Rhian Wilkinson interview: Wales boss on why Olivia Smith could become football’s Caitlin Clark and how women can learn from the men’s game | OneFootball

Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson has explained how world-record signing Olivia Smith could have a similar impact on women’s football as Caitlin Clark has had on women’s basketball.

Wilkinson saw her Wales side compete in their first-ever major women’s international tournament at Euro 2025 last month.

During the tournament, Wilkinson’s Canadian compatriot, Smith, made history with her transfer from Liverpool to Arsenal.

The 21-year-old became the first £1 million player in women’s football history.

In an exclusive interview with SheKicks, Rhian Wilkinson said a new generation of players, including Olivia Smith can take women’s football to new heights – just as Caitlin Clark has done in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

In a wide-ranging interview, Wilkinson also gave her thoughts on sex toys being thrown onto courts at WNBA basketball games, pay in women’s football, how Wales can kick on after Euro 2025, and her prediction for the 2025-26 Women’s Super League season.

How Olivia Smith could become the Caitlin Clark of women’s football

Rhian Wilkinson said Olivia Smith and other emerging stars can become the “new face of professionalism” for women’s football.

She said: “I think we’ve had phenomenal ambassadors for the game already. Women who have not been paid and who have built the game and put it where it is.

“Now it’s that generation, the Caitlin Clarks for the WNBA and then the Olivia Smiths for football. But equally, all these incredible young talents that we just saw at the Euros coming through, who will be the new face of the professionalism of it.”

Wilkinson previously coached Smith in the youth setup at Canada.

“She has earned everything that she’s getting right now and it’s not a fluke,” she said. “This is a young person dedicated to her craft and is rightfully lauded for where she’s at in the game and the boundaries she is pushing.”

With more money entering the sport, Wilkinson said there is a clear shift in the professionalism of women’s football.

She said: “The growth of the women’s game is frightening. If you watched footage from the 1960s and 70s of the men’s game and look at where it’s at now, it’s night and day. The women’s game was banned then and it’s on such an incredible growth trajectory.”

Wilkinson added: “Arsene Wenger was the only who transitioned (men’s football) from, yes, they were professional, but (previously) had a semi-professional mindset in how they treated nutrition and health.

“And that’s where we’re at in the women’s game and that’s what this new generation like Olivia Smith will do. They will transition the game to the very elite level.”

Rhian Wilkinson responds to WNBA dildo throwing incidents

Sticking with the WNBA, Wilkinson also weighed in on the bizarre trend of WNBA games being disrupted by fans throwing sex toys.

In recent weeks, several matches in the American-based WNBA have been halted after dildos were hurled onto the floor.

This has prompted arrests, police investigations, and widespread condemnation from players and coaches.

When asked by SheKicks, Wilkinson said that if such an issue were to happen in women’s football, teams shouldn’t walk off the pitch as “one person doesn’t epitomise a fanbase”.

She said: “No (wouldn’t walk off the pitch) unless it were something very dangerous. People are always going to be foolish.

“One person doesn’t epitomise the entire fanbase and one fan’s action shouldn’t be the cause (for teams to walk off).

“It’s unfortunate and it will happen. We’re clear that racist abuse—that’s it, there can’t be tolerance for that. It’s not where we’re at.”

The former Canada international compared the recent bizarre trend to an old ice hockey tradition in her country.

“I grew up in Canada and there was a group of fans in the NHL that throw octopus on the ice. It’s weird and it disrupts the whole game and has to be stopped clearly.”

She added: “If your actions cause the game to be delayed or stopped, there’s got to be some sort of understanding in the crowd of what you’re accepting and hopefully there’s some sort of self-monitoring in that area.

“They (teams) reserve the rights to take the team off the pitch for legitimate reasons that are there already, and other things are just unfortunate—that are actions of silly individuals.”

Rhian Wilkinson highlights how women’s football can learn from men’s mistakes

Wales is one of several nations to pay its men’s and women’s national teams equally, following an agreement reached in 2023.

Wilkinson though believes that there is still a ‘pay inequity’ issue with women’s football and said that lessons can be learned from mistakes made in the men’s game.

