While Cymru prepare for the huge UEFA Women’s EURO play-off semi-final against Slovakia at the end of the month, the WU17 and WU19 squads head to Portugal looking to make positive steps in their own respective journeys with the support of senior head coach Rhian Wilkinson.
The Cymru WU17 side are the first to return to competitive action as they take on Switzerland (23 Oct), hosts Portugal (26 Oct) and Slovenia (29 Oct) in Round 1 of the 2025 UEFA WU17 qualifying campaign. Pete Wilson’s side recently travelled to the Republic of Ireland for two friendlies in preparation for the tournament and appreciates not only the challenges of competing in Group A, but also the benefits that his players will gain from testing themselves against the best teams in Europe.
“It’s always fantastic to go to Portugal,” said Wilson following his appointment in August. “We’ve been there many times and we know what they’re going to bring. They’re a very technical nation and they’re going to be really good tactically, so that will be a great test for ourselves. Switzerland will offer a completely different test and challenge, it’s been a few years since we’ve played them so we’re really looking forward to that too.
“Slovenia are in a similar situation to where were in the last campaign, a League B side moving up, so it’s important that we still get to play those type of nations where hopefully we can express ourselves a little bit more. But overall, we’re really looking forward to it and our aim is to be competing in League A for as long as possible because that’s the only way we’re going to get better. The only way we’re going to qualify for that major tournament is by exposing our players at a younger age to these top European nations.”
Meanwhile, Nia Davies and her Cymru WU19 squad also travel to Portugal as they continue their preparations for their return to competitive action in November and December with two friendlies against their WU18 squad. The fixtures take place on 23 and 25 October, and Davies believes the level of opposition will be an important test for her players ahead of their Group B3 fixtures that will take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina where they will face Lithuania, Georgia and the hosts.
“We reached out to quite a few nations that are Group A standard in this window,” explained Davies to FAW.cymru. “Because we’re going into Group B we wanted to play that level of opposition so that was the reason for it. We’ve got quite a good relationship with the Portuguese and they’ve accommodated us really well over the last two years. It gives us the opportunity to play their U18’s, and we have a lot of U18’s within our squad.”
Davies has stepped-up from the Cymru WU17 squad, and understands the importance of this age group as they look to bridge the gap to the senior team. “We want to push these players,” she added. “Obviously support them in the right way, but also challenge them because the step up is a big jump. I’ve had countless conversations with Rhian [Wilkinson] about it. It does take a little bit more time to really establish yourself in the senior team and you have to work hard away from camps to do that.
“So the challenge is making them as ready as possible for the senior squad, and it might not be until they are maybe 20,21 or 22, so it’s about how we best prepare them in this time to really make them the best version of themselves as a player but also as a person. It’s a tough time when you’re challenging to go into the senior environment. You’ve got to do the football side of it, but also attitude and discipline is really important as well.”
As both the WU17 and WU19 squads head to Portugal, Wilkinson will no doubt take a keen interest in how they perform having regularly invited payers from the intermediate teams to train and be involved with the senior squad since her arrival in February. “It’s a dream for any youth coach to have a senior coach who is aware of your players,” Davies added. “The opportunities that Rhian gives youth players is really encouraging for us as staff.
“That exposure and experience for them to help them to understand the difference in tempo, the difference in intensity, the forward thinking that they need to do before they even get the ball. That all helps when they come back to the U19’s. That exposure to the senior environment, whether that’s on or off the pitch, makes a massive difference.”