Preparing the next generation of Wales internationals

“Our regional set-up turned into weekly sessions with players. They were still in their clubs, but they came into our environment once or twice a week.

“We then introduced a games programme, so they played against FAW boys’ academy teams in friendly games organised around their grassroots clubs.”

When girls were asked, as part of the FAW and FAW Trust domestic-game review, whether they found playing against boys to be a positive experience which supported their development, more than 85% said yes. 

Focus groups took place, with staff talking to players and parents from various age groups about whether they’d enjoyed friendlies against the boys and whether they liked the idea of bringing the north and south regions together to do it more regularly.

The response was a resounding yes – players and parents alike advocated for what they saw as improving and challenging themselves. Roberts calls such a mindset and drive in young females “inspiring”.

The enthusiasm beforehand doesn’t mean that the transition has been easy, though.

“I know the girls had a tough time at the start,” explains Lovett. “Physically it was really challenging.

“But as soon as we started having our first national environment experiences and they started going into camp environments and playing against other national squads, they realised how much they’ve benefited from the games programme.

“They realised they could compete at a higher standard, play at a higher intensity for longer and their ball speed changed drastically.

“It was like a lightbulb turned on for them all that this game programme makes sense.

“Initially, they weren’t used to losing on a weekly basis. These girls have come from grassroots clubs where they are used to winning every trophy, not conceding goals or getting tackled that often. 

“They then come into an environment where they haven’t got a lot of possession and they’re on the back foot.”

What the team are trying to encourage is a change in mindset from, as Roberts puts it, “What was the score?” to “How quickly are we learning?”.

"I know the girls had a tough time at the start. Physically it was really challenging..."

Getting parents on board has been a particular challenge. 

“Even though, from a coach’s perspective, we can see an improvement in players from the first half of the season, parents get quite bogged down by the scorelines,” Lovett says.

“If you’ve got a child, you probably want them to win everything. You want them to have trophies, to be happy after every game. Yet sometimes the girls don’t come off [the pitch] happy because it’s challenging and it’s physically demanding.

“They might have made one mistake and conceded a goal. That reflects international football, it’s what they need to wake up to.”

Through the challenges, Lovett and the rest of the coaching team have seen real reward from the progress the players have made.

“The girls just took it in their stride,” she said. “They bounced off each other really well and it made a difference.

“In April, we had a U15s and U16s camp and the staff said the cohesion and collectiveness of the groups now is completely different. 

“Considering we’ve had the Covid-19 pandemic in between and they haven’t been on a lot of camps, the players were so professional and well-behaved.

“They wanted to learn and take on board as much information as possible. And even if they conceded a goal, or if they lost the game, it was onto the next challenge: what can we do better? How can we improve? 

“That’s the difference over the last couple of years - they now see the bigger picture.”

The revised pathway has also meant a rethink on the focus of sessions. While the games against boys have provided an extra physical challenge, they’ve also provided enhanced technical and tactical ones.

The new structure means teaching these elements can be done a bit differently, while still sticking to the heartbeat of Welsh football: the ‘Welsh way’ principles.

Lovett said: “In a national environment, it was always about ensuring we gave players clear focuses and loads of information.

“Now, we can start drip-feeding the information in our academy programme and when we get to national camp, we know we’ve hit X, Y, and Z.

“I think the players have started to realise how much of an impact all the tactical and technical information has had in making sure they’re doing everything quicker - fewer touches, improved ball speed and first touch, checking their shoulder, making sure that if they can’t play forward, can they switch play? If they can’t switch play, can they break lines?

“It’s simple things that in the past we’ve taken for granted when we’ve tried to coach so much on a camp.”

The research that was so key to the implementation of the new strategy is set to continue as the programme progresses.

In a three-year project with the University of South Wales, led by Professor Brendan Cropley, the technical, tactical and physical elements of the game will all be researched and tracked, alongside the psycho-social side, understanding the lived experiences of players.

Focus groups took place with parents and players just before Christmas, with the players having done almost four months of the programme. Feedback was that, although it was challenging, it was enjoyable.

And the FAW and FAW Trust have already begun to look at how to act on the players’ desire to maintain the level of the challenge against the boys, but to also play more fixtures against girls.

They are considering more North v South fixtures, and potential match-ups against English RTCs.

One season into this long-term strategy, the FAW and FAW Trust are clearly committed to building, adapting and innovating as needed to truly put female soccer in Wales on the map and create elite players of the future.

And it seems the players are singing from the same hymn sheet.

Lovett says: “You ask our U12s players what they want to be. They just say: Jess Fishlock.”