Women's football 'needs more support' in Wales

More support and coaches are needed for women's football in Wales in order to continue to develop the game, a former Sports Wales chairwoman has said.

Prof Laura McAllister said there were not enough women coaches or a workforce that could oversee the growth of new clubs.

The Football Association of Wales aims to have 20,000 girls and women playing by 2024. There are currently 6,500.

The association said it needed to work to change perceptions of the game.

Prof McAllister, who is a former Wales team captain, said: "When girls start school they already think of football as a game for boys.

"That's the problem - we need to give more support, more money and put more of an emphasis on the women's game - and in particular with young girls.

"We need to make sure that there is a workforce out there that can support the development of the game. We simply don't have enough women coaches at elite or grass root level and we don't have a workforce that can support the growth of new clubs."

Wales player Angharad James, from Pembrokeshire, who signed a contract with Everton's women's team a few months ago, told the BBC Radio Cymru programme Manylu the standard of football was not where it should be.

"I think it's important that the players from Wales - in the future if they can - keep them in Wales playing because right now we have to go to England - you have to go further afield to find the standard that you want," she added.

Former Wales player Tania Jones, who is now club secretary for Caernarfon's women's team, said in her early playing days she played in boys teams - because there were no girls teams in the Gwynedd town.

But now she says there are more than 100 girls and women part of the set up in Caernarfon while the women's team is part of the Welsh Women's premier league.

"I think the FAW is doing a great job helping the clubs," said Ms Jones.

"They give so many opportunities to go on coaching courses and to get qualifications and to promote the club within the community."

But the FAW admitted there was more work to do and that it had been consulting with clubs over the past 10 months.

"We've been working hard as an association to ensure that there are opportunities at all levels of the game and we've developed a new strategic plan which will be launched over the coming month or so," a spokesman said.

"There are also plans for a new female coaching course in the pipeline and the creation of a new post - a head of women's football.

"This is an exciting opportunity to invest in the future of the women's game.

"We understand we play a key role in changing attitudes and perceptions and we need to work with educational institutes and within schools."

Manylu is on BBC Radio Cymru at 12:30 GMT on Thursday, 22 March.