North Wales will host the next generation of Cymru stars next week as they compete in the UEFA MU19 Elite Round against England, Portugal and Türkiye, and head coach Chris Gunter believes his players are ready to take on Europe’s best.
“We’re playing against three good teams,” said Gunter ahead of the mini-tournament. “But the three teams that we’re playing against are playing a good team as well. We will have different challenges in all three games and different styles to counter, but we’re ready in terms of making sure we focus on ourselves. Our performance is the most important thing, and everything that follows on from that looks after itself.”
Cymru take on England in their opening match of the competition at the Bangor City Stadium on Wednesday, 22 March (KO 7pm) before heading to the Hops & Barley Community Stadium in Rhyl for the final two Group 7 matches against Portugal on Saturday, 22 March (KO 5pm) and Türkiye on Tuesday, 25 March (KO 7pm).
Tickets for the match against England can be bought online through the club here, while tickets for the remaining two group fixtures in Rhyl can be purchased at the gate ahead of kick-off. In addition, S4C and Sgorio will stream live coverage of all three Cymru fixtures across their digital platforms.
“Of course we respect who we’re playing against,” added Gunter. “But these boys have worked too hard to meet up and just focus purely on who we’re playing against. It’s about what we do, that’s the main thing for us.
We’re looking forward to playing in front of our fans in North Wales as we don’t have that opportunity a lot, especially at this age group. So to give the boys a sample of what it’s like to play in big games for your country is really important for their development as they go along in their careers.”
Cymru qualified for the Elite Round of the competition by finishing runners-up in their group back in November last year with victories over hosts Scotland and Liechtenstein.
Manchester United striker Gabriele Biancheri scored four of Cymru’s six goals in the mini-tournament, while the side also claimed an impressive draw and a win over Italy in a double-header the previous month to show that they have the credentials to compete against the top European nations at this level.
“In every game there have been improvements,” explained Gunter, who started in the role last September. “It’s difficult when you go in trying to get new ideas across and you expect everything at once.
“But I have to say from camp to camp, in each game, the levels of performance have been really good. We’ve improved in certain aspects every time, and we’re always wanting and demanding more from them. The way they go about their work and the way they conduct themselves when they’re representing Wales is first class.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing them again. A lot of them have been doing really well club wise and are making really good progress from that side which we always benefit from internationally.
“I have to say that they’re a top group and their attitude and application is first class. I’m really proud and honoured to lead them, and I’m looking forward to seeing them play at home in front of our fans and putting on some really good performances.”
The seven Elite Round winners will join hosts Romania at the UEFA European MU19 Championship Finals that will take place between 13 and 26 June this year.
Cymru have never qualified for the finals of this competition before. However, several of the players selected for this series of fixtures were part of the Cymru MU17 squad that qualified and competed at the UEFA Championship Finals in 2023, and their experience could prove vital as they look to make history.
“They’re the future of of Welsh football,” said Gunter. “Not every single player will go on to play for Wales, but the aim is to try and give every single player as many experiences as possible so you know that when Craig (Bellamy) calls on them, they’re in the best place to go and represent our country.”
Cymru MU19 Squad
Aled THOMAS (Everton), Alfie TUCK (Queens Park Rangers), Brayden CLARKE (Arsenal), Charlie CREW (Leeds United – on loan at Doncaster Rovers), Cody TWOSE (Cardiff City), Cruz ALLEN (Derby County), Dakarai MAFICO (Cardiff City), Dylan LAWLOR (Cardiff City), Elliot MYLES (Norwich City), Freddie ISSAKA (Plymouth Argyle), Gabriele BIANCHERI (Manchester United), George MORGAN (Everton), Kit MARGETSON (Swansea City), Lewys BENJAMIN (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Luey GILES (Cardiff City), Luke ARMSTRONG (Cardiff City), Ollie BOSTOCK (West Bromwich Albion), Sam PARKER (Swansea City), Troy PERRETT (Cardiff City), Vimal YOGANATHAN (Barnsley – on loan at Oldham Athletic), Zach GIGGS (Sheffield United).
