New Wales U21 football squad

WALES U21 coach Brian Flynn sends out a new wave of raw youngsters tonight as he starts building all over again for his country’s football future.

Flynn’s side play their first match of a new Uefa Championship campaign away to Luxembourg, having been denied the chance of a warm-up friendly in Northern Ireland last month because of a frozen pitch.

It will be the U21s’ first match since their play-off with England in October, a 5-4 aggregate defeat which saw Flynn’s young stars do themselves proud but ultimately fail to reach this summer’s European finals in Sweden.

But now the bulk of that squad are too old for the new Uefa tournament.

Flynn said: “This is a new dawn, a new beginning for these lads. They will have a lot to live up to after what the previous squad achieved, but I have high hopes for them.”

Flynn has seen a raft of bright youngsters progress into John Toshack’s senior squad and will hope many of the teenagers who will play against Luxembourg – the return match will be played in Llanelli next Tuesday – will follow in those footsteps.

Flynn now has to do without Wayne Hennessey, Jack Collison, Gareth Bale, Chris Gunter, Aaron Ramsey, Lewin Nyatanga, Neal Eardley, David Edwards, Sam Vokes and Ched Evans, who have all made it into the full squad.

Of that team who took on England in the second leg of the play-offs at Villa Park, just four are still involved with the U21s.

That quartet – Cardiff’s Darcy Blake, Swansea winger Shaun MacDonald, Leicester’s Andy King and Reading’s Simon Church – will become the spine of Flynn’s new squad.

Football Association of Wales spokesman Ceri Stennett said: “Brian has done a great job bringing through players, and now he has another group to work with.

“The fact that we won our qualifying group last time and reached the play-offs means we have been seeded and received what we feel is a favourable draw.”

Article reproduced from Wales Online

Joe Allen wants a Wales cap

Wales U21 star Joe Allen dreams of pulling on a Wales senior shirt soon.

Swansea City player Allen, who has broken through into the Swans first team this season and impressed in the absence of Ferrie Bodde has told the BBC :

"hopefully international recognition will come as the performances and the game time come as well"

Wales U21 fixtures 2011 European Championship

Wales Under 21 Football fixtures - 2011 Euro's

Here are the fixtures that Wales have for the qualifying part of the 2011 European Championship. Wales are in group 3 (of 10 groups) with Luxembourg, Italy, Hungary and Bosnia Herzegovina. Wales narrowly missed out a trip to the 2009 finals in Sweden (to be held in June) - and will hope they can qualify for the 2011 finals in Denmark. Only group winners and best four runner-ups qualify for the straight elimination play-offs to advance to the final U21 tournament in Denmark.

27 March, 2009
Luxembourg v Wales

31 March 2009
Wales v Luxembourg

12 August, 2009
Wales v Hungary

4 September, 2009
Wales v Italy

10 October, 2009
Wales v Bosnia-Herzegovina

18 November, 2009
Bosnia-Herzegovina v Wales

4 September, 2010
Hungary v Wales

7 September, 2010
Italy v Wales

Aaron Ramsey goal for Wales U21

Video of Aaron Ramsey's super strike against England for Wales in the U21 play off.

England will go to Sweden for U21 football

Ten-man England held on for a 2-2 draw against Wales to reach the finals of the Under-21 European Championship with a hard-fought 5-4 aggregate victory. Tom Huddlestone's early free-kick put England in control on the night.

But Wales replied with Aaron Ramsey's superb strike and a cool Simon Church finish before an unlucky Sam Vokes own goal restored England's advantage. Huddlestone's red card gave Wales hope but the closest they came to another goal was when Vokes hit the post.

England had to defend in numbers for the final 25 minutes after the Tottenham midfielder was sent off for a late tackle on Darcy Blake but it is they who will go to Sweden for next summer's finals. And the only consolation for Wales was that they managed to push their more illustrious opponents all the way despite their comparative lack of experience and pedigree.


And in the early stages the gulf in class was obvious, with Stuart Pearce's side dominating possession and Wales trying, unsuccessfully, to get their playmaker Ramsey on the ball. Following a spell of heavy pressure, it was no surprise when England took the lead on 13 minutes but the manner of their goal was disappointing for Wales.


Ramsey needless fouled Adam Johnson on the edge of the area and, although Huddlestone struck his free-kick firmly, Owain Fon Williams' wall was not sturdy enough and he also reacted slowly as the ball flashed past him and into the net. Initially, Wales created nothing in response and England's defence continued to look comfortable.

But that all changed when Ramsey levelled with a goal out of nowhere on 24 minutes - the £5m Arsenal midfielder picking up the ball 30 yards out and taking a touch before sending a shot rocketing into the top corner.

And the 17-year-old rocked England again five minutes later when he ran at their defence and slipped an inch-perfect pass through to Church, who coolly lifted the ball over the on-rushing Joe Hart for his third goal of the tie. That brought Wales level at 4-4 on aggregate and although England still had the lead on away goals they still had work to do.

But Wales' fragility at set-pieces meant the home side did not have to wait long to regain their advantage. After 35 minutes, another free-kick - this time whipped in from the right by Jamie O'Hara - was met by Steven Taylor and bounced off Vokes into the net.

The match settled down after the break, with both sides seemingly aware of the importance of the next goal. But Huddlestone's dismissal gave Wales the impetus and, with Ramsey orchestrating the play, they pushed forward with real purpose.

By now, England were on the back foot, with substitute Fraizer Campbell cutting an isolated figure up front. Pearce's men defended stubbornly, however, and Wales' last chance came and went when Vokes' low shot crashed against the post.

Wales V England U21 football play off

Wales Under-21 side will play England Under-21s in a two-legged play-off for a place in next year's Uefa Championship in Sweden. Wales will be at home in the first leg, likely to be on October 10, with the return on October 14, although both dates are still provisional.

The match will pitch Stuart Pearce's youngsters, who topped their group with only two points dropped, against Brian Flynn's exciting clutch of young dragons, and both sides may consider being drawn together more than a little unfortunate. Pearce's side will be hoping to reach the finals of a tournament in which they made the semi-finals in 2007, while Wales will be bidding to qualify for their first major international competition since 1958. The winners of the play off will go to the final tournament held in Sweden in June 2009. The UEFA Under 21 Football Championship Final will be played in Malmö. The tournament will be from 15th June - 29th June. More information on the venues and this bizzare story about burgers causing a change of venue!

The last meeting between the two UK teams came in May, with England winning their friendly 2-0, thanks to goals from Tom Huddlestone and Theo Walcott. Match report for that game at the BBC

Wales team that beat Romania

Romania U21: Tatarusanu, Homei (Ochirosii 69), Tudose, Mardare, Sepsi, Tanase (Deac 45), Ropotan, Chiacu, Keseru, Torje (Bicfalvi 58), Stancu.
Subs Not Used: Panitilimon, Latovlevici, Luchin, Hora.

Booked: Stancu, Mardare, Chiacu, Ochirosii.

Wales U21: fon Williams, Blake (Mike Williams 21), Wiggins, Ramsey, Eardley, Rhys Williams, King, Bradley, Church, MacDonald, Adams.
Subs Not Used: North, Allen, Basey, Brown, Klein-Davies.

Booked: Rhys Williams.

Goals: Rhys Williams 12, Church 57, Wiggins 67.