PAGE: I’LL BACK PLAYER MOVES

ROB Page says he will give Wales players his full backing if they move clubs in the January transfer window in a bid to get game time ahead of the 2022 World Cup play-offs.

The Red Dragons will take on one of Poland, North Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, Czech Republic or Austria in the single-leg semi-final at Cardiff City Stadium on March 24 after finishing second in their qualifying group courtesy of Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Belgium.

Should they emerge victorious in that encounter, Wales will be just one victory away from reaching their first World Cup since 1958.

However, several players, including former Swan Joe Rodon, Aaron Ramsey and Neco Williams, are struggling to get regular game-time at club level at present. The trio have made just 13 appearances between them in all competitions for their clubs so far this season.

Ramsey has been widely tipped to leave Juventus in the opening month of next year while Williams could exit Liverpool in a bid to prove his worth at domestic level.

Page (left) admits he will encourage any player to switch clubs if they feel it will give them a better chance of playing on a consistent basis.

“The players want to be playing football, how can they not?” admitted the Wales boss.

“When you are involved in games like that [against Belgium], you can’t buy that feeling.

“When you have come off and you have played really well and you listen to the supporters, you can’t buy that.

“They will want to re-create that week in, week out. Players will want to play games.

“For whatever reason domestically they don’t, that is fine, every manager has his own opinions. I can’t influence that.

“All I can influence is encouraging the players to want to go and play domestic football, whether it is at their parent club or elsewhere.

“That is what we are encouraging them to do.

“Certainly, when you have got all the players we have had for this camp fit and the creativity we have in the team and the goals we can score, you want them all playing to be in the best possible shape for Wales and it will be no different in March.”

The draw for the World Cup play-offs takes place on Friday, November 26.