STRIKER Sam Vokes is delighted to see Chris Coleman lead Wales in their quest to make a second successive major tournament after Hull City failed to lure the latter to the Premier League.

Wales, fresh from their run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, face Moldova at the Cardiff City Stadium on Monday night as they attempt to reach the World Cup in Russia in two years’ time.

The Republic of Ireland, Austria, Serbia and Georgia also lie in wait for Coleman’s men in Group D of qualifying – Wales’ only World Cup appearance to date was back in 1958.

And Burnley forward Vokes has welcomed the news that Coleman will definitely be in charge of the national team, despite interest from the Tigers following Steve Bruce’s departure.

“With everything that happened in the summer the gaffer was always going to get linked to somewhere because we did such a good job,” he said.

“I wasn’t surprised with that but it’s obviously great to still have him as the gaffer.

“He believes in what we’re about here and I’m sure the next qualification coming up helped him with his decision.

“For us it’s a chance to carry on what we started in France. What we’ve built here over the few years has been down to the manager and his staff.”

He added: “It’s great for us that he has stayed because we know how we all work.

“It’s a close group of players and a close group of staff, so for us going into a World Cup campaign it’s good to have that stability there and something we can build on from what we started in France.”

Coleman has announced that this campaign will be his last as Wales boss, but Vokes insists that is just part and parcel of the game.

“It’s just one of those things in football,” he said. “People do move on but he’s our gaffer at the minute and it’s all going well.

“We’ll always go out on the pitch and work hard for him and the team, it’s just important that at the minute we’ve got that stability and it’s good for him to be here.”