Stick or twist? FAW now have a crucial decision to make on future of boss Page
THE last time Wales missed a crucial penalty in a win or bust qualifier in Cardiff, Terry Yorath was sacked.
The FA of Wales parted company with their manager within just a few weeks of the agonising 1993 World Cup loss to Romania.
On Christmas Eve to be exact. Merry Xmas, Terry!
Yorath was hugely popular with the Welsh fan base and there was an outcry at the time as our game was set back years through the Mike Smith and Bobby Gould eras.
I don’t detect anything remotely resembling such warm affection towards Robert Page.
In light of Dan James’ miss versus Poland,the manager’s position is invariably coming under intense scrutiny from the Welsh public.
Indeed, the only Stay or Go poll I have seen thus far had 95 per cent of those participating calling for change, albeit it can’t be used as a particularly scientific vote.
Page is only two years into a fouryear contract, but the FAW hierarchy of chief executive Noel Mooney and President Steve Williams wouldn’t be doing their jobs if they didn’t properly assess the ultimately failed Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, which includes an analysis of the manager’s position.
There was a big hoo-hah only a few months back when Mooney suggested there would be a review of Page’s position, amid Roy Keane links to the job. Page clearly wasn’t happy, nor his captain Ben Davies.
But what is Mooney, as chief executive of the organisation, supposed to do? Just accept poor results, not qualifying, and the loss of multi-millions for the FAW from participation in the Euros and the bumper sponsorship deals that would come with it?
The FAW employ a lot of staff these days. Which is good. Mooney has pledged huge sums towards grassroots clubs and the domestic game in Wales. Good again.
They could have done with the money from reaching the Euros. They certainly can’t afford to miss out on making the World Cup in 2026, particularly as it will be expanded to 48 teams.
There almost needs to be a no excuses culture, even in this postGareth Bale era.
Despite the devastation of defeat to the Poles on penalties, Page remained in upbeat mood after the game. This young team is on a journey, he stated, feeling he is the right manager to steer them on that ride.
It’s fair to say there are a growing number of Welsh fans who beg to differ. Such is the harsh nature of international football, where results mean everything.
These are the facts. Page has had 42 games in charge, an awful lot for someone who was only supposed to be a stand-in for Ryan Giggs!
His win ratio is 36 per cent, which is behind Giggs’ record of 50 per cent, John Toshack’s 42 per cent and Chris Coleman’s 39 per cent. Gary Speed also had a 50 per cent winning record, although he was only in charge for 10 matches.
Reaching Germany 2024 was always going to be testing without Bale, the greatest Wales player of a generation. However, Bale or no Bale, Wales still have a crop of very talented footballers and finishing third in a group containing Turkey, Croatia, Armenia and Latvia is nothing to shout about.
There are those who argue a more tactically astute manager would have got Wales in the top two and that two points out of a possible 12 against the Turks and Armenians is evidence of that.
Page was handed a back-door route thanks to the work largely done by Giggs in helping Wales earn promotion to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League, albeit Page got the side over the line with the final couple of home wins versus Ireland and Finland.
Everything was in Wales’ favour, handed two home play-offs versus the Finns again and the Poles in front of their fanatical Cardiff City Stadium support which is so partisan it is almost worth a goal start. Finland were duly blown away. Highly impressive from Page and his team.
The litmus test was always going to be Poland. Page did not come through that one unscathed.
His decision making on the night led to plenty of questions being raised.
Why was Brennan Johnson, for many Wales’ best player, taken off so early in the piece?
Why was Dan James stuck at rightback when his pace was needed further forward to terrorise tiring Polish defenders in the closing minutes?
Why was Aaron Ramsey even on the bench, if Page wasn’t going to use him?
Why wasn’t Rubin Colwill on there? The Cardiff City playmaker brings a point of difference that could have seen Wales over the line towards the end of normal time, or in extra time, with the oceans of space that suddenly appeared on the pitch. It was a game made for Colwill as a substitute. Page erred by not utilising him.
