END OF THE ROAD FOR LUDLOW
Wales boss bows out and turns focus to Fifa role
WALES Women football manager Jayne Ludlow has left her role with immediate effect.
The announcement comes a month after she was linked with the West Ham job, which eventually went to Olli Harder.
The Football Association of Wales confirmed the news yesterday, bringing an end to a tenure that began in 2014 and saw Ludlow take charge of more than 50 matches.
The ex-arsenal player is now free to pursue other management opportunities after parting by mutual consent.
“It has been an honour and an absolute pleasure to have worked with the staff and players across our age group and senior teams,” Ludlow said in a statement.
“It has been a fantastic learning environment for me personally and I am proud of what we have achieved over the last six years as a group of staff and players, whom I want to thank.
“I am looking forward to the next challenges, one of which is an exciting opportunity I have to be part of a technical leadership team at Fifa.
“I wish the squad well in the future and I feel that qualification for a first major final is not far away.”
FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford said: “Jayne has played a huge part in the progress of the women’s game in Wales over the past six years, managing the side through three qualification campaigns.
“The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign enhanced the profile of the game throughout the country, inspiring young girls across Wales to play football for the first time.”
Ludlow just failed to reach the World Cup and European Championships in her last two qualifying campaigns despite overseeing real progression in the standard of the team and raising its profile.