Euro 2024: Wales boss Robert Page backs young guns but admits nerves versus Poland
Wales manager Robert Page admits he is nervous but backs his young squad to beat Poland tonight with The Dragons sitting on the verge of qualification for Euro 2024.
Having beaten Finland 4-1 last week in their play-off semi-final, Wales take on Poland this evening in Cardiff knowing a win puts them on the plane to Germany this summer.
Page took over the reins after former boss Ryan Giggs was arrested and saw his Wales side qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. But his side can back that up with an appearance at the Euros this year.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, I’m human. But the players are very relaxed, it’s very calming,” Page said.
“I think we’re in a healthier position in regards to age and the legs on the pitch. Did the gap between the semi-finals and the final before the World Cup help us? Definitely. We saw at the World Cup, teams like Canada, Morocco, USA, were athletic, with JJ [Jordan James] and Ethan [Ampadu] we’re getting there. It’s a challenge but we’re getting there.”
“We know Poland have an abundance of quality, they have a new manager [Michał Probierz]. They’re here for a reason and we’ll take note of that but it’s about us playing as well as we can. If we match the level of performance that we know we can, the result takes care of itself.”
“It would have been foolish for me to make any drastic changes [after taking over from Giggs]. The style in which we play has changed, it’s the way we want to play. It would be a great achievement for us to qualify [for the Euros] and the manner in which we had. We had a bump in the road but the reaction since then. We scored the goals we have done and got the wins we’ve needed. We’ve got to focus.”
The winners of tonight’s tie will join Group D at Euro 2024 alongside the Netherlands, Austria and France.