too much notice of their rise up the rankings.
“It changes quickly,” he said. “We mustn’t get carried away. We have had some dark times when we have dropped outside the top 100, so when you start playing around with the top 10, that’s a good feeling. But you can’t get carried away.
“There’s a different kind of pressure on us, we can’t be ‘plucky old Wales’. People will expect us to deliver.”
And the manager said he is determined to keep his squad together for World Cup qualifying, which begins at home to Moldova on September 5.
“We are going to need everybody again, I hope that this is not the time of any of them thinking it is time to bow out.”
Wales were flying to Cardiff, where they were due to have an open-top bus tour and a public celebration event at Cardiff City Stadium.
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