The group also contains the Czech Republic, Euro 2020 quarter finalists, and Estonia and Belarus, both similar sized countries to Wales. Wales have one of the best teams in the world, Belgium, in the group, and they have already taken three points in Belgium. Only one team in the group advances to the World Cup Second place advances to the play offs. He had his moment in the hot seat, and he did well as he could, but he is not the man to move Wales on the the 2022 World Cup. Who Next?Įverybody knows that Giggs time as Wales boss is over. Game managed is clearly an issue Page struggled with, and nothing in him convinced he’s the man to take Y Dreigiau forward. He was begging to be taken off, but wasn’t removed until the 94th minute for Neco Williams. Tyler Roberts was chomping at the bit to come on, and his intense pressing energy would have done wonders to pressurise the advancing Turkish forces.ĭaniel James had been run ragged, and by 70 minutes in he had run his little socks off. He also neglected to substitute Kieffer Moore, who had a good game but his giant frame and aerial presence was not what Wales required. Allen’s legs were weary and the young Turkish side were running rings around him on the hour. It wasn’t a bad move, but one that would have been more effective 15 minutes earlier. In the next game, he didn’t make a change until 75 minutes in, substituting Joe Allen for Ethan Ampadu, as Turkey started getting back into the game. It started quite unusually, hooking Daniel James off after terrorising the Swiss defence and setting Kieffer Moore up for the equaliser in the opening game. Page’s lack of substitutes at crucial times was also an unforgivable sin. He should have abandoned the short, useless passing that Giggs brought into the Wales team, and kept it tight and tried to nick a goal at 1-0. Page should have had Ramsey drop deeper to collect the ball, or employed the 6 foot 5 giant Kieffer Moore up front as a target for long balls to be hit towards. Allen and Morrell were heavily susceptible to the high press, and they were rushed onto so fast by the Danish team that they were either tackled, or passed the ball straight to a Danish player, setting up the counter attack. His failure to make changes during a game and react to a changing situation is crucial in management, and the lack of a plan B meant that the quarter-finals were ultimately out of reach.Ĭhristensen completely nullified the Wales attack. Page’s response to this? Resign himself to defeat, as he had been outclassed tactically. He countered this by deploying Chelsea’s Anders Christensen in a defensive midfield role, cutting out the forward pass and nullifying the Wales attack. This leads on to another of Page’s biggest faults the inability to change with the game.Īgainst Denmark, their coach Kasper Hjulmand saw that in the early stages, Wales were getting the ball between the lines into our forwards. Nobody in the Wales midfield or defence could find any of the attackers, with Gareth Bale needed to drop deep between the duo to see any time on the ball. Morrell particularly showed himself up against Italy and Denmark, as his lack of composure under pressure cost Wales dearly. The pair performed inconsistently, and continuously failed to beat the high press, giving the ball away at any opportunity as they became smothered by opposition players. With a midfield duo that were stuck on the bench at Stoke and Luton (Joe Allen and Joe Morrell respectively), few would have expected Wales to play like peak Barcelona. Rob Page performed admirably in Euro 2020 with the team at his disposal. He will always be thanked by the nation for leading his team through a difficult group, featuring Italy, Turkey and Switzerland, but the way he handled our losses is why he is not the man to lead Y Dreigiau forward. Page didn’t have the best preparation, being thrust in charge of the Euro 2016 semi-finalist with mere months to get his side ready. The Welshman took over from Ryan Giggs, who was suspended until his upcoming court case is decided amid domestic abuse charges. Questions have to be asked about stand-in manager Rob Page.
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