Neil Taylor looks to help new generation of Welsh stars

Neil Taylor was released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Former Wales defender Neil Taylor is enjoying his first foray into coaching and hoping to play his part in helping the next generation of Welsh players.

Taylor called time on his 15-year playing career in November 2022.

He is now assistant to Wales Under-21s boss Matty Jones, with the side facing Scotland in a friendly in Pinatar on Sunday, 26 March.

"I've loved the week so far and the boys have been fantastic," said the ex-Wrexham and Swansea City player.

"I will be quite demanding of people all of the time because you want the best for them.

"But also you have to create an environment where they will come and speak to you at the same time."

In a career that also took in spells at Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, Taylor played 43 times for Wales and was in the Euro 2016 squad that reached the semi-finals.

He is working towards his Uefa pro licence with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and hoping to help a new generation of Welsh players having himself come through the age grade teams.

"We're at a crucial point for Wales over these next four/five years in terms of turning players over and getting them ready to play with Pagey (senior team boss Robert Page) essentially," Taylor told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

"It's about letting them know what they need to do.

"We have something called the Welsh way here which is implemented all the way through from Victory Shield age all the way up.

"Hopefully that gives us the best chance of getting boys into the first team."

Wales' friendly against Scotland forms part of their preparations for the upcoming Uefa Euro Under-21 qualifying campaign in which they will face Denmark, Czech Republic, Iceland and Lithuania in Group I.

But the under-21s remains a pathway into the senior squad - with players such as Luke Harris and Jordan James who are still eligible for the age group, included in Robert Page's senior squad.

"This is the age group really where boys can jump past and they can get into the first team and be around Pagey's squad," Taylor added.

"Especially now there's no hiding away from the fact there have been retirements recently and there are spots up for grabs in the starting 11.

"The promising young lads are obviously up there at the moment. but in terms of this group there's plenty of people here who can break into that first team if they have a good couple of years."