Football Association of Wales thoughts turn to leadership ahead of the 2023 World Cup qualifiers
WOMEN’S football in Wales faces an uncertain future after manager Jayne Ludlow and assistant coach Lauren Smith announced their departures from the national side.
The Football Association of Wales announced that Ludlow, who has managed the team since October 2014, had left her post by mutual consent.
“My time as the National Team Manager has been an eventful and exciting journey. It has been an honour and an absolute pleasure to have worked with the staff and players across our age group and senior teams.
“I am looking forward to the next challenges, one of which is an exciting opportunity I have to be part of a technical leadership team at FIFA,” said Ludlow.
Her departure would not have come as a shock for many, after being linked with the vacancy at West Ham back in December.
The most likely candidate to replace Ludlow would have been assistant manager Lauren Smith. However, Smith, who has been heavily involved with the U17 and U19 sides, has also left to become an assistant coach at Tottenham Hotspur.
Ludlow’s successor will have a large role to fill, with many crediting her for increasing the popularity of women’s football in Wales and enabling the team to reach the top 30 in the FIFA women’s rankings for the first time.
So who is in the frame to succeed Jayne Ludlow?
Loren Dykes
The current Wales international and assistant coach for Bristol City, Loren Dykes, could prove to be an exciting option for the national team. She has made 106 appearances for her country since her debut in 2007.
A player-turned-manager would be following in Ludlow’s footsteps, who continued to play for Wales until 2012. However, with Dykes returning to Cardiff City Ladies, the 32-year-old may not want to call time on her playing career just yet.
Vicky Jepson
Jepson could be another option, after departing from her role as Liverpool manager earlier this month.
It would be her first role with a national side, but the 32-year-old Englishwoman’s background would be suited to the challenge ahead.
With many of Wales’ leading names heading towards their final campaigns, the next manager will have to develop the future of the senior squad through managing the youth teams.
Jepson started at coaching at Liverpool for their academy, before spending five years as manager of their development squad.
However, after Liverpool were relegated from the Women’s Super League for the first time last season, she may not be an obvious choice.
Sara Hilton
FAW Trust coach educator and senior lecturer in Football and Coaching Science at Glyndwr University, Sara Hilton could be an outside contender for the job.
Before injury forced her into retirement aged 18, Hilton captained Wales’ U15s through to U19s side and played for Manchester United.
Last season, Hilton became the head coach of newly-formed Connah’s Quay Nomads. Her side finished the season unbeaten on their way to second in the North Wales Women’s League Division Two.
The 29-year-old’s experience could help promote more young players from the domestic Welsh leagues to the national side, with many of the current squad representing English clubs.
However, the FAW will have tough competition when recruiting their new manager after Phil Neville announced he was departing from England’s women’s side and Shelley Kerr stepped down in Scotland just before Christmas.
With the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign due to start in September, the team will be needing to rebuild after missing out on a play-off spot for the 2022 Women’s Euros.
