New writer, @GalloisinFrance, looks ahead at the potentially troubling times in store for the FAW. After a few great years, are the wheels starting to wobble a little. 20201 promises to be a year of challenges for the FAW,
In the modern game of football, we are accustomed to the merry go round of managerial changes of club sides, from Chelsea’s hire and fire outlook to Cardiff’s short-term marginal gains approach. We are used to reading about which job is under pressure and who is in line to succeed. Over the last few years for Wales, this has thankfully not been the case. Both the women’s and men’s national team positions as we have enjoyed periods of continuity with a fair amount of success. But this year of 2021, we could be facing a considerable challenge for the long term. Now throw in to the mix the on-going story about Jonathan Ford’s future (CEO) and this series of the FAW is perhaps reaching a critical point.
The National Sides
After 7 years at the helm, Jayne Ludlow has left her position with the Women’s side with no clear successor as yet. For a calendar year with no competitive matches (at present), at first glance this isn’t a big issue. It will give the FAW time to pick the right person for the job without too much pressure and the clock bearing down on them. Though the short-term commitment of our biggest stars has been put to rest as they have agreed to continue on for the next qualifying campaign. There is still a lingering doubt over their long-term places in the squad for the future, and what this means for the development of the team. Loren Dykes has recently retired, and this begs the question will we see more departures over the next 12 months?
As has been well publicised, Ryan Giggs is currently in hot water due to personal reasons. There is a large shadow of doubt hanging over his position as men’s Wales boss for the future. If he was to leave his post, then the short-term plans look positive as Robert Page did a great job in overseeing the team in the 3-game window last November. Would Page be the right person that the FAW would look to in the long run, is the question. Does he have the same impact as the names of ‘Speed’, ‘Coleman’, ‘Giggs’? If RP was to be at the helm for the Euros this summer, then all would seem well. Short term, yes. Long term, perhaps not.
Both of the examples above point to considerable change this year for the men’s and women’s game in Wales as both managers have had their respective playing styles and connection with the football community cemented for a few years. For both sides, carving out a playing style and bringing in players to complement this has seen great success. However new managers will want to no doubt impose their own approaches and inevitably this will impact the players.
In the Public Eye
Publicly, the FAW has always done well to ensure close ties with the football community in Wales. Giggs has worked hard to build-up a close rapport with the nation through various tours and visits across Wales. A well worked plan following on the successes of Speed’s and Coleman’s reigns previously. Jayne Ludlow has been a strong advocate of the promotion of women’s football in Wales and like Giggs, was ever present at events across the country. Forging these relationships has never been quick. This will be the challenge for any incoming candidates for our national sides, which has been rendered even more of a challenge in our new COVID-world. Face-to-face meetings and training sessions with local clubs are now out the window. Promoting the game and bringing communities together under the FAW banner may be out of the question for this year.
CEO Uncertainty
Now throw in the unveiling story about the future of the top chief of the organisation and the plot thickens considerably. Though his popularity among the grassroots game is widely debated, we cannot ignore the advances and successes of the FAW over the past 11 years (purely from an outside perspective). Euros success; development of the women’s game; successful rebrands and commercial success; Champions League Final; coaching development programmes. To name but a few. But it seems that he is, on his way out of the door. (at the time of writing!)
Where to now then?
So, who do the FAW bring in to these respective positions? And how do they ensure that the long-term goals of the organisation continue despite change? Getting it wrong isn’t an option with the high stakes of the game and with important milestones ahead. The men’s World Cup in 2022 in Qatar (yes, that’s next year already!) and the start (and end) of the women’s qualifiers in 2022 for the women’s World Cup in 2023, are on the horizon.
The winds of change are blowing through the doors of the FAW. Although the long-term strategy of the organisation is well planned (despite the interference of COVID), the challenge of changes for the top positions in Welsh football may prove to be a considerable headache for the FAW.
If only we could binge-watch this season of the FAW in a day, just to get it over and done with.
Image Dragons Park: Pwimageglow, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image Giggs used under CC-BY-SA-3.0, Ryan Giggs; training session in Wrexham | Source / Author = lesbardd | Date = 20/5/18