Wales head coach Wililkinson said that ‘pay inequity’ needs to be monitored in women’s football.

She said: “I think the women’s game needs to grow in its own way, where we do use the men’s game as some sort of a measuring stick, but the men’s game has also made a lot of mistakes because they were the first to do it.

Photo: FAW

“So how do we learn from it? And part of it is probably the pay inequity that we need to monitor.

“Some players are probably not making enough money to live properly. They are living at home, supplementing with two or three jobs in order to play.”

She added: “The upper echelons like Olivia Smith are well paid and the women are smart with their money. I would say the majority of them are careful and invest properly. We are lucky but we keep pushing standards.”

Wilkinson believes that male players are paid too much but that it’s “good for them”.

She added: “It’s someone else paying them and if they’re willing to pay them, that’s the market value.”

How do Wales kick on after Euro 2025?

Wales are fresh off making their international tournament debut at Euro 2025, where they were pitted in a ‘group of death’ and crashed out with defeats to the Netherlands, France and England.

Their lack of tournament experience was evident against three nations who regularly qualify for major competitions.

One notable issue mentioned after the tournament, was a ‘fitness gap’ compared to nations who regularly qualify for tournaments. For Wales, this was just their second summer where they played international football, and the first where they played three back-to-back games at a tournament.

(Credit: B.East / SPP)

“There’s a reality that our loading and fitness has to be of a level,” Wilkinson said. “We cannot accept players being on the bench at clubs.

“Every player needs to do their time as the back-up and getting mentored, but I don’t care if at big clubs they sit on the bench. You can do a year of that, maybe a year-and-a-half, but after that you’ve got to be playing.

“How are we supposed to fix the fitness gap if our players aren’t playing? How do we push our standards and our loading and how do we monitor and support them at club level? Because we borrow them, they belong to their clubs.”

How player registrations in Wales has improved

As well as a “fitness gap”, Wales have been hampered by the number of player registrations within the country.

Wilkinson revealed that four years ago, there were 8,000 registered players in the country.

“My youth club in Canada had more players and we weren’t the biggest,” she said. “Now we’ve just surpassed 20,000 in four years and that’s got to keep growing.

“We need to make sure our base is healthy and strong and that football is one of the many options offered to our young people.  That’s how we ensure a healthy player pool.”

Rhian Wilkinson compares Wales star to Cristiano Ronaldo

One player who has been a constant presence for Wales over the years is Jess Fishlock, and the midfielder scored Wales’ first-ever goal at a major tournament during their 4-1 defeat to France at Euro 2025.

However, she cast uncertainty over her international future after their exit from the tournament. Fishlock will be 40 by the time of the next major tournament.

Wilkinson compared Fishlock’s longevity to that of Cristiano Ronaldo and James Milner in the men’s game.

“Players like Jess Fishlock look after themselves where age is very irrelevant, it’s how they’re feeling,” the Welsh manager said.

“You look at a Milner or Ronaldo, these are not normal, but they handle themselves at such a professional level where it would be a detriment to use their age as the deciding factor for when they should finish.

“That is up to them and if they are able to deliver what the team needs. Jess is taking her time with that and is really enjoying her football right now, so we’ll see how she feels come October.”

(Credit: James Whitehead / SPP)

Rhian Wilkinson predicts a “changing of the guard” in the Women’s Super League

Wales are not in action again until October when they play Australia in a friendly at the Cardiff City Stadium.

That will serve as a preparation match for World Cup qualifying, which will begin at the start of 2026.

Before then, the Women’s Super League campaign kicks off on Friday, September 5th.

Chelsea have dominated the league, winning the last six straight titles. However, Wilkinson predicts Champions League winners Arsenal could spearhead a ‘changing of the guard’ in the title race.

As well as Smith, Arsenal have signed England’s Euro 2025 hero Chloe Kelly on a permanent deal and Taylor Hinds on a free from Liverpool.

Beth Mead though is a player who could leave with interest from the newly-promoted London City Lionesses.

She said: “I have been impressed with some of the signings that have happened. I think Arsenal will run the season a lot closer. Hopefully in the Champions League, the English teams are competing.

“Chelsea have been so dominant but I think there could potentially be a changing of the guard this year.”