Ryan Wilkinson: ‘Great young players’ a glimpse into Wales’ future

The eight players who have not previously played in the Wales squad are Mia Ross, Annie Wilding, Gwen Zimmerman, Scarlett Hill and Amy Richardson, who have been called up for the first time, while Bobby Soper, Tegan Scarlett and Tiana Tesar will be hoping to make their debut for Wales after featuring for previous teams.

Charlton Athletic midfielder Ross, who played for England Under-19s and Under-23s, might already have played for Wales if not for injury.

“Mia, first of all, is a great person. I’ve been in contact with Mia since she got the job. I’ve been keeping an eye on her,” Wilkinson said.

“I think she has a vision and understanding of the space that has always interested me and intrigued me, and choosing which nationality to play in is a big decision.

Wilkinson added that both player and coach took their time and had a lot of good conversations before committing.

“Equally, no one would come into this team if they weren’t the right person for this team. So yes, it’s been part of England’s trajectory, but there’s the type of person I know could fit well into this Welsh team,” the head coach explained.

“We have to keep our Welsh heritage, our Welsh understanding strong, and that connection and passion for the flag and the badge has to be paramount. If that person I look up to doesn’t have that, I will stop recruiting them.”

“And from the beginning, Mia was very clear that this was something she was interested in, and felt strongly about, and we didn’t force those conversations or push them, it just happened quite naturally, and then it hit.

“So we gave her space and now she’s back to playing well and we’re really looking forward to having her for the first time with the group.”