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:Wales national football team manager

{{Short description|Welsh role}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

File:AUT vs. WAL 2016-10-06 (092).jpg was the manager of Wales from 2012 to 2017. He led the team to the UEFA Euro 2016 semi-finals.]]

The role of a Wales national football team manager was first established in 1876, when the Wales national football team was established, and the team was chosen by a panel of selectors. The team captain would at that point fulfil the role of match day coach. Since 1954 a manager has been appointed by the Football Association of Wales.

Sixteen men have occupied the post since its inception; four more acted in short-term caretaker manager roles: Brian Flynn (two games in charge), Trevor Morris (one game), David Williams (one game), and Neville Southall (one game), alongside Mark Hughes.

The longest serving manager is Dave Bowen, who was manager for ten years before leaving in 1974. Bowen was in charge of the team for fifty-three games, winning ten. However, his win percentage of 20% is the lowest of all Wales managers. The most successful manager in terms of wins was John Toshack. Wales has never had a non-British manager but Mike Smith became the first English manager to lead Wales in 1974.

Jimmy Murphy, Chris Coleman and Rob Page are the only managers to have taken the team to any FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship finals. Murphy led his team to the 1958 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by Brazil. Coleman led his team to the UEFA Euro 2016 semi-finals, where they were knocked out by eventual winners Portugal. Under Coleman, Wales peaked at eighth in the FIFA world rankings.

Position

= Role =

The Wales manager's role means he has sole responsibility for all on-the-field elements of the Wales team. Among other activities, this includes selecting the national team, starting lineup, captain, tactics, substitutes, and penalty-takers. Before 1954 a "panel of selectors" would manage all issues barring the actual match day team selection, formation, and tactics, which was left to the head coach for the event.

The manager is given a free hand in selecting his coaching ("back room") staff. The Wales manager may also involve himself in wider issues beyond the on-the-field team issues. On a more tactical level, a host of other details can be influenced. For example, former manager Ryan Giggs was given the choice by the FAW Chief Executive of whether to play fixtures at the team's current ground (the Cardiff City Stadium) or its previous venue (the Millennium Stadium).{{Cite news|date=2018-01-25|title=Ryan Giggs: FAW say new boss will decide where Wales play home games|language=en-gb|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42811021|access-date=2020-06-23}}

The national team manager is tasked with the role of continuing the club like relationship between players and fans, first brought in by Gary Speed.It is now part of the “Welsh Way”, which former assistant manager, Osian Roberts brought in via the FAW Coaching Program. It is taught to numerous of former players or aspiring coaches sitting their coaching badges with the FAW.

= Appointment =

The current process of appointing a new Wales manager is through an FAW panel, consisting of the CEO and six members of the board.{{Cite news|date=2017-12-14|title=FAW chief Jonathan Ford will not face any action over 'English' comment|language=en-gb|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42337632|access-date=2020-06-23}}

List of managers

{{Updated|25 March 2025}}

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Image

!Nationality

!class="unsortable"|Name

!Player caps

!Start year

!End year

!First game

!Final game

!Pld

!Wins

!Draws

!Loss

!Goals
for

!Goals
against

!Win
%

|{{flagcountry|WAL|1953}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Walley|Barnes}}

|22

|1954

| 1956

| 9 May 1954 vs {{fb|AUT}}{{cite web|title=Manager's Record |url=http://www.welshfootballonline.com/players/managers.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070126082048/http://www.welshfootballonline.com/players/managers.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=26 January 2007 |publisher=WelshFootballOnline |date=30 July 2010 |access-date=30 July 2010}}

| 11 Apr 1956 vs {{fb|NIR}}

| 9

| 2

| 1

| 6

| 10

| 17

| 22

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left| {{sortname|Jimmy|Murphy|Jimmy Murphy (footballer)}}

|15

|1956

| 1964

| 20 Oct 1956 vs {{fb|SCO}}

| 20 Nov 1963 vs {{fb|SCO}}

| 43

| 11

| 13

| 19

| 59

| 79

| 26

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left| {{sortname|Trevor|Morris|Trevor Morris (footballer)}} (c)

|0

|{{ntsh|0}}1964

|{{ntsh|0}}1964

| colspan=2|15 Apr 1964 vs {{fb|NIR}}

| 1

| 0

| 0

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 0

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left| {{sortname|Dave|Bowen}}

|19

|1964

| 1974

| 3 Oct 1964 vs {{fb|SCO}}

| 18 May 1974 vs {{fb|NIR}}

| 53

| 10

| 13

| 30

| 49

| 84

| 20

|{{flagcountry|ENG}}

| align="left" |{{sortname|Mike|Smith|Mike Smith (football manager)}}

|N/A

|1974

| 1979

| 4 Sep 1974 vs {{fb|AUT}}

| 21 Nov 1979 vs {{fb|TUR}}

| 40

| 15

| 11

| 14

| 49

| 39

| 38

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left| {{sortname|Mike|England}}

|44

|1980

| 1987

| 17 Mar 1980 vs {{fb|ENG}}

| 11 Nov 1987 vs {{fb|TCH}}

| 56

| 21

| 18

| 17

| 68

| 52

| 38

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left| {{sortname|David|Williams|David Williams (footballer, born 1955)}} (c)

