Wales centurion Natasha Harding has been omitted from Gemma Grainger’s latest squad due to a "non-footballing decision".
The Wales boss announced an unchanged squad for her side’s upcoming friendly against Finland in Pinatar, Spain. The match marks the first time the team will meet since their agonising World Cup play-off final loss to Switzerland in Zurich last month.
Harding has not featured for the national team since the squad’s goalless draw with Slovenia on September 6 which booked Wales a historic World Cup qualifying play-off berth. However, the forward has featured for her new club Aston Villa in their last five fixtures, netting her first goal in her first start for the Midlands-based club against Everton at the end of October.
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Grainger cited “personal reasons” for the 33-year-old’s absence from the previous squad but has since disclosed an ongoing situation off the pitch being led by the Football Association of Wales’ safeguarding and player-caretaker team.
“It’s a non-footballing decision, based on that current situation the decision has been made for her not to be in the team,” Grainger said in a press conference. “Obviously, I want all players to be available for selection. But I think for me, with the current situation, it’s in the best interest of the player for her not to be with us at this time.”
When pushed about potential reintegration into the squad, Grainger added: “The guidance for me is that when the FAW tell me she is available for selection, and that’s the point that I will start to think about it then. But until then, it’s out of my control and I’m very much focused on this next camp and the players that are here.”
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Despite talk of retirement for the squad’s senior contingent such as centurion Helen Ward or Kayleigh Green, Grainger has called upon the same 26 players from the previous squad in a bid to “review and reflect” on the last camp’s heartbreak.
However, Grainger was forthright in admitting significant alterations to the squad and staff will be made for next September’s Euro 2023 qualifiers.
“For me, the planning has already started,” Grainger said. “The [Euro 2023] draw is in January, so I know it seems like a long time until September but actually, probably the first week in December when we get back from the November camp, I’ll start to look at what that draw looks like. We want to look at the team, can we integrate new players into the team, potentially a new playing style as well. We want to continue to evolve. It will be a different looking team in September.”
Grainger would not divulge the details of the new look, but admitted the process will be “thorough” and highlighted the addition of Gemma Lewis as the FAW’s first women’s and girls’ pathway manager as critical to her plans with conversations around squad depth and integration set for December.
“Player identification and player depth is a key part of any successful team and for me, to select from a bigger player pool and higher competitive player pool is a huge priority for us to increase that,” explained Grainger.
“For us, we have a core 11, so it’s about developing that squad depth between now and the next campaign, so that when we do bring in players, whether that’s from the bench or different squads, we have players that can play at that level.”
Grainger recognised the agonising manner in which the play-off final was lost but insisted the lessons learned are invaluable and the pain will ultimately be used as fuel to spur her team forward at next year’s 2023 European Championship qualifiers.
“Those moments will stick with us. We talk about character and how it’s developed. It’s developed in those moments. The feeling that we felt together out in Switzerland is something that we take forward with us, remembering how the game ended, the times that we conceded the goals, things that we want to be better at as a team. You can’t buy that experience.”
Wales play Finland on November 12 at 6.30pm.
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Wales squad in full
Laura O'Sullivan, Olivia Clark, Safia Middleton-Patel
Rhiannon Roberts, Josie Green, Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans, Rachel Rowe, Lily Woodham
Sophie Ingle, Anna Filbey, Angharad James, Georgia Walters, Charlie Estcourt, Jess Fishlock, Carrie Jones, Ffion Morgan, Megan Wynne
Elise Hughes, Kayleigh Green, Helen Ward, Ceri Holland, Maria Francis-Jones, Chloe Williams, Morgan Rogers, Chloe Bull.
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