I’ll get Rambo all fired up
PAGE VOWS TO UNLEASH FIT STAR
WALES boss Rob Page dreams of a fit and fully fired-up Rambo ploughing a trail of destruction through the Euros.
Former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has been plagued by injury since his move to Juventus two years ago.
The 30-year-old has made only two starts for Wales since the beginning of 2019 and his absence is a constant source of frustration to Welsh fans and managers alike.
Now Page hopes to nurse Ramsey through two key warm-up friendlies this week, starting with world champions France tonight.
Then it’s Albania at the weekend, with Page hoping stellar names like Ramsey and Gareth Bale will be primed and ready for the opening game against Switzerland on June 12 in Baku.
Page said: “Rambo has not played the amount of games he would have liked. We can’t push him at 100mph. We have got players who can hurt teams. What’s important is to have all these players ready for the first game.
“We’ve got players that need minutes and we’ve got players that aren’t quite ready.
“It’s not going to be the starting 11 against France. Some of the players will play a certain amount of minutes in their recovery from being injured or getting up to full fitness
“Our focus is on Switzerland in the first game of the tournament. These friendlies will help us achieve getting our best 11 on that pitch for Switzerland.
“It’s a big ask. There’ll be times when France will have a lot of the ball. But we know, in transition, when we’ve got the ball, we’ve got players in the team who can hurt opposition.” Page refuses even to listen to speculation that skipper Bale is set to walk away from football. The Real Madrid star is refusing to pour cold water on rumours that he’s about to quit.
Page said: “All my focus is that I’ve got Gareth in a good place, scoring goals and in good form.
“I have open and honest conversations with Gareth. What he does after this tournament and long term, I have no input whatsoever.
“And I don’t want to be a part of that. What concerns me is what he is like, what frame of mind he is in.”
Defender Joe Rodon has been playing alongside Bale at Tottenham and said:
“It’s brilliant having him around. He’s a great character and we can only be thankful that we’ve got him.”