Wales boss Wilkinson sleeps in airport amid travel chaos

Wilkinson sleeps in airport amid Wales travel chaosImage source, Huw Evans Picture AgencyImage caption, Wales are second in League B Group 1 level on 10 points with leaders Czech RepublicByGareth VincentBBC Sport WalesPublished6 hours agoWales head coach Rhian Wilkinson was left trying to sleep overnight in an Italian airport after preparations for Friday’s Women’s World Cup qualifier in Montenegro were severely disrupted by bad weather.Wilkinson’s squad took off from Cardiff at 16:30 BST on Wednesday and had been due to arrive in Montenegro around three hours later.However, they were unable to land in Podgorica due to electrical storms around the Montenegrin capital and eventually diverted to the Italian port city of Brindisi.After more than three hours on the tarmac in southern Italy, during which Wales had hoped weather conditions would ease, the decision was taken to stay in Brindisi on Wednesday night.That left Football Association of Wales (FAW) officials scrambling to secure hotel rooms for the travelling party, as well as trying to arrange travel plans for Thursday.Wales were able to find accommodation for their players, but a shortage of hotel options meant Wilkinson and some members of her backroom staff remained in an airport waiting area throughout the night.Wales take on Montenegro in Podgorica in their penultimate Group B1 fixture at 17:00 BST on Friday.They then host Czech Republic, their rivals to finish top of the group, in their final fixture in Cardiff on Tuesday.Image caption, Brindisi is around 135 miles (220km) from Podgorica on the other side of the Adriatic Sea”Due to storms in Podgorica, the Cymru women’s national team flight was diverted this evening, landing safely in Brindisi airport in south Italy,” the FAW reported on social media.”The team will stay overnight in Italy and will arrange alternative travel to Montenegro ahead of Friday evening’s match.”Montenegro v WalesWomen’s World Cup qualifyingFriday, 5 June at 17:00 BSTGradski Stadion, PodgoricaWatch on iPlayerListen on Sounds