Wales U21 manager Matty Jones has named his side for the upcoming September fixtures against Liechtenstein and Lithuania.
Having not made the senior team on Wednesday, Rubin Colwill and Luke Harris both feature in the U21 squad.
Some fans may have been bemused by the absence of both from Rob Page’s announcement in Bala, but for Jones, there was no shock at all, and is looking forward to working with both.
“There’s no surprise from us, purely because of the relationship that we have with the seniors, and I have with Rob. We put an action plan in place for these players and we make sure the journey for them and right steps for them are in place.
“Luke Harris is a great luxury, but he hasn’t played any U21 football yet. The support Rob has given him and the steps he’s made into the senior side have been really profitable, but it’s about isolating their learnings too and making sure we’re creating a platform for him to play in his own age group, and that will provide him an opportunity to excel.
“Rubin has certainly done that for us, and hopefully that’s given him a fresh bounce in his step when he’s gone back to his club, and he’s relishing the opportunities at Cardiff. Hopefully, it will give Luke the same bounce. We were all praying that Luke would have a loan move to support his career, but we see this as an opportunity where he can accumulate caps.”
In terms of new names, one that will stand out to members of the Red Wall will be Joel Colwill.
Rubin’s brother has had a bright start at the Cardiff City Stadium, having made his debut in the League Cup clash against Colchester United.
Jones has been an admirer of Joel’s for a long time and is looking forward to bringing the youngster into the setup.
“I’ve worked with Joel for a number of years, and I know about his traits and what he can offer the team. I was at his senior debut, and it was a magical moment to see both brothers on the pitch. Hopefully, we will be able to provide that piece of magic for them both on an international stage level too.”
A number of the U21 squad have found new teams this summer, either permanently or on loan.
The likes of Joe Low at Wycombe Wanderers and Charlie Savage at Reading have made a blistering start at their new clubs, and Jones is pleased with the new destinations for numerous members of the team.
“We need our players to be doing well, we need them to be excelling, we need them to come into us at the peak of their performance with momentum, and that will hopefully support us in what we’re trying to do.
“We reaped the rewards during the last camp with players having thrived at their clubs, and you can see the difference when players start playing senior football. They’re a lot wiser, more mature, and physically they’re evolving. I couldn’t be happier knowing our players are in a good place.”
It’s been a year since Jones took charge of the U21 squad, and the team seem to have settled into their new surroundings at Rodney Parade.
Before travelling to Lithuania, the team face Liechtenstein in Newport, and 4000 tickets have already been requested by schools and clubs.
Jones is hoping he and the squad can express their excitement and passion to the rest of the city, as they try and qualify for the European Championships.
“What’s been important to us is trying to find a home, a place where we can put our own stamp on and make the players feel comfortable. Cardiff has done that for the senior team, and we needed to find somewhere for ourselves.
“We wanted to avoid clashes with the senior team so we can promote that fan engagement. We’re on a crest of a wave at the moment and we have a lot of belief, and we need to transmit that to the community within Newport. We want to translate that energy into them.
“We’re at the beginning of a special journey, and we want them to come with us.”
WALES U21 SQUAD TO FACE LIECHTENSTEIN AND LITHUANIA
Ed Beach (Chelsea), Ronnie Hollingshead (West Brom), Ben Hughes (Swansea City)
Ed Turns (Leyton Orient), Joe Low (Wycombe Wanderers), Owen Bevan (Bournemouth), Luca Hoole (Bristol Rovers), Zac Ashworth (Bolton Wanderers), Owen Beck (Dundee United), Fin Stevens (Oxford United), Harry Leeson (Bristol City)
Eli King (Morecambe), Joel Cotterill (Stockport County), Charlie Savage (Reading), Oli Hammond (Cheltenham Town), Charlie Crew (Leeds United), Joel Colwill (Cardiff City), Rubin Colwill (Cardiff City)
Jadan Raymond (Crystal Palace), Luke Harris (Fulham), Cameron Congreve (Swansea City), Pat Jones (Huddersfield Town), Josh Thomas (Port Vale)
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