WHO IS ROB PAGE AND WHAT ARE HIS BIG PLANS, AS WALES SEEKS ITS FIRST WORLD CUP IN 64 YEARS

Following Giggs' arrest in November 2020, Page was appointed caretaker manager of Wales. He was officially appointed as the head coach of Wales in April. In 64 years, Wales will play its second World Cup. Coach Robert Page, who has played for Cardiff City, Coventry City, and Huddersfield Town, is the architect behind this miracle. During his career, he made 41 appearances for Wales and retired in 2006.

He was born in Tylorstown, Pentre, a mining village where Jimmy Murphy, a key member of Wales' 1958 World Cup campaign, hailed from. AFC Wimbledon, Northampton, and Vale Park were among the lower-division teams he managed after starting his coaching career at Port Vale. A coaching assignment with the Wales U-21 team was taken up by him in March 2015. Following that, Page was appointed as Ryan Giggs' assistant manager. In November 2020, Page became the caretaker manager of Wales following the arrest of Giggs. He was responsible for three international matches in March 2021 when he began his full-fledged managerial career. During the month of April, he was formally appointed as the head coach of Wales. The formation he prefers is 4-2-3-1. Wales' 48-year-old coach, highly respected among the players, guided them to the pre-quarterfinals of Euro 2020 before losing 0-4 to Denmark. It is the first time since 1958 that Wales will qualify for the Qatar World Cup after defeating Ukraine 1-0 in the playoff in June 2022. The World Cup will be an interesting experience to see if Page can motivate Wales to pull off an upset against the USA, Iran, and neighboring England in Group B.

There will be a final dance for two of Wales' most pivotal players in their resurgence on the international stage, Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, as they prepare for their first World Cup finals since 1958. Throughout the last few years, they have served as Wales' leading generals under Chris Coleman, Ryan Giggs, and now Rob Page. In his second group stage game against Iran, former Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur winger Bale were set to dethrone Chris Gunter as the nation's most-capped player. Meanwhile, his teammate Ramsey has made 75 appearances, scoring 20 goals. The two players have both proven to be commendable leaders on the field under different managers, and those qualities will be examined again as Qatar prepares to host its largest tournament in 64 years. Nevertheless, the manager has already set his sights on the future, despite the international careers of Bale and Ramsey appearing to be winding down.

Wales' next big test will be how they move forward without these current stars. Having 17 players aged 25 or under in his squad, it is clear that Page is already looking ahead, and there are some to watch over the next few years. Brennan Johnson (21) is a versatile forward who played an important role in Nottingham Forest's promotion to the Premier League last year. It is likely that he will be closely monitoring his captain Bale over the next few weeks to further improve his own game as well as to learn from him. In addition to being able to dribble past defenders, he also has an eye for a goal.

Among his teammates is Neco Williams, a full-back who plays for Nottingham Forest. Similarly, Williams is a player who is progressive with the ball and who has the ability to obtain decent shooting opportunities. In 2022-23, he has had the same number of shots as Johnson (19), which could provide Page's team with a new attacking dimension in Qatar as well as elsewhere. Add to this the likes of Cardiff attacking midfielder Rubin Colwill (20), who also appears to be one to watch in the years to come. Despite his neat dribbling skills and ability to slip attackers through, he is not afraid to take shots from a distance, which may make him an option for set pieces.

Among the forwards, there is the versatile Brennan Johnson (21) who played a key role in Nottingham Forest's promotion to the Premier League last season. Not only does he enjoy dribbling past defenders, but he is also a capable shooter and will likely watch Bale closely over the next few weeks in order to improve his own game. The full-back Neco Williams is also a member of his Forest team. Another player who enjoys being proactive with the ball is Williams, who is able to put himself in a position to score. During 2022-23, he has taken the same number of shots as Johnson (19), which could offer a new attacking dimension to Page's team. Furthermore, Cardiff attacking midfielder Rubin Colwill (20) is also a player to keep an eye on in the future. The young player is an excellent dribbler and is able to slip attackers through, but he is also capable of hitting the target from a distance, which could make him an option for set pieces if he is given the opportunity to play.

It is no secret that Fulham's Harry Wilson (25) has been around for several years now, but he still has several years of his career left to play. A typical style of play for him is to run at defenders, usually on the right foot, so he can cut in onto his left foot and unleash a powerful shot. The first taste of World Cup action will serve him and his team well as they prepare for the new era of Welsh football this winter.

There are still a number of opportunities for Wales in defense, including Chris Mepham (25) who already has considerable international experience, but young Ben Cabango (22) is the player to watch. Over the past several seasons, Swansea City's defender has been a largely consistent performer at the club level, and now he has the opportunity to hone his skill set and challenge himself against some of the world's best attackers. As he believes they are the future of Wales, Page has also brought along teenagers Ollie Cooper (replacing Luke Harris, who withdrew due to personal reasons) and Jordan James to Qatar.

Cooper represents Swansea while James represents Birmingham City. They have already gained valuable experience at the senior level in the Championship, but Page is preparing them to contribute to the progression of the Welsh national team in the future. The inclusion of these players is important, according to Page. March comes around quickly [Euro 2024 qualifiers] and we need to keep an eye on it. If the senior boys decide to stop playing for Wales in the future, it won't be so bad a culture shock and the change won't be so drastic." No matter where Wales finishes the tournament, these experiences contribute to the growth of any national team, especially one with the aim of qualifying for football's crown jewel regularly.

By Rashmi Goel