Wales manager Rob Page plans to recruit Michael Sheen to his World Cup campaign after the Hollywood actor’s rousing team talk went viral on social media. Page has revealed he intends to invite Sheen into camp after being urged to do so by his players, who were among the 13 million viewers of the clip. The star of football movie The Damned United gave a thunderous motivational speech at the weekend on the Sky TV sport quiz panel show, a League Of Their Own.

Cardiff City are preparing for a week from hell with more than 1,000 miles and 18 hours of travelling in a bus to take in games at Middlesbrough and Huddersfield in the space of five days. Steve Morison’s men may have had a few unexpected days off due to the death of The Queen last weekend, but they face their two biggest journeys of the season back-to-back as they seek to climb out of the Championship relegation zone. There was a time when the club’s finances ran to chartering flights to head that far north, but those days are now long gone.

Robert Page has pinpointed qualification for the 2024 Euros and 2026 World Cup as his targets after being confirmed as the long-term manager of Wales. The man who took over from Ryan Giggs has signed a new four-year contract to continue in the job, two months before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when Wales will make just their second appearance at the finals. The new deal means Page will be in charge for Wales’ 2024 European Championship and 2026 World Cup qualifying campaigns.

Michael Obafemi is set to be left out again by Swansea City head coach Russell Martin for Tuesday night’s home game against Sheffield United. The Republic of Ireland striker – who was hopeful of a deadline day move to Burnley – is described as “getting there, slowly” by Martin, when asked if Obafemi was ready to return. The former Southampton player – who was hopeful of a £10m move – was not in the match day squad for the club’s 1-0 win over QPR which followed the closing of the transfer window after his head coach claimed the forward was not in the right frame of mind to play.

With no EFL or Premier League football going ahead this weekend, Daniel Parker considers recent activity at Swansea City – the Welsh club who seem to have the best chance of a successful season. It will require something special from their head coach, however, and the chances of him receiving much help from the club’s owners are remote. It’s been a mediocre start to the season for Wales’ big three. Newport County have shown glimpses of promise – particularly in the League Cup – but have struggled to build up any kind of consistency in League Two.

Wales will have to overcome Bosnia-Herzegovina and then Switzerland if they are to reach the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals. The play-offs draw – which took place on Friday in Switzerland – is a favourable one for Wales, with a home tie first against the Bosnians on October 6. Should they win that semi-final game, they would then travel to Switzerland for the final five days later to face the Swiss for a possible place at next year’s tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Swansea City have cancelled their pre-match press conference ahead of their planned fixture at Birmingham City on Saturday as clubs await a decision on whether this weekend’s games will go ahead following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Swans head coach Russell Martin was due to host a briefing on Friday morning, but the club announced late on Thursday evening it would not go ahead. The EFL games scheduled for this evening – Burnley v Norwich in the Championship and Tranmere v Stockport in League Two – have already been postponed.

Angharad James achieved two milestones this week – both of which underline how youth is powering the surge of interest in women’s football in Wales. Firstly, she won her 100th cap for her country and become the youngest to reach that landmark when Wales drew 0-0 with Slovenia to make the World Cup play-offs on Tuesday night. Secondly, the 28-year-old was part of a team that smashed the record for an attendance for a women’s football match in Wales, with over 12,741 turning up for the game at Cardiff City Stadium,

Gemma Grainger insists Wales still have plenty of hard work ahead of them before they reach their goal of World Cup qualification. The national team manager felt Wales deserved their play-off place after a goalless draw with Slovenia saw them through to next month’s knockout stage. Wales had to survive some scares on a nervy night at the Cardiff City Stadium but, in the end, Grainger’s side managed the game superbly to book their play-off spot.

Jess Fishlock is not going to sit back and applaud those who have finally come around to the quality of women’s football. But Wales’ most experienced player believes the record crowd at the crucial World Cup qualifier against Slovenia on Tuesday night can be yet another catalyst for change in Wales.  Fishlock has long been a trailblazer in women’s football. 

Michael Obafemi has been told to clear his head and let his feet do the talking. The sage advice has come from his Swansea City captain Matt Grimes, who knows what it is to have cluttered head space. Obafemi was left out of the Swans’ squad for the weekend 1-0 win over QPR by head coach Russell Martin after the striker’s hopes of a £10m deadline day move to Burnley evaporated.

Steve Morison has told his Cardiff City players to harden up after they fell to their third defeat in four matches at his former club. The Bluebirds manager was angered by another punchless display in a 2-0 loss at Millwall. Cardiff have now scored one goal in their last five games and picked up just two points – relegation form that has seen them fall to one place above the relegation zone.

Russell Martin reckons the best move Swansea City made during the transfer window was to give Leeds United the brush off when they came calling for Joel Piroe. After a 1-0 home win over QPR, the Swans head coach was full of praise and admiration for his Dutch striker, who has been the subject of rumour and speculation over a possible departure all summer. Martin admitted the uncertainty had affected last season’s top scorer in the opening weeks of the campaign, but once the window closed – and Leeds’ tentative enquiries on deadline day were rebuffed – then Piroe’s first game without conjecture saw him back to his familiar best.

Gemma Grainger believes it is “our turn” after her Wales team moved to within one point of World Cup play-off participation. The Wales manager has urged fans to turn out in their numbers on Tuesday night as the women’s national side bid to emulate the men’s team in reaching the tournament finals. A gritty 1-0 victory in Greece on Friday night has left Wales needing just a point at home to Slovenia on Tuesday at Cardiff City Stadium to clinch their play-off reward.

By Harry Corish Angharad James is set to reach her 100th this camp as Wales face two crucial games against Greece and Slovenia to qualify for a World Cup Play-Off. With a record crowd due at the Cardiff City Stadium, James could receive the perfect ovation for a terrific achievement, but she has insisted that […]

By Harry Corish Cardiff City continued their busy summer transfer window, signing Republic of Ireland International Callum Robinson with a permanent deal on deadline day. City fans wanted to see a Striker brought in and Steve Morrison and Cardiff’s recruitment team were able to get their hands on a fantastic Championship quality Forward. Meanwhile, on […]

Russell Martin admitted more frustration after Swansea City conceded another injury time goal for the fifth consecutive midweek match. The Swans head coach watched his team take the lead at Stoke City on Wednesday evening through Joel Piroe – only to surrender two points when Tyrese Campbell equalised in the 91st minute to claim a 1-1 draw for new manager Alex Neil. Since Easter – across the end of last season and the start of the current campaign – the Swans have let slip an aggregate lead of 11 goals across five midweek matches in a row.

By David Williams James Rowberry praised his players’ gutsy response to a difficult build-up after they won 2-1 at Exeter City in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night. The Newport manager was impressed with the professionalism of his squad, some of whom had personal belongings stolen on Monday evening after a break-in at the club’s […]

Cardiff City are reported to be in talks with West Bromwich Albion over signing Callum Robinson after Bluebirds boss Steve Morison admitted the club had been turned down by a number of strikers. Morison watched his side slump to a 2-1 home defeat to Luton Town on Tuesday night, after which the manager had a heated conversation with opposite number Nathan Jones about the manner of the Welsh boss’s post-match celebrations. Of more concern to Cardiff fans is their recent slump which has seen them not win in their last four games, during which they have scored just once.

By Gareth James Russell Martin has challenged his Swansea City players to dictate matters at Stoke City, where new boss Alex Neil will be hoping to whip up a storm. The Swans travel to the Potteries on Wednesday evening, keen to end a run of just one win in six Championship matches after back-to-back defeats […]