The inaugural Cymru WU23 camp took place earlier this month within 19 players selected to help bridge the gap between the intermediate teams and the senior squad.
Current Cymru WU19 head coach Nia Davies took charge of the group for mini camp that included a behind-closed-doors friendly against WSL 2 side Watford, but more significantly, took place alongside Rhian Wilkinson’s senior squad as they prepared for their World Cup Play-Off against Albania.
Bringing the two groups together enabled Wilkinson and her staff to observe their training sessions and speak to the players that had been selected about their place in the international pathway, although there are currently no competitive fixtures between U19 and senior football in the women’s game.
“Bridging that gap from the under-19s to the seniors is a big ask for players to jump straight there,” explained Davies to BBC Sport Wales. “Everyone has their own journey. Some need a little bit more time, and if we didn’t have this U23 squad, it could be that we lose them.”
Assisted by National Lottery funding, the introduction of the age group will also support Cymru’s Talent ID programme, which looks to identify new future talent both in and outside of Wales, whether through birth or heritage.
“Our goal is to graduate two players per year into the Women’s National team in order to bridge the significant gap between WU19 and seniors and recognise talent across the system,” said FAW Chief Football Officer Dr. David Adams.
“Targeting specific windows to track players will have significant benefits. The WU23s camp will ensure that several high potential players across the pathway benefit from further monitoring and international exposure to aid their future development.”
To understand more about the importance of the age group, we spoke to three players from the WU23 squad who are different stages of their international careers. However, the pride that Lucy Day, Elena Cole and Tianna Teisar have in representing Cymru is a common theme amongst the trio.
“I’m so proud to represent Wales and every time I sing the national anthem, I get so emotional because it just means so much,” explained Lucy Day, who captained the Cymru WU19 side in a recent match against Greece. “I’m from Rugby in England, but my dad’s from Aberystwyth, and he’s the proudest of all.
“I think it’s amazing,” Day added when asked about the introduction of the WU23 squad. “I think it’s definitely something that was needed, especially as a younger player to be able to learn from players older and more experienced than me.”
Elena Cole grew up in a football mad household in Skewen, Neath. “I got into football because of my brother and my father,” she explained. “I always got put in goals by my brother; he wanted to just shoot at me all the time. We’re a football crazy family, so I just grew up with it really.”
Now a midfielder for AFC Bournemouth, Cole has also worn the captain’s armband for the Cymru WU19 side. No longer eligible for that age group, the introduction of the WU23 squad provides the perfect opportunity for her to stay involved in the pathway system as she pushes towards a regular place in the senior squad.
“I think it’s really important,” Cole added. “I think it’s essential really, it closes the gap because a lot of players can miss out on the senior squad. Only a few of us really get to go on senior camps, and there’s probably a lot of players who have missed the opportunity to do it, and they’re very good players as well.”
One player who has become a regular in the Cymru senior squad is Tianna Teisar. The 21-year-old plays for Watford made her senior debut against Australia in Cardiff a year ago, and was on the bench for the 3-0 win over Albania in the World Cup Play-Off at Llanelli earlier this month.
“I’d like to become a regular player in that team,” she explained. “I’ve had that little taste of it already and now it’s just about trying to become a regular player in that team. I just want to keep pushing and keep knocking on the door, because that’s the ultimate goal.
“A lot of players develop at different stages; some of them might be late bloomers, so the U23 squad really helps to bridge that gap as some players can get lost after U19. But now they can keep pushing and keep representing the national team, which is really important.”
The introduction of the WU23 squad will also play a key role in shaping the Cymru senior squad for future major tournaments, in particular, the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup which is set to be hosted across Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“You have to start from the very ground up,” explained Dr. David Adams to BBC Sport Wales. “If you want to be competitive in a World Cup in nine years’ time, you can’t just pump money into the top end. You have to build the whole system.
“When you put a 16- or 17-year-old player in an under-23 squad, you’re showing intent. Knowing full well that England have won major tournaments and have huge investment, we have to find a way, in our own way, to offer something where girls can see a viable option in Wales for their development.”
The growth of women’s football across the country in recent years, boosted by qualifying for WEURO 2025, means that there are more and more players pushing for international recognition. “There are too many players to let go now,” added Nia Davies.
“You’re seeing girls play a lot younger and a lot more frequently. Over the last five or six years, the growth means we’ve got a bigger talent pool. We’re still a small nation, but this is the prime opportunity to start something.”
