Seventeen year-old Fulham midfielder Luke Harris has been included in Wales’ stand-by list for the forthcoming World Cup.
Harris, who made his senior debut for the Whites at Crawley in the League Cup earlier this season and since made two substitute appearances in the Premier League, was called up by national manager Rob Page in September for Wales’ final Nations’ League fixtures but did not earn his first cap.
Page told the BBC this morning that Harris and the uncapped Birmingham City teenager Jordan James will benefit being involved:
“We got them in the last camp and we were really impressed with them. It’s really important we’ve got one eye on the future. March [Euro 2024 qualifiers] comes around quickly and we’ve got to have one eye on that.
As much as the World Cup is upon us, I want to expose Luke and JJ to the environment, get them training with them [senior players] and see how they conduct themselves. So in March or in the future when the senior boys decide they’re not going to play for Wales anymore, it won’t be too much of a culture shock and the change won’t be so severe.
“I’ve been really impressed by the pair of them. They’re not going to be in the 26 but for them to travel with the squad, see how they conduct themselves on and off the pitch, is going to be massive for us moving forward.”
