by Adam Evans
WALES Women have announced their 26 player squad ahead of their February training camp in preparation for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Round gets underway in September.
The camp will feature a near full strength team with the usual names of captain Sophie Ingle, Jess Fishlock and Natasha Harding amongst the selected players.
The squad includes three changes from Wales’ final Euro 2022 qualifier against Belarus, with Anna Filbey returning from injury and the uncapped Olivia Clark, Poppy Soper and Chloe Williams have all been presented with an opportunity to impress.
It is the first time Wales will come together since Jayne Ludlow departed her role as manager; FAW Technical Director David Adams will take charge for the time being, as the hunt for a new manager continues.
🏴 Preparations for the @FIFAWWC qualifiers start NOW!
Our squad for next week's training camp 👇#BeFootball | #TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/Lx2Rx1MbMQ
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) February 10, 2021
Adams will be joined by Wales Men’s Under-18 manager Matty Jones and the recently retired Wales international Loren Dykes.
Interim coach, Adams expressed his excitement to take charge for the upcoming training camp: “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.”
And Loren Dykes says she is honoured to work with the team as she looks to progress her career off the pitch now that her playing days are over.
“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,” she said.
It’s a great learning opportunity for me and I hope I can make a positive impact in the short time we have together.”
Wales: 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).
