A 26-player squad has been selected for a February training camp at the Vale Resort as Wales’ preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Round get underway.
The camp (Mon 15 Feb – Sat 20 Feb) will feature an almost full strength squad with captain Sophie Ingle, most-capped international Jess Fishlock and Hayley Ladd amongst the players involved. The only player unavailable will be Megan Wynne, who is at the final stages of her recovery from an ACL injury.
The camp will be the first time the squad are together since the departure of Jayne Ludlow as national team manager. An interim coaching group, led by FAW Technical Director David Adams, will take charge of the squad as the recruitment process for a new manager progresses. Adams will be assisted by Cymru Men’s U18s manager Matty Jones and the recently retired Wales centurion Loren Dykes for the duration of the camp.
The week will be the start of preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign, which is due to start in September (draw date 30 April). Friendly matches prior to the start of the campaign will be announced in due course.
David Adams said: “I’m very excited to be involved for this camp along with the rest of the coaching team. We plan to keep it an elite and enjoyable environment for the players, working on targets for each individual as they start to look ahead to the upcoming world cup campaign.”
Loren Dykes said: “I’m privileged to be asked to work with these girls on the upcoming camp, they are such a talented group of players with a good mix of youth and experience. It’s a great learning opportunity for me and I hope I can make a positive impact in the short time we have together.”
Matty Jones said: “From the outside looking in the team has always had a togetherness and professionalism that is such a positive for the game in Wales. I hope this camp will give the players the opportunity to grow even further and I look forward to the opportunity to learn more myself in a new environment.”
Wales Squad: Laura O’SULLIVAN (Cardiff City Ladies), Claire SKINNER (Swansea City), Olivia CLARK (Coventry United), Poppy SOPER (Plymouth Argyle), Rhiannon ROBERTS (Liverpool), Gemma EVANS (Bristol City), Maria FRANCIS-JONES (Cardiff City Ladies), Charlie ESTCOURT (London Bees), Hayley LADD (Manchester United), Josie GREEN (Tottenham Hotspur), Nadia LAWRENCE (Cardiff City Ladies), Elise HUGHES (Blackburn Rovers- On loan from Everton), Anna FILBEY (Celtic- On loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Sophie INGLE (Chelsea), Angharad JAMES (Reading), Jess FISHLOCK (Reading- On loan from OL Reign), Carrie JONES (Manchester United), Kylie NOLAN (Cardiff City Ladies), Chloe WILLIAMS (Manchester United), Kayleigh GREEN (Brighton & Hove Albion), Natasha HARDING (Reading), Rachel ROWE (Reading), Helen Ward (London Bees- Dual contract with Watford), Lily WOODHAM (Reading), Georgia WALTERS (Blackburn Rovers), Ffion MORGAN (Crystal Palace).
