Wales C manager Mark Jones today announced his 18-man squad ahead of next month’s friendly with England C.
Barry Town, who will host the fixture at their Jenner Park ground on Tuesday 20 March, had four players named in the squad.
The match will be the Wales first semi-pro international in six years.
The JD Welsh Premier League’s two leading Welsh-nationality scorers, Kayne McLaggon (Barry Town) and winger Eliot Evans (Cardiff Met), are both included.
Champions The New Saints will be represented by central defender Connell Rawlinson and midfielder Aeron Edwards.
Welsh futsal internationals Naim Arsam (Cefn Druids) and Chris Hugh (Barry Town), who both also ply their trade in the Welsh top-flight, have also been called up.
In addition to the initial 18, highly-rated Bangor City central defender Guto Williams and Prestatyn’s Noah Edwards have also been invited to train with the squad.
Former Carmarthen and Port Talbot Town manager Mark Jones was appointed as manager of the new Wales C set-up in January and will be assisted by former Welsh international Owain Tudur Jones.
It is understood that the squad will hold a training camp at Newtown’s Latham Park on the weekend prior to the game.Wales C Squad
Goalkeepers: Ashley Morris Bala Town, Mike Lewis Barry Town United.
Defenders: Chris Hugh Barry Town United, Connell Rawlinson , Kai Edwards Connah’s Quay Nomads, Mike Pearson Connah’s Quay Nomads, Naim Arsan Cefn Druids, T Craig Williams Newtown.
Midfielders: Aeron Edwards The New Saints, Chris Venables Bala Town, Danny Gosset Bangor City, Jay Owen Connah’s Quay Nomads, Jordan Cotterill Barry Town United.
Forwards: Adam Roscrow Cardiff Metropolitan University, Eliot Evans Cardiff Metropolitan University, John Owen Aberystwyth Town, Kayne McLaggon Barry Town United, Toby Jones Llandudno.
Training Camp squad members: Noah Edwards Prestatyn Town, Guto Williams Bangor City
MY INITIAL VERDICT ON THE WALES C SQUAD
There’ll be a lot of speculation and debate as to how the Wales C line-up might shape up but I don’t think it will be too different to what we see below come next month.
The strength of this team for me is through the middle which is supplemented by good attacking options and width from Naim Arsan as an attack-minded full-back on the left and Eliot Evans, who has been in excellent goal scoring form in a right wing role for Cardiff Met, on the right.
Connah’s Quay’s Kai Edwards has a lot of quality and experience, as does Connal Rawlinson who has been a figurehead in The New Saints rearguard for a number of seasons now. Danny Gosset has thrived in central midfield since joining Bangor City, whilst Aeron Edwards possesses solid ball retention, creativity and discipline – and it’s easy to forget he’s still only 29 years old given his experience with The New Saints.
Bala Town’s Chris Venables will provide a link between the midfield and attack and has a proven track record of weighing in with important goals. Kayne McLaggon (Barry Town) is another major goal threat as we’ve already seen in the WPL this year and the task for Mark Jones and Owain Tudur Jones is that both McLaggon and Roscrow look most dangerous when playing through the middle.
Adam Roscrow is capable of playing at a higher level and is capable of leading the line superbly well. The Cardiff Met marksman is a good all-round striker with strength, good movement and precision finishing – the 22-year-old will be the side’s main goal threat.
DEPTH
There’s some good depth to the squad with Mike Pearson very solid defensively and adept at both right back and central defence for Connah’s Quay and his club mate Jay Owen is a dogged, possession winning midfielder. Toby Jones is a hard-working wide player who tracks back well and can also contribute in the final third for Llandudno.
NOTABLE ABSENTEES
There are two surprising absentees in this squad for me. The first is Carmarthen Town skipper Lee Surman, who despite his side’s poor league campaign remains a real leader on the pitch and experienced, no-nonsense defender. The other is another defender, Cardiff Met’s Emlyn Lewis – who, if he had had more luck with injuries this season, he would’ve been very close. Newtown goalkeeper Dave Jones and his Cefn Druids counterpart Michael Jones would also surely have been carefully considered by the Wales C management.
