Wales want Gaz hot for World Cup
WALES are planning talks with Los Angeles FC to make sure Gareth Bale is in peak condition for the World Cup.
Skipper Bale completed 90 minutes for the first time in over 12 months on Sunday as Wales suffered relegation from the top tier of the Nations League by losing 1-0 to Poland in Cardiff.
The former Real Madrid star almost equalised in stoppage time when his header struck the crossbar.
But Bale was unable to affect large parts of the game as he continues to work his way towards full fitness at new club LAFC.
Wales manager Robert Page said: “He’s gone from not playing that many minutes to 35 minutes against Belgium to 90 minutes.
“Would I have wanted him to play 90 minutes? Probably not. But it’s Gareth Bale and, because of the importance of the game, there’s no better person to be standing over the ball at a free-kick late on.”
Bale has made just two starts in 11 appearances since moving to California in July.
Before the Poland game, the 33-year-old had not played 90 minutes since a World Cup qualifier against Estonia on September 8, 2021.
LAFC have two MLS regular season games left before the play-offs.
The MLS Cup final will take place on November 5, 16 days before Wales’ World Cup opener against the United States in Qatar.
Page said: “What he does from now until the first game against USA we will be in contact with the club and help manage those minutes.
“They want Gareth available and we want him in the best position that we can for the first game against the USA.
“We will be in contact with them and make sure he is in the right place.
“They are a good outfit, LA. So they will know how to get him from where he is now to full fitness, which is 90 minutes week in week out.”
Wales will head to Qatar on the back of a poor Nations League that brought them only one point from six games.
But there were mitigating circumstances with the delayed World Cup play-off final against Ukraine scheduled in June between the two opening group games, and a squad badly depleted by injuries and suspension.