In the wake of the Football Association of Wales sacking head coach Rob Page after three and a half years in the seat and a recent run of poor results, speculation again begins as to who will replace him in the role next. David James looks at the frontrunners.
The FAW released a statement on Fri 21 June: “The Football Association of Wales has taken the decision to end Rob Page’s contract as Men’s National Team Head Coach.”
Under Page’s stewardship, Wales reached the 2022 FIFA World Cup finals for the first time since 1958 – a feat he should be immensely proud of. Perhaps the best compliment he can be paid is just how seamless a transition it was when he was appointed. A Rhondda boy and an all-around nice guy, he steadied the ship and provided much needed stability in the wake of the Ryan Giggs court case proceedings.
The FAW statement also included a comment from president Steve Williams: “Rob’s passion for the country shone through in his visits to schools, clubs and communities across the breadth of Wales. I know Rob was incredibly proud of taking the World Cup squad announcement to his hometown of Tylorstown.”
It was evident how much managing Wales meant to Page and this work sometimes doesn’t get the coverage it warrants. However, the three performances at the World Cup were indicative of a team that was ageing and overly reliant on its stalwarts. The Welsh midfield was ineffective, bypassed by each of their USA, Iran and England counterparts, while Gareth Bale was largely isolated in attack. After Bale’s retirement in early 2023, the introduction of Jordan James has added some dynamism and proved a positive step.
Onto Euro 2024 qualification, where a 4-2 defeat to Armenia and a 2-0 defeat to Turkey were followed up with 1-1 draws against both countries. Performances were flat and lacking intensity. A playoff final against Poland at the Cardiff City Stadium in March, goalless after 120 minutes, led to Dan James missing his sudden-death penalty kick: Wales’ Euro qualification was over.
Ultimately, this result – followed, in recent weeks, by a 4-0 loss to Slovakia and 0-0 draw with minnows Gibraltar – would be Page’s undoing. Tactically, Wales have been leaking goals but also lacking in attack. The team is no longer blessed with a maverick like Bale, and qualification for future tournaments will require more astute tactics. The FAW will also need to appoint Page’s successor wisely. I’ve profiled some of the likely – and perhaps less likely – contenders below for the next head coach of Wales’ national men’s football team.
Osian Roberts
Osian Roberts is the name the majority of the Red Wall seem to want to replace Page, and it’s easy to see why. Caretaker manager of Italian side Como, he’s recently guided the team to Serie A for the first time in over 20 years and is highly regarded by Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas, both of whom have shares in the northern Italian team (Fabregas was also Roberts’ assistant coach last season). He is very much embedded in the FAW’s “together stronger” ethos and shared in the success of the Chris Coleman era, where Roberts served as Coleman’s number two. The caveat of all of this is the very reason Wales wants him – having just won promotion in Italy, Roberts may feel he can do his best job in club football. However, his plan is to step aside for Fabregas to take over management of Como next season, and I think he will see the Welsh job as the perfect fit. This one makes sense.
Craig Bellamy
Ex-Wales forward Bellamy was a pivotal part of former Burnley manager Vincent Kompany’s backroom staff. Kompany has since departed the Clarets for Bayern Munich, with uncertainty about where Bellamy will head next. He has never been a manager, though he was very close to being appointed to the Wales role, Ryan Giggs ultimately getting the role in 2018. The infamously passionate Bellamy has now coached in Belgium and England. He is likely to be considered.
Rob Edwards
Luton manager Edwards played 15 times for Wales and took Luton to the Premier League in the 2022-2023 season. Despite going back down to the Championship, the Hatters performed gallantly in the top flight. With Carlton Morris the focal point of the Luton attack, direct passes are played to the frontman, allowing players such as Ross Barkley to pass and create in the final third; one can imagine Wales replicating this with Kieffer Moore. Edwards is an adaptable manager, something likely to be necessary for a Cymru team that will introduce new talent over the coming years. This one feels very unlikely, though.
Chris Coleman
Could Coleman return to the hot seat? The man who masterminded the success of Euro 2016 in France would no doubt be a popular choice – but they say never go back, and in this case, too it feels like we should just remember the good times.
Ryan Giggs
The Times reports that Ryan Giggs is being considered, which would represent quite a surprising move.
A foreign wildcard
Though Wales has never had a foreign manager, it’s common practice in plenty of other countries. The FAW trains candidates to do their coaching badges at the Dragon Park Headquarters in Newport; Thierry Henry was a participant of this course and is due to manage the France men’s team at the Olympics next month. The former Arsenal man would represent an ambitious and bold choice.
Hervé Renard, managing the French women’s national team at the Olympics, is another suggestion. With Renard’s contract expiring after the tournament, could he be enticed by a new challenge? He has managed the Ivory Coast, Morocco and Saudi Arabia in recent times and done well; he motivates and coaches his teams with an impetus on possession-based football, and is passionate. Critics will say that he is cautious in his approach but his experience is vast. This could be a very shrewd appointment – the expectation, though, will be that the FAW will bring in a Welshman.
words DAVID JAMES
