- Author, Dafydd Pritchard
- Role, BBC Sport Wales at Estadio Do Algarve, Portugal
Wales manager Rob Page says he understands why fans booed him after Thursday’s embarrassing draw against Gibraltar – but insists he will not “lose focus on the long-term plan” he has for his team.
Some supporters jeered Page and chanted for him to be sacked after Wales were held to a goalless friendly draw by a Gibraltar side ranked 203rd in the world and without a win since 2022.
Page faced criticism after Wales were humiliated at home by Armenia last year and went on to miss out on qualification for Euro 2024, and the reception he got in Portugal after the Gibraltar game was the most hostile he has received so far.
“They are entitled to their opinion, absolutely. I get it, I completely get it,” Page said when asked about being booed.
“I’m a Welsh supporter as well as the manager, I’m disappointed. But I have to keep saying about the bigger picture and I’ll probably get criticised for that.
“It’s the bigger picture and we’re not going to lose focus on what we’ve done.”
Page’s tenure has been one of huge highs and lows, from the ecstasy of qualifying for a first World Cup in 64 years to the disappointment of Wales’ dismal performance at the tournament itself in 2022, and then the despair of failing to qualify for Euro 2024.
Wales missed out on this summer’s competition in agonising fashion as they lost their play-off final to Poland on penalties in March, but the real damage was done during the regular qualifying campaign.
The 4-2 defeat at home to Armenia 12 months ago put Page under huge pressure, and that intensified last October when Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney publicly stated the manager needed to keep winning games to stay in his job, comments which vice-captain Ben Davies later described as “unhelpful”.
Page then oversaw a marked improvement. Other than the penalty shootout defeat by Poland after a goalless 90 minutes, Wales are unbeaten in their past eight games.
However, where many Wales fans are concerned, doubts remain over Page and they made their feelings known after the woeful performance against Gibraltar.
Asked if the result could have a bearing on his job security, Page told BBC Sport Wales: “If you’ve got a business plan and a long-term plan you can’t be emotional.
“That’s a question you should ask the board or the chief exec or the president, not myself. I’m not going to lose focus on the long-term plan we’ve got.
“It’s a draw against a Gibraltar team that we’re really disappointed with and our focus is on getting the team and squad ready for September to win Nations League games.”