Rhian Wilkinson’s trailblazing Wales prepared for stern test in Euro 2025 opener – Reporter notebook | Football News

There are a few factors that players in Wales – and, of course, their coaches – must face before the start against the Netherlands.

First, they have to face the Dutch, a team that is established in the upper levels of international football. Then, they have to face emotion, nerves, anticipation, the excitement of the occasion.

This is a first for Wales. These women are pioneers.

As the female game develops, the following following expectations and inevitably. Welsh supporters bought more tickets than any other nation here bar the Swiss hosts.

They are in Lucerne in large numbers and they are not difficult to spot or hear. This shows, however, that the Wales team deserves to be invested, is worth spending the money to come to Switzerland.

Thus, although a good bonus is very well supported, it increases the issues.

This is where, perhaps, the cool nature of the manager arrives. Rhian Wilkinson is a very professional person – the vice -president of UEFA, Laura Mallister, describes her as coach No. 1 of the world at the moment – a generational talent.

That Wales arrives at her Welsh mother, as well as in timing, because she no longer worked as a coach in the NWSL and the FAW entered quickly.

So, a Welsh connection, but perhaps more important here is his Canadian education, his playing career as one of the most decorated Canada players of all time – he brings a detachment. She gets emotion and passion, but she will close it if necessary for players.

Control of emotion and nerves may well be as important as cancel the threat of Vivienne MIEDEMA.

Wilkinson will have this control of his players. In fact, she will not need, I suppose, the day. This work, this professionalism has already been instilled. The work is over.

However, when Wales comes out in the Lucerne stadium, with the majority of fans and the roar and beauty of the hymn pulling on the strings of the heart; Even perhaps by attracting the attention of a loved one in the family, you would be a hard person in the nose so as not to feel the adrenaline embarking on adrenaline.

In the game and how to best contain the Dutch and, who knows, exploit defensive weakness. Wales is outsiders. The law of probability indicates that the Netherlands win the match, but football can be an old funny game.

The expression “by not preparing to prepare to fail” was invented by Benjamin Franklin, a founding father of the United States-but he applies beyond politics to almost all aspects of life.

If Wales lost, it will be just because the Netherlands were simply too good. It will not be because Wales was not ready, that they were naive of beginners.

Wales’ training camp north of Switzerland was assessed by UEFA as having the best land to train. It’s not lucky; Faw Ground staff of its cardiff base has been working on these training arguments since February with £ 150,000 invested in them.

Before going to Switzerland, the team had a week -long training camp in Portugal. Medical staff, strength and packaging coaches, even the chief, is all an integral part of this prosecution to be the best possible.

So, even if this is new and exciting for Wales and their fans, if a fairy tale takes place in Lucerne – unlikely that perhaps the case – it will not be because the Dutch have had a shock or that all the planets of the solar system aligned in a non -millennial manner, it will be because the times have changed and the female game obtains support.

Expect a well-perceived defensive unit that will do their best to frustrate the Dutch, but with transition plans in place to move the ball quickly and stretch their opponents. Possession and chances may well be at a bonus, but it will be planned. The trick will be to do the right thing at the right time – and it comes down to the preparation.

And on this front, Wales has not failed.