Business as usual for Wales despite Giggs absence

Reuters Videos
Updated

RESENDING, REPLACING SOUNDBITES WITH BROADCAST QUALITY FOOTAGE / ADDING TRAINING SHOTS

VIDEO SHOWS: NEWS CONFERENCE WITH WALES TEMPORARY MANAGER ROB PAGE / B-ROLL AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHS OF RYAN GIGGS / B-ROLL OF WALES TRAINING

SHOWS: BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (NOVEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. WALES MANAGER RYAN GIGGS AT EURO 2020 DRAW

BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (DECEMBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

2. WALES MANAGER RYAN GIGGS AT EURO 2020 DRAW (NOT A SOUNDBITE)

HENSOL, WALES, UK (NOVEMBER 11, 2020) (FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF WALES - ACCESS ALL)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TEMPORARY WALES MANAGER ROB PAGE SAYING WHEN ASKED WHAT HE MEANT BY THE FACT THIS SQUAD WAS RYAN GIGGS':

"With regards to the squad and the camp, nothing changes. We are in such a good place at the minute, we are in a good place with regards to coming into these qualifiers. So if it isn't broke then don't fix it. There is momentum coming into this camp. It is important that against the USA we keep that momentum going and we set ourselves up nicely then for two tough games, two tough qualifiers, but we know the rewards that are there at the end of it. So what I meant by that was it will continue to be Ryan's squad and we just oversee things in camp to get us through these two games, three games with the friendly."

CARDIFF, WALES, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 2, 2017) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

4. RYAN GIGGS PLAYING IN EXHIBITION MATCH

5. CROWD

6. GIGGS TAKING PENALTY KICK

HENSOL, WALES, UK (NOVEMBER 11, 2020) (FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF WALES - ACCESS ALL)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TEMPORARY WALES MANAGER ROB PAGE SAYING:

"Yeah amongst all the staff we will have our input, we will have our say. Of course I know that he is a phone call away, if I need a chat, if I need to talk about anything that has been brought up on camp, and all the staff feel the same. Like I said, we have got Albert (Stuivenberg) alongside me as well, and Tony Roberts and Tony Strudwick. So we have got the same staff that we have had all throughout the campaign. So yeah, it has been a good camp so far."

DUBLIN, IRELAND (OCTOBER 10, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

8. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF RYAN GIGGS

HENSOL, WALES, UK (SEPTEMBER 2, 2020) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

9. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF RYAN GIGGS

CARDIFF, WALES, UK (NOVEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS PICTURES - ACCESS ALL) (MUTE)

10. STILL PHOTOGRAPH OF RYAN GIGGS

HENSOL, WALES, UK (FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF WALES - ACCESS ALL)

11. ROB PAGE AT TRAINING

12. VARIOUS OF WALES SQUAD TRAINING

13. PLAYER KICKING BALL WITH ROB PAGE

14. WALES SQUAD TRAINING

STORY: Ryan Giggs' absence will have no impact on Wales in their upcoming three international matches, caretaker manager Rob Page told reporters on Wednesday (November 11).

Giggs has stepped away from his role while police investigate an alleged assault that took place at Giggs' home last week. British media reported that the alleged victim was Giggs' girlfriend. The 46-year-old denies any wrongdoing.

Page will take charge for Wales friendly against the USA on Thursday, as well as two Nations League qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

Speaking during a virtual news conference, Page said Giggs was only a phone call away and "nothing changes" in terms of preparation or team selection.

(Production: Iain Axon)