FORMER Colchester United manager Geraint Williams is to be appointed the new Welsh under-21 manager.

Williams is set to team up again with Kit Symons, who was his No. 2 for a while at Colchester – Symons is the current Wales assistant manager to Chris Coleman.

Former Ipswich Town midfielder Williams, who played 217 league games for Town between 1992 and ‘98, initially moved to the U’s as a player-coach in 1998.

He went on to become an assistant manager, caretaker manager and then the permanent manager of the Us, guiding them to 10th spot in the club’s first ever campaign in the Championship in 2006-07.

Williams was unable to keep the U’s in the Championship the following season, and was replaced by Paul Lambert the following September, 2008.

He went on to manage Leyton Orient, before leaving in March, 2010, after a run of poor results.

The 50-year-old has been out of managerial work for the last couple of years.

Williams will replace Brian Flynn, who filled the post of Welsh under-21 boss for eight years until his departure in May.