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Gareth Bale announced his retirement on Monday. Photo: AFP |
Wales manager Rob Page wants Gareth Bale to stay involved in the international set-up after the star forward announced he was hanging up his boots.
Bale, a five-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid,
ended a glittering career on Monday after winning 111 caps and scoring 41 goals
for his country — both national records for the men’s team.
The 33-year-old’s decision to quit came after Wales’
disappointing performance at the World Cup in Qatar, when Page’s team failed to
get out of their group and Bale struggled due to a lack of match fitness.
Page revealed Bale contacted him on Sunday to inform him of
his decision to retire, and said he was in full agreement with his captain.
“I told him I think it’s the right time to bow out,” he told
the BBC. “You’ve just scored in a World Cup and got everything on your CV, what
you’ve done for this country is unbelievable.”
Wales start their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in March and
Page confirmed that Bale, who was playing for Los Angeles FC in the MLS, would
have been selected for that double-header against Croatia and Latvia, perhaps
with a role as an impact player off the bench.
“There’s a mixture of emotions for me,” he said. “I’m
excited now because it’s an opportunity to get some of the young ones through —
players like Brennan Johnson to take the opportunity and step up to the plate —
and get the next Gareth Bale.
“But there’s also a hint of sadness because it’s the last
time we’ll see Gareth Bale putting a pair of boots on for Wales.”
Page said he had spoken with Bale about his staying within
the Wales set-up, although the exact nature of any potential role remains
unclear.