Wales Sack Manager Rob Page After Euro 2024 Failure
Wales have made the decision to sack manager Rob Page following their failure to qualify for Euro 2024. Page, who had been in charge for three and a half years, led Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years and guided them to the second round of Euro 2020. However, their disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup and an embarrassing home defeat by Armenia during Euro 2024 qualifying ultimately led to his dismissal.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) held talks for over a week before agreeing that a change was necessary. Despite initially backing Page after their play-off final defeat against Poland, the FAW has now decided that a new manager is needed.
Page’s tenure as manager saw significant milestones and victories for Wales, including their first World Cup qualification in 64 years. However, their recent friendly matches against Gibraltar and Slovakia, where they drew and lost 4-0 respectively, were met with heavy criticism from fans. Many fans expressed their desire for a change in leadership, and Page himself acknowledged their frustrations.
In his time as manager, Page achieved a record of 15 wins, 15 draws, and 15 losses in 45 matches. He took over as interim manager from Ryan Giggs in November 2020 before being appointed permanently. Page was praised for guiding Wales through the group stages at Euro 2020, but their journey ended with a 4-0 defeat to Denmark in the second round.
Wales had secured promotion to the top tier of the Nations League under Page’s leadership and also reached the World Cup through a play-off victory over Ukraine. However, they failed to make an impact in Qatar, only earning one point from three group matches.
The FAW expressed their gratitude to Page for his commitment and dedication to the national teams. Dave Adams, the FAW’s chief football officer, thanked Page for his work over the last seven years, both as the under-21s head coach and as the Wales head coach.
Wales’ next game is the Nations League opener against Turkey on September 6th, followed by a trip to Montenegro three days later. World Cup qualifying for European nations will begin in the spring of 2025.
The FAW will now begin the search for a new manager who can lead Wales to future success and ensure they continue to compete at the highest level. The decision to sack Page may come as a disappointment to some, but it reflects the high expectations and ambitions of Welsh football.