Gunter named Wales Under-19 head coach

Chris Gunter joined Wales team-mates Gareth Bale and Joe Allen in retiring from international football in the wake of the 2022 World Cup

Chris Gunter has been named Wales Under-19 head coach.

The 35-year-old, who won 109 Wales caps, had previously been national team development coach with the Football Association of Wales (FAW), a role he left following the appointment of Craig Bellamy's coaching staff.

Gunter's primary focus will be on the first round of the 2024-25 European Championship qualifiers, where Wales will face France, Scotland and Liechtenstein.

“I'm really proud to be given the opportunity and I’m excited to get going in a different role," said Gunter, who is working towards his Uefa Pro Licence with the FAW.

“It's a good opportunity for me to learn and improve on my side, but more importantly I want to give my support and experience to the young players coming through.

“Having that experience of coming through the pathway with the under-17s, 19s, 21s and then the seniors, I think that can really help me in this role."

Gunter made his international debut against New Zealand in 2007 and became the first male Wales player to reach 100 caps in 2021.

The former Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Reading, Charlton Athletic and AFC Wimbledon right-back was part of Wales squads at three major tournaments, including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

He retired from international duty in March 2023 before ending his playing career two months later following his spell with Wimbledon.

FAW chief football officer David Adams said: “We're delighted that Chris has accepted the opportunity to work with the next generation of Cymru players and lead our under-19s team.

"He's someone who we identified through our combined Uefa A and B coaching programme four years ago, which was set up with the view of identifying a future international coach.

"Chris obviously brings a wealth of experience to the role having made more than 100 senior international appearances and featured at three major tournaments.

"We're committed to keeping the players who were a key part of our success at Euro 2016 in our pathway and it's clear to see Chris' commitment to developing future international players."