WALES GO DISTANCE
8,000 miles...so far:
rob Page has branded Wales’ Euros travel schedule “an absolute nightmare” after clocking up more than 8,000 miles already. Wales will play Denmark in Amsterdam on Saturday in the next stop on their marathon European tour.
Page says UEFA’s concept of staging the tournament around the continent must have initially sounded a good idea.
But his players have had to deal with the harsh reality of flying 2,598 miles from Cardiff to the eastern outpost of Baku in Azerbaijan to play two of their group fixtures games.
It didn’t stop them drawing with Switzerland and beating Turkey to pick up four points. But then they had to jet a further 1,930 miles to Rome to take on Italy last Sunday.
And they are scheduled to fly another 806 miles from the Italian capital to Amsterdam tomorrow, ahead of facing the Danes.
If they win they must then return to Baku for the quarterfinals in another journey of 2,253 miles. If they make it to the final at Wembley they will have travelled nearly 14,000 miles.
And they have done it all while England and Scotland have enjoyed home comforts playing at Wembley and Hampden in the tournament.
Page has thanked his FAW colleagues for organising their travel amid the pandemic, which has complicated matters.
But he questions the wisdom of the decision to send teams
A great idea on paper but it’s been a nightmare ...then add Covid
jetting around Europe this summer. Page said: “On paper it sounds like a great idea to have it all round Europe but logistically it is an absolute nightmare.
“Throw Covid into that mix as well.
“The team behind us – who people don’t see – deserve a lot of credit for what they have to go through and the expense and the lengths we have to go to because of Covid.
“It makes the job harder but it is what it is, we have to get on with it.
“It has not been easy because we have had to go to Baku and then travel to Italy.
“We are now having to go to Amsterdam, picking the best day to travel in the week to give us the best chance to prepare for Saturday.”
Despite their hectic schedule, Wales have thus far avoided the sort of Covid breaches which have affected both England and Scotland.
Page deserves a lot of credit for that, with his no-nonsense disciplinary approach after putting down a marker when he sent home Tyler Roberts, Hal Robson-Kanu and Rabbi Matondo from the build-up to a World Cup qualifier in March for Covid breaches.
Wales keeper Danny Ward also gave an insight into the attention to detail in the squad in a bid to avoid coronavirus.
Ward said: “We have an unbelievable medical team who set out protocols and codes of conduct to give us the best chance of retaining our bubble.
“Touch wood we have managed to do that the last year or so – we even wear some really attractive gloves when you go and get your food! It is working for us.”