Ashley Williams lands first coaching role six years after retirement from football

Former Wales international Ashley Williams will take on his first coaching position as an assistant with the national team.

Williams captained the Wales side that famously reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016, scoring the Dragons’ equaliser in the memorable quarter-final win over Belgium.

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The 42-year-old will work alongside ex-Swansea City boss Alan Sheehan under Wales head coach Craig Bellamy.

The return of a Wales legend

Williams earned 86 caps in total, making him the Wales’ joint sixth most-capped player of all time.

A centre-back, he started out at non-League Hednesford Town before going on to make over 350 appearances for Swansea, the majority of them in the Premier League.

Having won promotion with the club from League One and the Championship, Williams captained Swansea to their first major trophy as they lifted the League Cup in 2013.

The 2009 Welsh Footballer of the Year later spent two years with Everton.

His other clubs were Stockport County, Stoke City and Bristol City – for whom he made his final career appearance in 2020.

Since announcing his retirement in 2021 at the age of 36, Williams has turned to media work.

A pundit for the BBC and Sky Sports, he’s also a regular on talkSPORT.

Wales back in action with quadruple-header

Williams will link up with Wales ahead of the next international break at the end of this month.

Bellamy’s side play four Nations League fixtures in the space of 12 days, beginning with Portugal away on Thursday September 24.

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They then travel to and host Denmark either side of a home clash against Norway.

Bellamy took charge of the national team in July 2024, succeeding Rob Page, who was sacked from his post.

His current contract is due to expire after Euro 2028, where the Dragons will be hoping to be involved after missing out on qualification for this year’s World Cup.

And there’s even more riding on those Euros: the tournament is being co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.

However, with spots in the finals only guaranteed for up to two host nations, all four co-hosts will go through the normal qualification route.

The draw for Euro 2028 qualifying is scheduled to take place in Belfast on December 6.