Rhian Wilkinson pointed the finger at her Wales side after a dismal 5–2 home defeat to Poland - accusing the players of losing their identity and failing to live up to the standards expected.
“I did not like that game. I did not think we lived our identity,” said the furious Wales manager after the friendly defeat.
“I've said no excuses, that's what we do with Wales. It doesn't matter who is on the pitch we have to be able to deliver.”
It was Wilkinson’s most critical post-match verdict since taking charge, as her experimental side were dismantled in Newport to extend Wales’ winless run to 11 matches.
The Canadian, already tasked with rebuilding in the post-Jess Fishlock era, said the display was “not our brand of football.”
“We never had control of that game, and honestly it could’ve been 10-10, 5-5, they scored more goals than us,” she said.
“The sequence with those three goals, that's not football. I'm not proud of that performance.
“I don't mind losing, but we have to make sure it's because we're trying to do something. I think we got caught up in a transitional game, we're better than that.
“It's not even fun to watch, it's not our brand of football.”
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Wales made a lively start and even led through Elise Hughes’ scrappy opener, but defensive disarray and lack of composure saw Poland — ranked six places higher — take full advantage.
For Wilkinson, it was a game that quickly spiralled away from her young squad.
“I made a lot of changes, we had a lot of new faces. We gave them opportunities to come in and show us.
“But they don't have the lungs to last for 90 minutes,” she admitted.
“It was just a bit frantic. We needed our senior players to help them in that moment and give them that confidence.
“We'll learn and grow from the game, but it's a frustrating one. I am not looking forward to watching that one back.”
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The heavy defeat marked Wales’ seventh consecutive loss — their worst run since the mid-1990s — and underlined the scale of Wilkinson’s rebuilding job.
It was also the first match since the retirement of Fishlock, Wales’ all-time record appearance holder, who watched from the stands at Rodney Parade.
Wilkinson had signalled before kick-off that this would be a “fresh start,” handing debuts to Teagan Scarlett and Mia Ross and retaining just two players from the side that faced Australia in Fishlock’s farewell game.
For a while, it worked.
Wales began with intensity, pressing Poland high and finding early joy when Hughes bundled home after Anna Filbey’s shot was parried.
Tianna Teisar, making her first start, almost doubled the lead but was denied one-on-one by Polish keeper Kinga Seweryn.
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But after that missed chance, Wales’ frailties returned.
Poland equalised through Klaudia Krezyman’s clever finish from a corner, then went ahead when Sylwia Kokosz’s long-range effort skidded past Olivia Clark.
Ceri Holland hit the bar with a header before a loose pass gifted Poland their third — Krezyman punishing the error ruthlessly.
Rachel Jones briefly restored hope by chasing down a long ball and finishing coolly, but Poland’s response was instant: Paulina Tomasiak and Klaudia Jedlinska struck in quick succession to complete the rout.
By the end, the Wales defence was in disarray, and Wilkinson’s frustration was plain to see. While she insisted the result offered lessons for a young squad in transition, her post-match tone was one of exasperation.
Wales have now gone nine defeats in 11 games since qualifying for Euro 2025, with only two Nations League draws interrupting a bleak run.
Injuries to seven squad regulars, along with the retirements of Fishlock and Kayleigh Barton, have deepened the challenge — but Wilkinson is refusing to hide behind context.
Her focus, she said, is on restoring pride and identity — both of which she felt were missing in Newport.
Wilkinson’s willingness to speak so bluntly may sting, but it underlines a wider point — that this new chapter for Wales will be defined by current performance and not continual celebration of past achievements.
