Gemma Grainger says that Wales’ potential is limitless
PONTYCLUN, WALES - 18 MARCH 2021: Gemma Grainger takes part in a media session at the FAW’s offices ahead of her being appointed as the new Wales women national team manager. Vale resort, March 18th 2021, Wales (Pic By John Smith/FAW)
Gemma Grainger believes that Wales has limitless potential in whatever they do as she announced her squad for Wales’ upcoming friendly against New Zealand.
Wales have enjoyed a period of jubilation, with the men’s team qualifying for the World Cup and Dafydd Iwan’s ‘Yma o Hyd’ being number one in the charts.
Some polls have also suggested that football has now overtaken rugby as the most popular sport in Wales.
Grainger, who has been in charge of Wales for over a year now, has felt a momentum change and believes the possibilities are endless for Wales.
‘It’s an amazing time to be part of Welsh football. I’ve felt it in the last twelve months, I feel lucky that I have felt it at this time’
‘With the progression of the women’s team but the men’s team as well and what the men did last week in qualifying for that World Cup, putting the Welsh language on a world stage, putting the team on a world stage, it’s a real special time’
‘For us, we are excited about the Slovenia game in September. I’ve been to a full Cardiff City Stadium. I don’t know if we can get a full Cardiff City Stadium, but I’d like to give it a hell of a go’
‘The one word that I’d use with this country is that the potential is limitless in everything that we do. There are no limits.’
Development Squad
For the first time in Grainger’s tenure, she has announced a two-day development squad that will come together before the main squad joins up for the game against New Zealand.
The development squad sees a lot of players from the under-19 squad join up with some senior players, including Cardiff City’s Phoebie Poole, Arsenal’s Beth McGowan and Brighton’s Josie Longhurst.
‘Squad depth is so important for any team, there’s a lot of talk around teams in the Women’s Euros this year, and the teams who are predicted to win the Euros are the ones who have the biggest squad depth, and that is something we want to focus on’
Manchester United goalkeeper has been called up to the main squad as well as the development squad, and the Wales manager is keen to keep tabs on her progress.
‘With Saf, she’s very much on an individual plan and we felt this was a great opportunity to bring her in for the whole ten days’
‘Four goalkeepers is something we may look at moving forward. We think the benefits are there from a training perspective. It allows us to do different things in training’
‘But also, as well, it allows us to support Saf’s development, bring her into the group, and see how she does.’
No Fishlock
While the squad to face New Zealand is a strong one, one player who will not be involved is Jess Fishlock.
Fishlock will stay in America and play for her club, OL Reign. But Grainger was quick to assure that this was the plan all along.
‘Jess and I have been having conversations at the beginning of the year about this camp. One of the things we want to do is manage individuals well’
‘It was a sensible decision that Jess and I came to together. We want Jess to be able to perform well in September onwards, and we knew this was the right decision.’
Wales will play New Zealand in an international friendly in Pinatar (Spain) on the 28th of June, with kick off at 18:00.
WALES SQUAD TO FACE NEW ZEALAND
Laura O’SULLIVAN (Cardiff City Ladies), Olivia CLARK (Coventry United), Poppy SOPER (Unattached), Safia MIDDLETON-PATEL (Manchester United), Rhiannon ROBERTS (Liverpool), Josie GREEN (Unattached), Hayley LADD (Manchester United), Gemma EVANS (Reading), Rachel ROWE (Reading), Lily WOODHAM (Reading), Sophie INGLE (Chelsea), Anna FILBEY (Unattached), Angharad JAMES (Orlando Pride), Georgia WALTERS (Sheffield United), Carrie JONES (Manchester United), Ffion MORGAN (Bristol City), Meg WYNNE (Unattached), Elise HUGHES (Unattached), Kayleigh GREEN (Brighton & Hove Albion), Helen WARD (Watford), Tash HARDING (Unattached), Ceri HOLLAND (Liverpool), Chloe WILLIAMS (Manchester United), Morgan ROGERS (Tottenham Hotspur), Chloe BULL (Bristol City)
WALES DEVELOPMENT CAMP SQUAD
Laura O’SULLIVAN (Cardiff City Ladies), Olivia CLARK (Coventry United), Poppy SOPER (Unattached), Safia MIDDLETON-PATEL (Manchester United), Morgan ROGERS (Tottenham Hotspur), Maria FRANCIS-JONES (Manchester City), Bethan ROBERTS (Reading), Rachel ROWE (Reading), Ella POWELL (Bristol City), Anna FILBEY (Unattached), Ellen JONES (University of Colorado), Gwen DAVIES (Bristol City), Chloe BULL (Bristol City), Charlie ESTCOURT (Coventry United), Carrie JONES (Manchester United), Chloe WILLIAMS (Manchester United), Ffion MORGAN (Bristol City), Meg WYNNE (Unattached), Hannah CAIN (Leicester City), Elise HUGHES (Unattached), Georgia WALTERS (Sheffield United), Alice GRIFFITHS (Southampton), Lauren THOMAS (Blackburn Rovers), Josie LONGHURST (Brighton & Hove Albion), Beth MCGOWAN (Arsenal), Phoebie POOLE (Cardiff City Women)
