Football Page backing Ramsey to recover from his spot-kick misery
WALES manager Robert Page insists Aaron Ramsey will recover from his Rangers penalty misery and has endorsed him to take a World Cup play-off final spot-kick should he be needed to.
Ramsey missed the decisive penalty on Wednesday as Rangers suffered Europa League final heartbreak to Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville.
But Page has backed Ramsey to take a spot-kick against Scotland or Ukraine in Cardiff on June 5 should qualification for Qatar 2022 be decided by a shootout.
Asked if he still had faith in Ramsey, Page replied: “Absolutely, 100
per cent. It happens to the best in the world. Top players , they put themselves up.
“I am so proud of him for putting himself up (to take a penalty for Rangers), he is a world-class footballer.
“He had the courage and conviction to take a penalty. Top players recover from that, no problem. I have no doubt whatsoever if it comes to penalties that he will take one.”
Ramsey has joined captain Gareth Bale in a 27-man squad for a hectic June programme which also includes four Nations League matches - home and away against Holland, a trip to Poland and a visit from Belgium.
Bale has made just two cameo
substitute appearances for Real Madrid since scoring both goals in Wales’ 2-1 World Cup play-off semi-final victory over Austria on March 24.
The 32-year-old has been absent from Real’s last five matchday squads with a back problem.
But Bale has returned to training in the Spanish capital and is on course to be available for Real’s Champions League final date with Liverpool on May 28.
Bale’s nine-year stay in Madrid is set to end this summer, with talk of him signing a short-term deal possibly at hometown club Cardiff City - should Wales qualify for their first World Cup in 64 years.
Page said: “I think everybody is probably thinking the same thing (about Bale’s future). It will depend on how results go with regards to what he does next season with a club.
“The only person who can answer that is Gareth. All I know is whenever he turns up for us he is first class.
“The full focus on himself is winning this game against Ukraine or Scotland, so he can worry about that after.
“He is here for the full duration (Wales’ final game is away to Holland on June 14), he has made that really clear to me.”
Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward and Bournemouth forward Kieffer Moore both return to the squad after missing the March camp through injury.