|5

|{{ntsh|0}}1988

|{{ntsh|0}}1988

| colspan=2|23 Mar 1988 vs {{fb|YUG}}

| 1

| 0

| 0

| 1

| 1

| 2

| 0

File:Terry Yorath, Wales Team, 1988.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Terry|Yorath}}

|59

|1988

| 1993

| 27 Apr 1988 vs {{fb|SWE}}

| 17 Nov 1993 vs {{fb|ROM}}

| 41

| 16

| 8

| 17

| 48

| 54

| 39

File:John Toshack managing Tractor Sazi (cropped).jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left| {{sortname|John|Toshack}}

|40

|{{ntsh|0}}1994

|{{ntsh|0}}1994

| colspan=2|9 Mar 1994 vs {{fb|NOR}}

| 1

| 0

| 0

| 1

| 1

| 3

| 0

|{{flagcountry|ENG}}

|align=left| {{sortname|Mike|Smith|Mike Smith (football manager)}}

|N/A

|1994

| 1995

| 20 Apr 1994 vs {{fb|SWE}}

| 6 Sep 1995 vs {{fb|MDA}}

| 10

| 3

| 1

| 6

| 9

| 19

| 30

|{{flagcountry|ENG}}

|align=left| {{sortname|Bobby|Gould}}

|N/A

|1995

| 1999

| 11 Oct 1995 vs {{fb|GER}}

| 5 June 1999 vs {{fb|ITA}}

| 24

| 7

| 4

| 13

| 32

| 47

| 29

File:1 mark hughes 2015.jpg

File:NevilleSouthall.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Mark|Hughes}}

&
{{sortname|Neville|Southall}} (c)

|72

92

|{{ntsh|5}}1999

|{{ntsh|5}}1999

| colspan=2|9 June 1999 vs {{fb|DEN}}

| 1

| 0

| 0

| 1

| 1

| 2

| 0

File:1 mark hughes 2015.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Mark|Hughes}}

|72

|1999

| 2004

| 4 Sep 1999 vs {{fb|BLR}}

| 13 Oct 2004 vs {{fb|POL}}

| 41

| 11

| 15

| 15

| 46

| 49

| 27

File:John Toshack managing Tractor Sazi (cropped).jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|John|Toshack}}

|40

|2005

| 2010

| 9 Feb 2005 vs {{fb|HUN}}

| 3 Sep 2010 vs {{fb|MNE}}

| 53

| 22

| 8

| 23

| 61

| 56

| 42

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Brian|Flynn|dab=footballer}} (c)

|66

|{{ntsh|0}}2010

|{{ntsh|0}}2010

| 8 Oct 2010 vs {{fb|BUL}}

| 12 Oct 2010 vs {{fb|SUI}}

| 2

| 0

| 0

| 2

| 1

| 5

| 0

File:Gary Speed 2011.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Gary|Speed}}

|85

|2010

| 2011

| 8 Feb 2011 v {{fb|IRL}}

| 12 Nov 2011 v {{fb|NOR}}

| 10

| 5

| 0

| 5

| 13

| 13

| 50

File:Chris Coleman 2015.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Chris|Coleman|Chris Coleman (footballer)}}

|32

|2012

| 2017

| 29 Feb 2012 v {{fb|CRC}}

| 14 Nov 2017 v {{fb|PAN}}

| 49

| 19

| 13

| 17

| 52

| 56

| 39

File:Giggs PL trophy.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Ryan|Giggs|Ryan Giggs}}

|64

|2018

|2022

| 22 Mar 2018 v {{fb|CHN}}

| 14 Oct 2020 v {{fb|BUL}}

| 24

| 12

| 4

| 8

| 26

| 20

| 50

File:2022 FIFA World Cup United States 1–1 Wales - (53) (cropped).jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Rob|Page}}

|41

|2020

|2024

| 12 Nov 2020 v {{fb|USA}}

| 9 Jun 2024 v {{fb|SVK}}

| 45

| 15

| 16

| 14

| 51

| 53

| 34.1

File:Craig Bellamy 2014.jpg

|{{flagcountry|WAL}}

|align=left|{{sortname|Craig|Bellamy|Craig Bellamy}}

|78

|2024

|

|6 September 2024 v {{fb|TUR}}

|

| 8

| 4

| 4

| 0

| 13

| 7

| 50.0

=Managers at the World Cup/European Championship finals=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Final

! Manager

! Pld

! Win(s)

! Draw(s){{note|1}}

! Loss(s)

! Goals for

! Goals against

! Position

1958 Sweden

| {{sortname|Jimmy|Murphy|Jimmy Murphy (footballer)}}

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 1

| 4

| 4

| Quarter-finals

2016 France

|{{sortname|Chris|Coleman|Chris Coleman (footballer)}}

|6

|4

|0

|2

|10

|6

| Semi-finals

2020 Europe

|{{sortname|Rob|Page}}

|4

|1

|1

|2

|3

|6

| Round of 16

2022 Qatar

|{{sortname|Rob|Page}}

| 3

| 0

| 1

| 2

| 1

| 6

| Group stage

{{note|1}} Draws also include penalties.

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Wales national football team managers}}

{{Wales national football team}}

{{National football team managers}}

Category:Lists of national association football team managers