Angharad James relishing life with Tottenham and Wales despite Gemma Grainger’s exit

As someone who has won more than 100 caps for her country, Angharad James is an integral part of Wales’ leadership group.

That meant she got a sneak preview of the surprising news that stunned the Wales squad earlier this month.

James and a handful of other senior players were invited on a video call by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and they had no idea what was on the agenda.

The reason for the meeting soon became apparent – a chance for Wales manager Gemma Grainger to say her goodbyes before it was publicly announced she would be the next manager of Norway.

“It was very unexpected. The leadership group got told beforehand. Gemma spoke to us, and it (her words) came from the heart too,” James told BBC Sport Wales.

“We could see it wasn’t an easy decision, not one she took lightly.”

Grainger guided Wales to the brink of qualification for their first major tournament, but lost out in the 2023 World Cup play-off final against Switzerland with a 2-1 defeat.

Grainger presided over a period of growth in popularity for the Wales women’s national team with a record 15,200 fans attending the play-off semi-final victory against Bosnia & Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium.

“Firstly I’d like to thank Gemma for everything she’s done for Wales and how she’s changed the mentality of Welsh football,” James said.

“She really bought into the culture. She got to know us as people as treated us like people first.

“The way we’re playing now – we’re playing good football. We’re a more possession-based team than we were before she came in. It’s great on the eye and it’s great for people to watch.

“We’ve got a great fanbase now and she’s been a part of that. Whatever happens next, and hopefully we do go on to qualify, she’s been a big part of that.”

Grainger’s former assistant Jon Grey will be in interim charge when Wales take on the Republic of Ireland in Dublin next month.

Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney is hoping to appoint a permanent manager by the time Euro 2025 qualifying begins in April, and James is confident that Grainger’s exit will not harm Welsh chances of qualifying for the finals.