Euro 2016: Wales closer to summer vacation in France

Chris Coleman has recovered well from a precarious position

Wales rather than Belgium, Bosnia or Israel have the early lead in Group A - can they make it to Euro 2016?

Wales' most famous player may represent Real Madrid and often find support from regular starters at Arsenal and Liverpool, yet it was goals from Birmingham and Reading midfielders which enabled them to close the second international break of the season top of Euro 2016 qualifying Group A.

The results that Wales have achieved aren't amazing - 2-1 victories over bottom-two seeds Andorra and Cyprus and a draw with a Bosnia side who have started stodgily - but it is the fact that they have been recorded in succession, with no destructive wobbles thrown in, that is most encouraging.

Well, that and how they have delivered during an injury crisis which robbed them of Aaron Ramsey, Joe Allen, Sam Vokes and James Collins among countless others and forced David Cotterill and Hal Robson-Kanu to step up and emerge as unlikely heroes. It proves that it isn't simply a case of sticking Gareth Bale and any other ten men that you can find onto a pitch and hoping that he does the rest.

The odds have adjusted to reflect the surge in Welsh optimism - they are now 3.185/40 to qualify from a height of 4.9, with some money even traded at evens - though the greatest evidence of increased positivity was the fervour of the support they received at the Cardiff City Stadium over the last week.

Whereas their final two World Cup 2014 qualifiers were played in front of around 11,000 against a backdrop of scepticism towards Chris Coleman, they were cheered by an average of over twice that against Bosnia and Cyprus with the crowd remaining loud as they held on with ten men in the latter.

Several in the squad have likened the upbeat atmosphere and camaraderie enjoyed together to what you would expect to find at a club side (perhaps not Championship underachievers Cardiff, mind!) and unity both among teammates and between players and fans appears to be high.

However, overconfidence must not be countenanced as there is plenty to do to earn even a play-off place, with it important to note that their leadership is skewed somewhat by Belgium and Israel playing a game less. Had that clash been completed, Wales would be second regardless of the result.

Coleman's men have both of those teams to face twice and a trip to Bosnia among their remaining seven matches. A more realistic picture of what they are up against will emerge when they face Belgium next month but, whatever happens in Brussels, Wales have put themselves in contention.