Wales: Jon Grey will not rule out permanent manager role as he names his first squad
- Published
Interim manager Jon Grey says he would be keen to become Wales' permanent boss after the exit of Gemma Grainger.
Grey feels "honoured" to lead the nation's women in this month's friendly against the Republic of Ireland.
Football Association of Wales (FAW) chief executive Noel Mooney says applications to succeed Grainger, who left to manage Norway last month, have come from all over the world.
"Would I be interested in the job? Of course I would," Grey told BBC Sport.
"It's an honour and a privilege to be involved... It is flattering to be linked with such a prestigious role, but my focus is on this next game and that is the focus of the staff around me and the players.
"Yes there is a process going on with the managerial change, but that's with the FAW."
Former Swansea City academy coach Grey has named five players who have never previously featured in the Wales senior squad in the group that will travel to Dublin to face the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday, 27 February.
Tianna Teisar, Olivia Francis, Mayzee Davies, Lois Joel and Tegan McGowan are selected for the first time.
Grey will be assisted in Dublin by an interim coaching staff, with Wales' record goalscorer Helen Ward and former Newport County boss James Rowberry assisting him.
That follows the departure of three of Grainger's coaching staff who will follow her to Norway, with Lee Skyrme becoming Norway's assistant coach and physical coach Frankie Hunter and mental skills coach Sally Needham also joining Grainger's team.
'Top European coaches applying for the role'
While the immediate focus for Wales is on their friendly in Dublin, their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign begins in April.
The FAW hope to have named Grainger's successor before qualification begins, with the current process seeing a long list of applicants honed down to a shortlist for interviews.
"We've had some really strong applications, it is clearly a very attractive role," FAW chief executive Noel Mooney told BBC Wales.
"We've had really top European coaches applying for the role and high quality ones from here in Wales and across the UK too.
"We have our long list, which we feel is very strong and we are very comfortable with.
"Our technical team will whittle it down to a few and then we will begin the interview process."
Mooney says he has been surprised by the calibre of applicants.
"There have been a lot of applications and a couple of very interesting ones across the continent," he said.
"We will get the list down to six or eight names and then we can get very serious.
"We have clear criteria about what we are looking for.
"Our ambition is to have the manager in place before the first Euro qualifier and we are still hopeful of that."
Fresh faces in squad for Dublin
London City Lionesses defender Joel, 24, is called up after making appearances for England at age-grade level.
She can potentially follow in the footsteps of Ceri Holland and Hannah Cain in making the switch from the England youth set-up as Wales look to bolster their talent pool.
"She came into a camp in September to see if she liked the environment and she did really well," Grey said.
"She is a player we have been monitoring for a while."
Former Wales Under-19 striker McGowan is also included along with Teisar and Manchester United duo Francis and Davies.
The inclusion of 17-year old Davies caps a meteoric rise after she joined United last summer from Adran Premier outfit Pontypridd United.
"We've included a few youngsters and we feel this is the ideal camp for them," Grey added.
"This is probably the best time to bring young players in, before the qualifying starts. They will be in this environment for years to come."
Wales' most senior players are all available for the friendly, with cap-centurions Jess Fishlock, captain Sophie Ingle and Angharad James included.
James joins up with Wales for the first time since she and defender Lily Woodham completed deadline-day moves to join Fishlock at Seattle Reign in the NWSL.
Grey also includes one unfamiliar name - but not face - in the Wales squad, with forward Kayleigh Barton taking her married name for the first time. Barton has won 76 caps for Wales as Kayleigh Green.
Wales: Olivia Clark (Bristol City), Safia Middleton-Patel (Watford, on loan from Manchester United), Laura O'Sullivan (Cardiff City Ladies), Rhiannon Roberts (Real Betis), Josie Green (Leicester City), Hayley Ladd, Gemma Evans (both Manchester United), Charlie Estcourt (Reading), Ella Powell (Bristol City), Lily Woodham (Seattle Reign), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea), Alice Griffiths (Southampton), Angharad James (Seattle Reign), Lois Joel (London City Lionesses), Rachel Rowe (Rangers), Ffion Morgan (Bristol City), Jess Fishlock (Seattle Reign), Ceri Holland (Liverpool), Carrie Jones (Bristol City), Kayleigh Barton (Charlton Athletic), Elise Hughes (Crystal Palace), Mary McAteer (Sunderland), Tegan McGowan (Charlton Athletic) Tianna Teisar (Cardiff City Ladies on loan from Bristol City), Olivia Francis and Mayzee Davies (both Manchester United).