Jon Grey: Wales appoint Swansea City U21 boss as first full-time assistant

Rhiannon Roberts and Hayley Ladd speak to Jon Grey after Wales' goalless draw with Iceland at the Pinatar Cup

Wales have appointed Swansea City Under-21 boss Jon Grey as assistant manager to Gemma Grainger.

Grey, 45, who has worked in Swansea's academy since 2009, becomes the first full-time assistant in the history of Wales' women's national team.

Richard Thomas left Grainger's staff for Colchester last year, while Matty Jones had been involved but is now Wales Under-21 men's boss.

Grainger described Grey's appointment as a "huge positive" for her team.

"We want to qualify for the European Championship, we want to leave no stone unturned," the Wales manager said.

"Ultimately increasing my team and support that we have was going to be a key part of that.

"The FAW (Football Association of Wales) have committed to me having a full-time member of staff. It's the first time the women's team will have a full-time assistant coach and that's something that I requested after the last campaign.

"The planning and the time which I very much lead on from a technical, tactical, player observation perspective, we've kind of doubled that resource, which is a huge positive for us."

Grainger says it was important to find a Welsh coach.

"First during all my recruitment was to look for someone who met the criteria of being Welsh, but also was a pro licence coach and someone who was working at the highest level of the game," said Middlesbrough-born Grainger.

Grey attended Wales' February camp in Spain, where they drew with Scotland and Iceland and beat Philippines in the Pinatar Cup.

"Jon came highly recommended to me having worked at a high level at Swansea City for a number of years," said Grainger.

"Following our February camp, I know he is not only absolutely the right level of coach, but actually he's the right person for this team from an identity perspective."

Grey departs Swansea having first joined the club as a 14-year-old schoolboy player in 1994.

After injury curtailed his playing career, Grey returned as a coach in 2009 and has served as academy head of coaching and academy manager during his time at Swansea.

Grey had a hand in the development of numerous players including Wales internationals Joe Allen, Connor Roberts, Ben Davies, Joe Rodon, Dan James, Ben Cabango and OIlie Cooper.

"His loyalty to the club is very rare in football nowadays, even within the academy environment, having been here since he was 14 years old, but he's ready for the next chapter in his career and we wish him the very best of luck with his new challenge with the FAW," said Swansea academy manager Andy Goldie.

In Grey's absence, his long-time coaching colleague Anthony Wright will take charge of Swansea's under-21 side. The Championship club say "a new coaching structure will be announced in due course".

Southampton's B team coach Lee Skyrme, who has previously worked at Cardiff City, has also been added to Grainger's Wales staff, as a specialist coach.