Matthew Jones: Ex-international midfielder named Wales Under-21 boss
- Published
Matthew Jones was forced to retire as a player in 2004 because of injury
Former Wales international Matthew Jones has been named Wales Under-21 manager.
Jones, 42, replaces Paul Bodin, who left the role in July after almost three years in charge.
Ex-Leicester City and Leeds United midfielder Jones had been Wales Under-18 boss since 2020.
Jones has also been part of Gemma Grainger's Wales women's coaching set-up during their bid to reach the 2023 World Cup.
Llanelli-born Jones, who won 13 caps for Wales, was forced to retire at the age of 23 in 2004 because of knee and back injuries.
He spent five years coaching in Swansea City's academy before joining the Wales age-grade set-up.
Wales' women have reached the World Cup play-offs for the first time under Grainger, with a semi-final against Bosnia-Herzegovina taking place on 6 October.
Jones is to continue working alongside Grainger for the moment.
The Football Association of Wales said Bodin left the Wales U21 job by mutual consent.
Wales U21s won what proved to be his final game in charge, against Gibraltar in June.
That was the last match of an unsuccessful bid to qualify for the 2023 Uefa European Under-21 Championship, with Bodin's team finishing fourth in Group E behind the Netherlands, Switzerland and Moldova.
Jones' first game in charge will be a friendly away to Austria U21s later this month and he has named an initial 26-player squad featuring 17 uncapped players.
Amongst the newcomers are Cardiff City's Ollie Denham, Swansea City's Josh Thomas and Manchester United midfielder Charlie Savage, the son of former Wales international Robbie Savage.
The squad will be reduced to a party of 21 for the trip to Vienna Tuesday, 27 September:
Jones hopes he can help nurture the ambitions to succeed at the age-grade level as well as see individuals progress as they would wish.
"What I like to maintain is the expectations of the players, the players want to qualify (for tournaments)," said Jones.
"They want to improve, they want to create an opportunity where they fulfil this profile of being a team that qualifies for the next stages, whether that's through a play-off or to the finals tournament.
"We have to try and support the player with that dream and their aspirations."
Wales U21s squad: Cian Tyler (Coventry City), David Robson (Hull City), Ed Beach (Chelsea), Evan Watts (Swansea City), Fin Stevens (Swansea City - on loan from Brentford), Ollie Denham (Cardiff City) Owen Bevan (Yeovil Town - on loan from Bournemouth), Matt Baker (Stoke City), Owen Beck (Bolton Wanderers - on loan from Liverpool), Iestyn Hughes (Leicester City), Luca Hoole (Bristol Rovers), Zac Ashworth (West Bromwich Albion), Oli Hammond (Nottingham Forest), Tom Sparrow (Stoke City), Eli King (Crewe Alexandra - on loan from Cardiff City), Oli Ewing (Leicester City), Charlie Savage (Manchester United), Ryan Howley (Coventry City), Jordan James (Birmingham City), Jadan Raymond (Crystal Palace), James Lannin-Sweet (Arsenal), Ed Turns (Brighton & Hove Albion), Pat Jones (Huddersfield Town), Josh Farrell (Juventud de Torremolinos CF - on loan from Granada), Josh Thomas (Swansea City), Joe Taylor (Peterborough).