Is it about time the Wales women’s national football team took a look at our goal machine Rosie Hughes?

Is it not about time the Wales women’s national football team management considered selecting the north’s most prolific goalscorer in a generation?

Since joining Wrexham AFC Women at the start of 2021-22, Rosie Hughes has knocked in a remarkable 72 goals in 30 matches across all competitions – that is 2.4 goals per game.

It is a phenomenal record. Yes, Wrexham play regional football but the Genero Adran North sits at tier 2 on the Welsh football pyramid. They’re not playing hopscotch.

The 27-year-old Hughes has proved her class when facing top-tier sides many times before, not least last month when she hit six goals against Adran Premier team Abergavenny in the Welsh Cup.

Yes, Abergavenny are bottom of the top-tier, but still operating at the highest level all the same.

And long before the Adran North was formed, Rosie impressed on numerous occasions for Llandudno in the former Welsh Premier Women’s League, finishing club top-scorer most seasons.

She’s improved since then, even fitter, faster and a more deadly finisher than before.

Rosie, from Colwyn Bay, is probably close to her peak now and certainly worth a chance to at least train with Wales.

Yes, it would be a major rise in standard, with the majority of the current senior Welsh squad representing high level clubs in the English system.

But a goalscorer is a goalscorer. Sometimes that gift can transfer itself dynamically and shine at any level. Sometimes it just needs a chance. Anyone remember Ian Rush?

Wales women are improving as a team but are by no means the finished article. Still to qualify for a major championship, although they did come close in the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification – UEFA play-offs this year, losing out narrowly to Switzerland.

Is the current squad good enough to go one stage further? Or have we been reliant on the ‘old guard’ for too long?

Our legends such as Jess Fishlock, Helen Ward, Natasha Harding and Kayleigh Green are aged 35, 36, 33 and 34 respectively.

Should they no longer be considered undroppable? Is it time to give youth more of a chance? We do have some wonderful talent developing throughout the age groups all over the country.

Wales are not prolific goalscorers. For instance in 2022, 11 internationals, 11 goals.

Might it not be time to take a chance on someone like Rosie Hughes?

Of course, it has long been a problem getting recognition for North Wales women in our national set-up.

At the turn of the 2000’s, around half of the squad often heralded from the north, greats like Ceryl Jones, Cheryl Foster, Tania Jones, Jade Thomas, Nicky Davies, Katie Williams and Iona Williams being regulars in the senior side.

Steadily over the years those northern numbers have dwindled, to the point now that Elise Hughes is the only North Walian regularly picked and to achieve that she’s had to devote herself to the English pyramid.

Northern representation of Wales in the younger groups – under-15, U17 and U19 – is better, but it all seems to grind to a halt when it gets to the seniors.

The situation does not seem destined to improve yet under Gemma Grainger. We can only hope she turns out to be more responsive than her predecessor Jayne Ludlow, who always seemed very reluctant to answer questions about North Wales prospects.

I remember being massively disappointed that after picking Rhyl girl Emilie Revitt for the full Wales squad in a 2015 friendly against Slovakia at Nantporth, Bangor, Ludlow did not even allow the then Liverpool player five minutes of action in front of many of her home fans. Nothing on the game, other subs used, but not the local girl.

With 72 goals in 30 matches for Wrexham at tier 2 in Wales, Rosie Hughes is definitely worth a look. Just selecting her for a squad get-together would give girls in the north some belief that they might get a chance.

Rosie is the best thing to happen to women’s football in North Wales for a generation. It’s time she got some proper recognition.

ROSIE HUGHES – WREXHAM AFC STATS

2021-22 – APPEARANCES AND GOALS
Genero Adran North: Apps 14 Goals 36
NEWFA Women’s Cup: Apps 1 Goals 2
Adran Trophy: Apps 4 Goals 5
FAW Welsh Women’s Cup: Apps 2 Goals 5
TOTAL APPS: 21 TOTAL GOALS 48

2022-23 – APPEARANCES AND GOALS (up to and including December 18, 2022)
Genero Adran North: Apps 3 Goals 7
Genero Adran Trophy: Apps 3 Goals 14
FAW Women’s Welsh Cup: Apps 3 Goals 3
TOTAL APPS: 9 GOALS 24

TOTAL APPEARANCES FOR WREXHAM: 30
TOTAL GOALS FOR WREXHAM: 72