Wales manager Rhian Wilkinson has named her squad for the European Championship playoff final against the Republic of Ireland.
There’s only one change from the squad that was named for the games against Slovakia last month, with Ellen Jones returning to the team in place of Charlotte Lee.
Sophie Ingle, Elise Hughes, and Esther Morgan are still the only long-term absentees.
Having an almost fully fit squad to choose from for such an important game is of course a luxury for the manager.
“We did a bit of mixing at the beginning of the campaign knowing that the playoffs are when we needed to solidify and have some consistency in the group.
“We’re very fortunate that anyone that I’ve brought into the team at any stage has fitted in seamlessly, and that makes picking a squad even easier.
“We’ve had a few injuries coming into this camp and knowing Ellen’s character and competency and knowing she’s back to full health is a good thing.
“She’s a great character and a wonderful team member who is working her way towards being an impact player. She’s ready to go in if needed but she’s also a player who’s at the beginning of her Wales career.”
Jess Fishlock was an injury concern heading into the games against Slovakia last month, but due to Seattle Reign not being involved in the NWSL playoffs, she has not played since that second leg in the capital.
She, along with Angharad James, will not have played for a month, something that can serve Wales very well.
“Obviously with Jess it’s different because she was recovering from an injury, so this break has given her a little bit more time to recover, but she’s fully fit now heading into these games. Angharad hasn’t had that many minutes in the last few games, which is always a concern as a coach.
“However, this week we have people like Angharad and Carrie Jones, who’s seasons have come to an end, so we’ve created a little training group in order for them to be as sharp as possible for when they come into camp.”
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Ladd lacking minutes
One of Wales’ biggest concerns heading into these two crucial games is the match fitness of Hayley Ladd.
The midfielder turned defender, at the time of writing, has only played 84 minutes so far this season across two games (80 of them coming in the League Cup against Liverpool).
When asked about the lack of game time Ladd was getting at Manchester United, Wilkinson admitted she was disheartened, and implied that she may need to move to get the recognition she deserves.
“It is upsetting. You look at Olivia Clark who was a back-up at Bristol City, she had to move to FC Twente and be playing in the Champions League now to be recognised for her abilities.
“Sometimes, part of my job is to encourage players to look for playing time. Manchester United is one of the best teams, we know that, but if my players aren’t playing, then we have to try and figure out an environment that’s right for her.
“Hayley is an incredible woman and player, and she will never speak ill of anyone and will never criticise coaching decisions, which I appreciate. She’s gotten her head down and she’s working even harder to try and earn herself minutes.
“The season is a long one and we’ve got to keep an eye on her environment but also other environments to make sure my players are being appreciated.”
Plenty of players have seen their game time rapidly improve by moving abroad, including Carrie Jones, Olivia Clark, and Charlie Estcourt.
Wilkinson believes Welsh players are being viewed unfavourably across the border in England, and she said she will always monitor other options for her stars.
“I’ll speak as a Canadian in this instance. When Canadians play in the USA, they’re not always seen as an exciting international to have on your roster, because it’s right next door.
“Sometimes, I think my Welsh players are seen as right next door, and sometimes you just have to remind people of how good they are by making sure we look at other opportunities for them.”
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Ireland test
The only thing standing between Wales and their first ever major tournament appearance are the Republic of Ireland.
Only five places separate the two countries in the FIFA Rankings, and results are often close.
Wilkinson is acutely aware of the talent that the Irish possess, but says Wales have to attack from minute one in order to prevail.
“We’re similarly ranked, and while they are slightly above us, this is a team that we know a lot about. They’ve had wins against us, we’ve had wins against them, and it will be quite evenly matched, which is what we want in football.
“I’m excited about an opportunity to really challenge ourselves against a really worthy opponent who have beaten France recently and put in some good performances. We’re going to have to show up from minute one. We can’t have another dip like we did against Slovakia.”
The first leg takes place a week on Friday at Cardiff City Stadium, with 13,000 tickets already sold. The current record for a Wales Women’s game stands at 15,200 against Bosnia.
Wilkinson has called on fans to descend on the national stadium and to roar the team on to victory.
The Canadian went further, stating that people regretted not seeing Gareth Bale play live for Wales, and they will regret not seeing stars like Jess Fishlock play in person.
“This team is building a legacy. We know the importance of major tournaments and what they can do. Euro 2016 is a prime example. But what this team has already done can’t be ignored. They do carry a lot of the weight of the past with them, and they don’t need to.
“The legacy of what they’ve already achieved is seen in the 13,000 tickets sold so far. It’s seen when I’m walking around, and people are asking me about players like Sophie Ingle or Ffion Morgan or Alice Griffiths. The game is changing in Wales because of this group of players.
“We want to break the record with ticket sales for lots of reasons, but my main one is, I feel it’s been taken for granted this group of players coming through. This is an opportunity to see some of the greatest players that will ever wear the Wales jersey, at home, in a meaningful game.
“It’s a special team with special players. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this team live and in person.”
Wales will face the Republic of Ireland over two legs. The first leg takes place at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday 29th November (K.O. 19:15), with the second leg taking place on Tuesday 3rd December at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium (K.O. 19:30).
WALES SQUAD TO FACE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Olivia Clark (FC Twente), Laura O’Sullivan-Jones (Gwalia United), Safia Middleton-Patel (Manchester United)
Rhiannon Roberts (Real Betis), Josie Green (Crystal Palace), Charlie Estcourt (DC Power), Hayley Ladd (Manchester United), Gemma Evans (Liverpool), Mayzee Davies (Liverpool Feds), Lily Woodham (Crystal Palace), Ella Powell (Bristol City), Anna Filbey (Watford)
Alice Griffiths (Southampton), Angharad James (Seattle Reign), Lois Joel (Newcastle United), Rachel Rowe (Southampton), Carrie Jones (IFK Norrköping), Ffion Morgan (Bristol City), Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign), Ceri Holland (Liverpool), Ellen Jones (Sunderland)
Kayleigh Barton (Charlton Athletic), Mary McAteer (Sunderland), Hannah Cain (Leicester City), Mared Griffiths (Manchester United), Tianna Teisar (Bristol City)
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