Stoke City assistant manager James Rowberry has stepped down from his role with the Wales national team to focus entirely on his club duties. The 41-year-old made the decision after balancing both positions since New Year's Day 2025.
Rowberry said the choice was not easy. "It has been a great privilege to represent my country and something I will forever be proud to have had the opportunity to do," he stated. "Given the huge honour it has been, this is not a decision I has taken lightly."
What led to James Rowberry's decision?
James Rowberry's dual role began over eighteen months ago. He has worked alongside Stoke head coach Craig Bellamy since early 2024. The demands of international football, which saw Wales miss out on qualification for both the European Championships and the World Cup in play-off matches, added to a busy schedule. The Football Association of Wales thanked him for his work with the Cymru Men’s National Team and their coach education programme. His departure follows that of former Wales assistant Piet Cremers, who left in July to become head coach at Club NXT in Belgium.
What is James Rowberry's coaching background?
James Rowberry started coaching at the age of 21. He became one of the youngest people to complete the UEFA Pro Licence at 29. His club career includes an eight-year stint at Cardiff City in various youth and first-team roles. He also served as head coach at Newport County for one season before linking up with Bellamy at Stoke. His exit from the Wales setup coincides with former Stoke defender Ashley Williams joining Bellamy's staff for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, alongside former Swansea manager Alan Sheehan.
How does this affect Stoke City's coaching team?
The Stoke City coaching unit has seen several changes. Paul Nevin, who was joint assistant, left midway through last season. His replacement, Max Porter, joined from Arsenal. Ryan Shawcross is part of the first-team coaching staff, and Darren Behcet serves as the goalkeeper coach. Rowberry's full focus comes as Stoke sit 13th in the Championship with six points from five games. Their record shows two wins and three losses, with eight goals scored and nine conceded. They are five points behind league leaders Swansea City.
What is next for Stoke City?
Stoke's immediate focus is a Championship match against Cardiff City on Tuesday night. Looking further ahead, their next fixture is an away trip to face 17th-placed Watford on September 12. The squad continues to deal with several absentees, including Aaron Cresswell, Ato Ampah, Ben Gibson, Junior Tchamadeu, Sam Gallagher, and Svante Ingelsson. Fans can track the team's progress and check the full list of unavailable players on the club's injuries page, while the upcoming schedule is available on our fixtures list.