Page rightly has credit in the bank after finally ending Wales’ six decade old World Cup jinx, albeit again that came from having two play-offs at Cardiff City Stadium and a certain Mr Bale driving the team to Qatar.
Once there, after those 64 years of waiting, Wales were hugely disappointing, losing to Iran and England, scraping a draw with the USA.
Page’s record at the delayed Euro 2020, which Giggs qualified Wales for, was mixed. Wales got through their group, but then crashed 4-0 to Denmark.
In the top tier of the Nations League, games against Belgium, Netherland and Poland once more, Page’s record read Played 6, Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 5.
The beauty of football is that everyone has an opinion. Some will be supportive of Page; others will be against.
Many question the four-year deal Mooney gave him. On the other hand, the FAW felt they required stability after what happened with Giggs and needed to reward Page for getting Wales to the World Cup.
How will the FAW go in their review? The truth is I don’t know. They tend to be very loyal employers, but Mooney won’t be happy at not qualifying, given the distinct advantage Wales had of meeting the Poles in their own Cardiff backyard, with those incredible fans so passionately behind the team and driving them on.
The players like Page and that is a huge plus for him. The recently retired Joe Allen reckons that is one of the reasons the FAW must back their manager.
But as I recall the players didn’t particularly want Chris Coleman after Gary Speed, preferring the status quo of Raymond Verheijen and Osian Roberts. The FAW hierarchy begged to differ, had set their sights on Coleman, went after Coleman and got Coleman.
Didn’t turn out too bad that one, did it?
Indeed, in differing ways every one of the FAW’s recent managerial appointments have been successful. John Toshack started the youth revolution with Bale, Ramsey, Allen and the rest, Speed took it to the next level.
Coleman reached the Euro semifinals. Giggs revamped the side, filling it with younger players, and getting to the next Euros.
However, a lot of the senior FAW figures who were behind those appointments are not on board any more. Modernisation is great, it was needed, but their years of wisdom will be missed. Thus it remains to be seen what happens next.
In my mind, there is nothing worse than just penning a destructive article. Constructive criticism should always be the order of the day - therefore if I’m suggesting Page’s future should come under scrutiny, at least I should be able to suggest alternative managers.
That’s difficult, though, given FAW budgets. The truth is it would be down to Mooney, as a highly paid employee of the Association, to find a suitable alternative.
Roy Keane has been mooted, perhaps inevitable given Mooney’s own Irish background.
I must stress Mooney has completely dismissed the Keane link to me, but you just never know in football.
Craig Bellamy only missed out by a whisker to Giggs last time after giving what FAW insiders told me was a ‘Hollywood interview’.
The current President Steve Williams was on the six-man panel who made that decision. They were split 3-3. Williams voted for Giggs.
Will Williams put forward Bellamy’s name again, as a modern thinking coach who could drive the team forward, or has that ship sailed?
Giggs himself? Surely couldn’t happen, could it, in light of events, even though not guilty verdicts were brought in?
A combination of one of Patrick Vieira or Marcel Dessaily with Osian Roberts would prove more appealing. Those two French legends did their coaching badges in Wales, are close to Roberts, would bring World Cupwinning
nous to the party.
Again though, could the FAW afford it?
Same with Steve Cooper, whose name is also being bandied around by fans after his impressive work with England under-17s, Swansea City and Nottingham Forest.
I sense Mooney would be prepared to push the boat out financially more than some of his predecessors, but losing those millions by not getting to the Euros would clearly have an impact upon any decision.
Once they conduct their review, the FAW may take the easy option of backing Page for another two years..
As I say, he has credit in the bank. Not counting the spot-kick shoot-out, Wales are unbeaten in their last eight games and have bounced back well from the abject 2-4 home loss to Armenia earlier in the Euro campaign.
Page was a penalty kick away from qualifying, he claims.
But so was Yorath. And with much greater qualifying opportunities these days, including the back door routes afforded to Page, the bar has been raised since then.