Wales’ production line of amazing talent is growing year by year, but who are the upcoming generation?
By Lee Clow
Jess Fishlock, Sophie Ingle, Helen Ward and Natasha Harding are names that all Welsh football fans know. The quadruplet have been the face of women’s football in Wales for over a decade now, racking up well over 400 caps. In 2021, they all still continuing to shine, but what does the future have in hold?
Here is a list of names who will become the future of the Wales National Team.
Lily Woodham
The first name on this list is Reading left back, Lily Woodham.
Woodham started her career at Bristol City before making a move to Reading in 2018. A year later, Woodham would go out on loan to Charlton Athletic in the Championship before returning to her parent club the following season in which she signed her first professional deal.
After impressing for the Royals, Woodham was rewarded with a call up to the Wales national team.
Woodham could not have made a better start for Wales when she made her debut back in October 2020. The 21-year-old was brought on against the Faroe Islands, by then Wales manager Jayne Ludlow, and within seconds scored her first international goal with virtually her first touch.
Since her debut, Woodham has not yet secured her place in the starting team for Wales, however she has regularly been brought on as a substitute, most recently against Estonia in a 4-0 victory.
The Reading defender is quick and agile and fits the profile of a modern-day fullback. Woodham certainly has a big future and no doubt will become an important figure in Gemma Grainger’s Wales side in the years ahead.
Carrie Jones
The youngest name on this list is 18-year-old midfielder, Carrie Jones.
Jones just recently put pen to paper by signing her first professional contract for Manchester United, a deal which lasts until 2023 and has an option for a further year.
Jones’ career started at Cardiff City Ladies and after an impressive season, she was picked up by Manchester United. Jones initially joined the WSL Under-21s Academy, but soon made the step up to United’s senior team as she made her debut as a substitute in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa in March 2021.
Since making her debut, Jones has gone on to feature eight times for the first team and has received high praise from her manager, Mark Skinner. “A talented young player who is wise beyond her years” are just some of the words that has been described of Jones by the Red Devils boss.
Jones made her debut for Wales at only 15 years old and has since gone on to play a further four times under manager Gemma Grainger.
At such a young age and a wealth of praise behind her, Jones is destined for great things. With the right integration, Jones should establish herself as a key member of the Wales squad and this will set up a positive future.
Maria Francis-Jones
The third member on this list is Manchester City player, Maria Francis-Jones.
Francis-Jones started her career at Coleg y Cymoedd’s academy and during her time there, she also played for third division side Cardiff City Ladies.
In 2021, Francis-Jones was given the opportunity to join blue side of Manchester as part of their academy squad. In Manchester, Francis-Jones receives professional training whilst also studying a degree in sport and exercise science at Manchester Metropolitan University
Despite only being 18 years old, Francis-Jones has been a regular in the Wales squad over the past year, including featuring at the Euro qualifiers.
“We are really excited for her to come back in and be in our environment again” are the direct words from Wales manager Gemma Grainger on Francis-Jones after the latter returned from captaining the U19 squad.
Francis-Jones certainly has a big future ahead of her and it is clear to see that Wales have a plan to develop her as a player and make a key member of the squad.
Elise Hughes
With eight caps to her name, Elise Hughes is the most senior player on this list, despite still only being 20 years old.
The Charlton Athletic forward started her career at Everton after came through their Regional Talent Centre. Hughes would then go on to make her debut for Everton in a 1-0 defeat against Arsenal in 2018 at only 16 years of age. Hughes scored her first professional goal for Everton against rivals Liverpool during the group stage of the FA WSL Cup.
During her time at Everton, Hughes spent time out on loan at Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers and in which she scored 5 goals for the latter.
In 2021, Hughes made a permanent move to Charlton in which she has flourished by scoring several key goals, including a hattrick against Watford in the Championship.
Hughes’ great club form has earnt her multiple calls up to the Wales squad over the past few years and in 2018, she made her senior debut in the Cyprus Cup against Switzerland.
With Wales’ top goal scorer, Helen Ward, at the latter stages of her career, Hughes is certainly one of the candidates to be her replacement. Still only 20, Hughes has a huge future and Wales’ attack should remain as threating as ever, even without Ward leading the line.
Morgan Rogers
The final player on this list is Tottenham Hotspur U21 player, Morgan Rogers.
Before signing for Spurs in 2021, Rogers was at Cardiff City Ladies - the same time as Maria Francis-Jones.
Rogers spent three years at Cardiff City Ladies in which she developed as a threatening right sided winger.
Since making the move to Spurs, it has appeared that Rogers has caught the eye of Gemma Grainger and her coaching staff, as she has been called up to the most recent World Cup qualifiers against Greece and France.
In the most recent press conference, Grainger has called for “the next Sophie [Ingle] and the next Jess [Fishlock]” and she feels the likes of Rogers and Francis-Jones could be these players of the new generation with the right development.
Like Woodham, Rogers is quick and a very dangerous option out on the flank. With right development and the support behind her, Rogers should become a key member of the Wales squad in the near future.
All five talents and the rest of the Wales squad will be in World Cup qualifier action over the next week as they take on Greece on Friday 26 November and France on Tuesday 30 November. Stay updated via WalesOnline.
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