Wales vs. Sweden preview: Rhian Wilkinson reflects on one year in charge

Despite losing their first Nations League game, Wales want to continue on their positive trajectory on Tuesday night against Sweden.

Wales were defeated 1-0 by Italy in Monza on Friday, but put in a very spirited performance against the group’s top seed.

Rhian Wilkinson admitted that she left the Milan suburb disappointed, but says it’s a good sign, and that she expects things to keep moving in the right direction.

“We’ve got five more games now to keep pushing. To lose 1-0 to Italy, the top seed in the group, and be frustrated by it is a good sign. We’re going to have ups and downs throughout the Nations League but for us as a group, I loved what I saw.

“There’s a growing confidence and belief in themselves, and I expect the same again tomorrow.”

Most of the post-match discourse was dominated by the youth players in the Wales system.

Mayzee Davies picked up the Player of the Match award, while fellow youngster Mared Griffiths also made her long-awaited debut. Wilkinson emphasised again just how important it was to give young players vital minutes.

“We said early on that we wouldn’t qualify for the Euros if the youngest and least experienced players in the team didn’t feel as worthy of qualifying as the most experienced players.

“These women have been trying to achieve the goal of qualification for years and years, and then a player shows up in their first camp, how do you make them feel as important?

“It’s a massive testament to the more senior players on the team with how they’ve brought the young ones in and made them feel like such an important piece of the team so quickly.”

Captain Angharad James has certainly played her role in welcoming new players into the Welsh environment, and she is looking forward to watching players like Davies and Griffiths on their journey to being first team regulars.

“The youngsters that are coming through are good players but they’re really good people too. They’ve gelled into the squad easily, and you can see that in their performances on the pitch.

“Mared over the past few weeks has been great for her club and made a difference for us out in Italy. Mayzee had a great game all around, and they’re not just players for now but for the future, and I’m looking forward to being a part of their journey.”

However, another player who stood out on Friday night was goalkeeper Olivia Clark.

It’s been a rollercoaster six months for Wales’ number one. Having joined Dutch champions FC Twente in the summer Clark moved back to the UK in January to join Leicester City.

The shot stopper has made plenty of crucial saves in Wales’ journey to the Euros, and Wilkinson was full of praise for her.

“Liv has been a model of consistency for us, and it doesn’t surprise me. She pulls out worldies regularly. Goalkeepers make occasional errors, and they get latched onto and made into a storyline.

“With Liv, her consistency and the number of times she’s saved us in games is testament to who she is and how connected she is in her Welsh career.

“She will do what she need to do club wise to make sure she’s in the right place, physically and mentally, when she shows up for Wales.”

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One Year Anniversary

The match against Sweden will mark exactly one year since Rhian Wilkinson signed on as Wales manager.

It’s certainly been a whirlwind year, but the Canadian says there’s still a long way to go for herself and Wales.

“Like everything there’s been a lot of ups and downs. Wales had staff in place before I arrived, and for me, a year into the job we’re still getting to know each other.

“These players come into the national team for a short amount of time, and it’s nice because we are getting into a rhythm, but equally, part of my job is to never let them get too comfortable and to never let myself get too comfortable.”

And development is the name of the game for Wales, especially in this edition of the Nations League.

Their first ever League A game almost two years ago saw Wales soundly defeated away against Iceland, a far cry from the battling display against Italy.

James knows how far this team has come and has praised the manager for keeping things fresh.

“Over the last year we’ve grown so much. It’s been a whole squad effort, and the whole squad is being used.

“Over the past year, that’s what we’ve done, and players have grown, partnerships have come to life, and it’s been refreshing to come to camp and having those changes in formation, changes in the way we play.

“Each game in League A is going to be challenging in different ways, but we’re prepared for it and we’ll give it all we’ve got.”

Sweden Test

Undoubtedly, Tuesday’s match against Sweden will be one of Wales’ toughest tests for a number of years.

The Swedes have finished third in the past two World Cups and have players who ply their trade at the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal, and Chelsea.

It’s a daunting prospect in many ways, but there’s no nerves for James and Co. Instead, it’s eagerness and determination.

“As a player, you want to play against the best, and we’ll be doing that in every game we play in this Nations League, especially against Sweden.

“Individually and collectively, it’s good to see where you are, and we will look to build on our performance against Italy.

“We want to be in better positions, create more chances, and hopefully score goals and cause upsets.”

Sweden have shown where consistent performances can get you, and Wilkinson wants to see another solid performance and more from her team in Wrexham.

“Sweden are a fantastic team. They are strong in a lot of areas and we’re going to have to, not only put in a similar performance against Italy, but up our performance.

“We’re looking forward to it, we’re excited about it, and the best teams in the world are consistent when it comes to delivering performances, and this is our first test of that.”

(Featured Image: Ashley Crowden/FAW)