GARETH CAN BE MAN OF MOMENT
But Page says Wales legend may not start every match
ROB PAGE is unsure if talisman Gareth Bale will be ready to start every game as Wales embark on their firstWorld Cup finals since 1964.
Manager Page finalised his 26-man squad in his home town of Tylorstown in the Rhondda Valley yesterday in a poignant location.
It is just four miles from the former home of Jimmy Murphy, who led Wales to the 1958 FIFA World Cup finals in Sweden, the nation’s only previous appearance on the game’s biggest stage.
But now all thoughts are on Qatar. Wales fly out next week ahead of their first game in Group B on November 21 against
USA. Skipper and record scorer Gareth
Bale, 33, will spearhead Page’s men after returning from winning the MLS Cup with Los Angeles FC.
The former Tottenham and Real Madrid star headed an equaliser in the eighth minute of stoppage time in extra time against Philadelphia Union, before LA went on to win on penalties.
But Bale has only started two games for LA and has not played a full 90 minutes for his latest club.
And Page admits he is unsure if Bale will be ready for three matches in nine days, including a potential decider against England on November 29. “That’s the million dollar question,” said Page. “We don’t know, we’ll assess each game as it comes. We’re just full focused on the first game.
“Hopefully we get off to a positive, which is not losing the game. We’ll have a plan moving forward for the second one.
“If he’s part of that great, if he’s not we’ll manage the minutes.”
With a record 40 goals in 108 appearances for his country, no one has done more than Bale to get Wales to their first finals since 1958. His heroics included scoring twice in the play-off semi-final against Austria and then netting the winner against Ukraine to book a place at Qatar. Bale subsequently moved to the USA to get fit and has now returned to his native Wales ahead of the squad getting together this weekend to fly out on Tuesday.
Page, below, added: “Big players step up on big occasions. He scored an important goal for LA. He showed athleticism to get the header.
“Has he played as many minutes as we’d like? Probably not. But that doesn’t worry me. “He’s proved time and time again when he puts the Welsh jersey on, irrespective of how many minutes he’s played at domestic level, he’s always produced.
“On big occasions he’ll always turn up, thrive, and enjoy it. “He’s already with the staff, over in the country and raring to go.
“He’ll have an effect on the game straight away and when opposing managers see his name on the team sheet they’ll know at any moment he can win a game for you. It’s the power that people like Gareth have because they always deliver.”
He’ll always turn up and thrive on big occasions