Goodbye to Jayne – reflecting on Ludlow’s record as Wales women’s manager

Departing Wales women’s manager Jayne Ludlow. Picture: FA of Wales

Departing Wales women’s team manager Jayne Ludlow reflected on “an eventful and exciting journey” when she spoke about the end of her tenure today,

Ludlow took charge of the Wales female national side for a record 53 matches, winning 21, drawing 14 and losing 18.

Her reign began with 1-0 defeat to France B in the 2015 Istria Cup in Croatia, although this is not recorded by the FAW as a full international so her official debut game was a 0-0 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina in the same tournament, and ended with a bitter-sweet 3-0 victory against Belarus in December 2020.

Sadly, that win was not enough for Wales to stay on course for the Euro finals, with Northern Ireland pipping them to a play-off berth on a better head-to-head record. NI’s 2-2 draw in Wales ensured they progressed on away goals, the teams having drawn 0-0 in Belfast.

Wales and Northern Ireland both finished on the same points, and the Welsh had a better goal difference of 12 over NI, but the final group positions were determined on results against each other.

After six years in the role, Ludlow said: “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.

“There have been several highlights, including our first ever draw against England at Southampton and the magnificent victory over Russia in Newport in June 2018.

“It has been a fantastic learning environment for me personally and I am proud of what we have achieved over the last six years as a group of staff and players, whom I want to thank.

“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.

“I wish the squad well in the future and I feel that qualification for a first major finals is not far away.”

The FAW will now begin a thorough recruitment process for a new national manager as Cymru look to prepare for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign, which will commence in September.

Jayne Ludlow’s record as Wales women’s manager 2014-2020
(N = neutral venue)

2015

Istria Cup (Croatia)
March 6, 2015: Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-0 Wales (N)
March 9, 2015: Wales 1-0 Costa Rica (N)
March 11, 2015: Wales 1-1 Croatia (won 3-1 pens) – Wales finished fifth (N)

Friendlies
April 6, 2015: Wales 1-0 Slovakia
April 8, 2015: Wales 1-2 Slovakia

Euro Qualifiers
Sep 22, 2015: Austria 3-0 Wales
Oct 23, 2015: Norway 4-0 Wales
Nov 26, 2015: Wales 4-0 Kazakhstan
Dec 1, 2015: Israel 2-2 Wales

2016

Cyprus Cup (Cyprus)
March 2, 2016: Wales 2-2 Finland (N)
March 4, 2016: Poland 1-1 Wales (N)
March 7, 2016: Czech Republic 1-0 Wales (N)
March 9, 2016: Hungary 2-1 Wales (N)

Euro Qualifiers
April 12, 2016: Wales 4-0 Kazakhstan
June 7, 2016: Wales 0-2 Norway
Sep 15, 2016: Wales 3-0 Israel
Sep 20, 2016: Wales 0-0 Austria

2017

World Cup Qualifiers
Sep 17, 2017: Kazakhstan 0-1 Wales
Oct 24, 2017: Russia 0-0 Wales
Nov 24, 2017: Wales 1-0 Kazakhstan
Nov 28, 2017: Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-1 Wales

Cyprus Cup (Cyprus)
Mar 1, 2017: Hungary 0-2 Wales (N)
Mar 3, 2017: Wales 0-0 Czech Republic (N)
Mar 6, 2017: Ireland 1-0 Wales (N)
Mar 8, 2017: Scotland 0-0 Wales (Scotland won 6-5 on pens) (N)

Friendlies
Apr 5, 2017: Wales 3-1 Northern Ireland
June 8, 2017: Portugal 1-2 Wales
June 11, 2017: Portugal 1-0 Wales
July 8, 2017: Netherlands 5-0 Wales

2018

World Cup qualifiers
April 6, 2018: England 0-0 Wales
June 7, 2018: Wales 1-0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
June 12, 2018: Wales 3-0 Russia
Aug 31, 2018: Wales 0-3 England

Cyprus Cup
Feb 28, 2018: Wales 1-0 Finland (N)
Mar 2, 2018: Wales 0-3 Italy (N)
Mar 5, 2018: Wales 0-0 Switzerland (N)
Mar 7, 2018: Wales 1-1 Austria (Austria won 3-2 on pens) (N)

Friendlies
Nov 10, 2018: Portugal 1-0 Wales
Nov 13, 2018: Portugal 0-0 Wales

2019

Friendlies
Jan 22, 2019: Italy 2-0 Wales
Feb 28, 2019: Ireland 0-0 Wales (N)
Mar 5, 2019: Wales 0-1 Ireland (N)
Apr 4, 2019: Wales 0-0 Czech Republic
Jun 4, 2019: Wales 1-0 New Zealand

Euro Qualifiers
Aug 29, 2019: Faroe Islands 0-6 Wales
Sep 3, 2019: Wales 2-2 Northern Ireland
Oct 8, 2019: Belarus 0-1 Wales
Nov 12, 2019: Northern Ireland 0-0 Wales

2020

Friendly
Mar 6, 2020: Wales 2-0 Estonia

Euro Qualifiers
Sep 22, 2020: Norway 1-0 Wales
Oct 22, 2020: Wales 4-0 Faroe Islands
Oct 27, 2020: Wales 0-1 Norway
Dec 1, 2020: Wales 3-0 Belarus