Current Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Swansea City and Cardiff City players will make the Welsh national teams 2022 World Cup squad according to FM17.
It’s 2022 on Football Manager 2017; Mark Hughes is the Wales manager, Gareth Bale retired from international football in November 2019 and Joe Ledley is starring for Gillingham. Having qualified for the 2018 World Cup but losing every group game in Russia, Wales failed to qualify for the Euros in 2020, and are looking to bounce back at the 2022 World Cup, which has been relocated to Argentina.
Bale’s retirement obviously hit the Welsh hard. The Real Madrid star has scored 26 goals from 65 caps for Wales in real life, and retired with a record of 40 goals from 88 caps on FM17. No one has been able to step up and be quite the talismanic figure Bale was, but established pro’s like Ramsey and Allen are still around, as well as a number of highly promising youngsters.
Ben Woodburn announced himself to the world in the EFL Cup recently, scoring for Liverpool against Leeds. The 17-year-old has frightening potential on FM17, but he has to be nurtured in the right way, and has only done enough to make Mark Hughes’ bench in 2022, where he finds himself sitting alongside the likes of Sam Vokes and Andy King.
James Chester and George Williams both start for Wales
Goalkeeper: Danny Ward
Currently earning rave reviews on-loan at Huddersfield Town, young Liverpool goalkeeper Danny Ward has all the makings of a top goalkeeper, and given the current dilemma between the sticks at Anfield, first team opportunities might not be too far away for the 23-year-old.
Ward has made just 2 appearances for Liverpool to date, both coming in the 2015/16 Premier League campaign, but has already won 3 caps for Wales. On FM17 in 2022, the Wrexham-born goalkeeper failed to become first choice at Anfield but is a Premier League regular at Norwich City and has won 29 caps for his country.
Right-Back: Adam Matthews
Wales have a plethora of options for the 2022 World Cup in both full-back positions, but it is Adam Matthews who narrowly sees of the competition to take the right-back berth for the Dragons. The former Cardiff City man is currently on 13 caps, and the fact that figure has only risen to 29 by 2022 is testament to the level of competition he faces at right-back.
Centre-Back: James Chester
Current stalwart of the Welsh defence, James Chester qualifies to play for the Dragons due to his mother having been born in Rhyl. A classy centre-back capable of dispossessing opponents at ease, Chester is playing his club football under Steve Bruce at Aston Villa at the moment. Somewhat unusually, a 33-year-old Chester has transferred to New York City FC by 2022, where he is playing alongside former Hull City teammate Jake Livermore.
Centre-Back: Paul Dummett
Wales duo Joe Allen and Paul Dummett
Newcastle-born defender Paul Dummett is predominantly a left-back, but also capable of playing at centre-back, and following Ashley Williams’ retirement, it is he who partners James Chester at the heart of the Wales defence. Playing for Birmingham City in the Premier League in 2022, Dummett has racked up 32 caps for his country.
Left-Back: Ben Davies
Arguably the best player in this Welsh squad, Ben Davies has developed into a fine player by 2022. Finally having established himself in the Tottenham team, Davies has won 80 caps for his country and is still only 29. That’s an impressive tally, especially given Wales have more depth in his position than any other, with the likes of Neil Taylor, Jay Dasilva and Declan John very capable players at left-back.
Right Wing: Daniel James
A smart signing by Swansea City, who snapped teenager Daniel James up for just £115,000 in 2014 due to the Tigers lowly academy status, and he is now one of the most highly regarded youngsters at the Liberty Stadium. Primarily a left winger who likes to cut inside onto his favoured right foot, he is being played on the right wing by Wales boss Mark Hughes in 2022.
Having been transferred first to Newcastle and then to Burnley for in excess of £20 million by 2022, the pacy winger is now a regular in the Premier League and a real creative force, with 30 caps and 9 goals to his name at the age of 24.
Central Midfield: Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey is a key player for Wales
Now one of the senior figures of this Wales side, a 31-year-old Aaron Ramsey is due to pick up his 100th cap at the 2022 World Cup, which has been relocated to Argentina. Still with Arsenal, Ramsey briefly replaced Ashley Williams as Wales captain, but resigned from the post in 2020 for unknown reasons.
Central Midfield: Joe Allen
An experienced central midfield partnership in an otherwise rather youthful team, Joe Allen edges out fellow Wales veteran Andy King to start for the Dragons in their opening group game in 2022. The former Liverpool and Swansea man is still with Stoke City in 2022, who finished 7th in the Premier League last season, and he has racked up 84 caps for his country.
Left Wing: George Williams
George Williams has already won 7 caps for Wales, and the MK Dons loanee is still only 21. That figure has risen to 60 by 2022, with Williams well on course to become the most capped Welshman of all-time.
Born in Milton Keynes, Williams came through the ranks at the recently formed outfit, and is currently back on-loan at stadium mk from parent club Fulham. He’s just signed for Championship outfit Watford for £7.5 million in 2022 on FM17.
Centre-Forward: Tom Bradshaw
Tom Bradshaw was prolific for Walsall
Mark Hughes has a handful of striking options at his disposal as Wales boss in 2022, but he has opted for Tom Bradshaw to lead the line alongside Tyler Roberts, rather than other viable candidates Sam Vokes and Ben Woodburn.
Currently of Barnsley, Tom Bradshaw previously played for Aberystwyth Town in Wales. He has won just a single cap for the Dragons in real life, but is up to 37 caps and 8 goals by 2022 on FM17
Centre-Forward: Tyler Roberts
Arguably Wales’ best chance of a goal at the 2022 World Cup, Tyler Roberts is still only 23 at the tournament, but is carrying a lot of expectation on his shoulders despite a difficult 2021/22 Premier League campaign. The 17-year-old is on-loan at Oxford United in real life, but he’s back at parent club West Brom and back playing in 2022.
Subs
It’s just a place on the bench for Liverpool’s Ben Woodburn
Wales looks to have good depth in their squad in 2022, particularly in the full-back, central midfield and striking areas. Barnsley goalkeeper Adam Davies is the country’s number two, despite Wayne Hennessey still going strong at 35 with MK Dons and still making himself available for international duty.
Leicester City’s Andy King is up to 69 caps by 2022, impressing in the MLS with LA Galaxy, and will consider himself unfortunate not to be among the starters. Cardiff City’s Emyr Huws is the other outstanding midfield option from the bench, now valued at £8.25 million, but Jonny Williams has still failed to realise his potential, and the diminutive midfielder fails to even make the squad.
Mark Hughes has left-back’s coming out of his ears with Neil Taylor, Jay Dasilva and Declan John all making the squad, and he is almost as strong at right-back, where he can call upon Swansea’s Connor Roberts or Blackburn’s Adam Henley should anything happen to Matthews.
Up front, Sam Vokes and Ben Woodburn both have cases that they ought to be starting, whilst Liverpool regen ‘Tom Ellis‘ is arguably the Dragons most dangerous option of the bench as a wildcard. The 20-year-old with 13 caps already and a bright future ahead of him.
Cardiff City youngster Emyr Huws is on the verge of starting for Wales in 2022
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