Angharad James relishing life with Tottenham and Wales despite Gemma Grainger's exit

As someone who has won more than 100 caps for her country, Angharad James is an integral part of Wales' leadership group.

That meant she got a sneak preview of the surprising news that stunned the Wales squad earlier this month.

James and a handful of other senior players were invited on a video call by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and they had no idea what was on the agenda.

The reason for the meeting soon became apparent - a chance for Wales manager Gemma Grainger to say her goodbyes before it was publicly announced she would be the next manager of Norway.

"It was very unexpected. The leadership group got told beforehand. Gemma spoke to us, and it (her words) came from the heart too," James told BBC Sport Wales.

"We could see it wasn't an easy decision, not one she took lightly."

Grainger guided Wales to the brink of qualification for their first major tournament, but lost out in the 2023 World Cup play-off final against Switzerland with a 2-1 defeat.

Grainger presided over a period of growth in popularity for the Wales women's national team with a record 15,200 fans attending the play-off semi-final victory against Bosnia & Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium.

"Firstly I'd like to thank Gemma for everything she's done for Wales and how she's changed the mentality of Welsh football," James said.

"She really bought into the culture. She got to know us as people as treated us like people first.

"The way we're playing now - we're playing good football. We're a more possession-based team than we were before she came in. It's great on the eye and it's great for people to watch.

"We've got a great fanbase now and she's been a part of that. Whatever happens next, and hopefully we do go on to qualify, she's been a big part of that."

Grainger's former assistant Jon Grey will be in interim charge when Wales take on the Republic of Ireland in Dublin next month.

Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney is hoping to appoint a permanent manager by the time Euro 2025 qualifying begins in April, and James is confident that Grainger's exit will not harm Welsh chances of qualifying for the finals.

Angharad James (left) is full of praise for her former Wales boss Gemma Grainger (right)

"These things happen in football, we wish Gemma all the best in her new role," she said. "We have to pick ourselves up and go again. We're ready for it as a group.

"Over the past few months we've integrated some of the younger and less experienced players to the group and they've taken their chances.

"You've got Lily Woodham performing in every game, Ffion Morgan has come into the set-up and has done well, and you've also got the experienced players too.

"I think we've got the dynamic right, we've got to keep working on the final little details to make sure we get over the line this time."

'She's the best person and so easy to work with'

James plays her club football for Women's Super League (WSL) side Tottenham Hotspur, who are sixth after battling relegation last season.

Spurs signed James in July 2022 as she returned to England following a spell in the United States playing in the National Women's Soccer League for North Carolina Courage and Orlando Pride.

It has been a season of improvement for Tottenham, with Robert Vilahamm's side playing a more expansive brand of football. Results have been mixed - Spurs lost 7-0 to Manchester City and 4-0 to Manchester United - but they did earn a first WSL win against Arsenal with a 1-0 victory in December.

James says she feels settled at Spurs.

"It's been a good transition for me coming back from the US. It's a very good club to be at," James said. "We are very competitive, especially this season.

"The victory against Arsenal before Christmas summed up how far we've come since last year."

James' wife, England defender Amy Turner, also plays for Tottenham.

It's not the first time both have played together for the same club after previously doing so at Notts County and Orlando Pride.

"She's the best person and so easy to work with," James said.

"Here we do our own thing, and we've got our own friendship groups. We come in and we'll go our separate ways.

"We normally give ourselves the car journey home to talk about what's happened during the day.

"As soon as we get home to our dog Betsy it's switch off and we don't talk about football. We've got a good balance."

Amy Turner and Angharad James announced their engagement on social media on 23 December, 2020 and are the WSL's first married couple

'Hopefully one day we'll own a coffee shop'

James and Turner have recently set up a coffee business together, with one eye on life after football.

"Me and Amy love having a coffee, and we said one day we'd love to own a coffee shop," James added.

"I was scrolling online and there was a camper van for sale. And I thought it would be cool to turn this van into a coffee van.

"The village where we live in does not have a coffee shop, so it's an ideal location.

"The plan is in place, and hopefully one day we'll own a coffee shop and we won't be sat in a van freezing with a heater on most of the time.

"It really has been a nice switch off from football. It's nice to go away and have a different focus."