Lauren Smith named England WU19s head coach
Read more: England WU19s
The Football Association can confirm Lauren Smith will become the new head coach of England women’s under-19s.
Smith joins The FA after a three-year stint as head coach of Bristol City which saw her guide the Robins to the 2022/23 Barclays Women’s Championship title and earn promotion back to the top-flight.
Having also worked as an assistant coach for the Football Association of Wales and Tottenham Hotspur, Smith brings vast experience to the role and will take charge of the Young Lionesses from October.
As well as being a UEFA Pro Licence holder and an experienced head coach, Smith also has extensive experience in player development. She spent over three years working with Wales’ WU17 and WU19 squads and prior to that was the technical director of Bristol City’s youth programme.
Smith said: "It’s a huge honour to be joining The FA. There’s never been a more exciting time to join the England pathway with more and more players transitioning through to the senior team. Nurturing young talent has always been one of my favourite elements of coaching and I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to guide the next generation on their journeys to becoming Lionesses. It’s going to be a really exciting season with the ambition of qualifying for another European finals. I’m grateful to Kay Cossington for the opportunity and can’t wait to meet the players and staff."
England women technical director Kay Cossington said: "We are so pleased to confirm Lauren as the new head coach of the WU19s. Her record and experience in player development speaks for itself. She knows exactly what it takes to get young players performing under pressure to the best of their abilities. We are thrilled to be able to appoint a head coach with invaluable experience in both the Barclays Women’s Super League and international football. I’m sure her arrival will give an instant positive boost at the start of what promises to be another exciting season for our Young Lionesses."
John Griffiths, who was interim head coach of the WU19s last season and secured a semi-final finish at the EURO finals held in Lithuania, will resume his role as assistant coach of the age group.
The 2024/25 season will see Smith’s side bid for a place in the 2025 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship finals which will be held in Poland next summer. Qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup will also be up for grabs as part of the tournament.