The Cymru WU17 squad will kick-off their preparations for their UEFA Women’s U17 EURO League A fixtures this week with a double-header against the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday, 25 September and Saturday, 28 September (both 2pm) in Dublin.
“The reason we chose the Republic of Ireland is because they’re now becoming an established nation,” explained had coach Pete Wilson to FAW.cymru. “They’re very similar to us in terms of where they’ve been and the journey they’re on. But in the past few months, especially with this age group, they’re starting to compete with the big nations. We want to test ourselves against a nation of similar value to where we see ourselves, rather than pitching ourselves too high or too low.”
The first match takes place at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbottstown on Wednesday before the two teams meet again at the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh three days later. “We’ve got a few new ideas that we’re putting into play,” Wilson added. “But we also want to see what our players can do against the kind of nations we want to be and we want that to inspire us to be better as well. I think that’s key for this camp.”
These will be Wilson’s first games as Cymru WU17 head coach having moved up from the WU16 squad last month and will be crucial preparation for the UEFA WU17 EURO League A Round One qualifying fixtures that take place in Portugal next month. Cymru will take on Switzerland, Slovenia and the hosts between 23 and 29 October, and Wilson explained the basis for selecting two friendlies in Ireland.
“Some of these players have only had limited opportunities to travel abroad,” he added. “So we wanted to go somewhere where they can be comfortable. With Ireland being close by, it’s less travel, less distance, but it should also be a familiar environment for the players as well. When we do go away to Portugal then, they’ve had the experience of being away together, but somewhere that we can control things a little bit more than going elsewhere on the continent.”
Out of the 20 players selected for the two matches, nine are currently involved with the FAW Girls Academy North and South programmes. Despite still being in its relative infancy, the Academy programme has already provided a pathway for a number of players to move into the professional women’s game, while also enabling the intermediate team coaches to enjoy more contact time with the players between international camps.
“Having the Academy is critical,” said Wilson. “We’re seeing success, but I still think we’re only going to be judged in terms of the number of players we get through to senior squad, which will take a number of years naturally anyway, and then qualifying for that major tournament. I think in the short term it has been a massive success. I’m a massive supporter of it and I believe that what we’re doing is working. A lot of people should take a lot of credit for it.”
Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson is currently preparing for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 play-off against Slovakia next month, but since her appointment in February, she has taken a keen interest in the progress of the intermediate teams. “She’s very interested in the process,” explained Wilson. “One of the things she said to me was ‘I’ve worked in player development, so I know what it feels like. I know what the stresses and struggles are, but also the rewards you can get from the younger groups.’ So she’s very aware of what we do, and when she can, she’s in and around it.
“Just to have her involved in a couple of meetings goes a long way and it’s a lot closer a connection than we’ve had in the past. It’s been growing over recent years, but I think Rhian’s taken it to the next level and we’re starting to see more interaction from the top down now rather than the bottom up. She’s also brought a few younger players into the senior squad as well each time.”
Cymru WU17: Orla HOWARD (Blackburn Rovers), Phoebe BAKER (Leicester City), Mia DAVIES (FAW Girls Academy North), Jessica RAWLINGS (Southampton), Senaiya KNILL (Blackburn Rovers), Elinor GUEST (Brighton and Hove Albion), Skye HAIR (Chelsea), Somoraa FLETCHER (FAW Girls Academy South), Emma THOMAS (FAW Girls Academy South), Evie HOLT (FAW Girls Academy North), Nia LEWIS (FAW Girls Academy South), Evelyn INGRAM (FAW Girls Academy South), Emily WILKINSON (Reading), Nia LLOYD (Ipswich Town), Lily NICHOLLS (FAW Girls Academy South), Ellen MARSH (Manchester United), Lois CARTMELL (Liverpool), Emily WILSON (Southampton), Layla DRURY (FAW Girls Academy North), Annie DAVIES (FAW Girls Academy North).
