Key Highlights :
Gareth Bale, the former Wales captain and Real Madrid forward, retired from football in January of 2021 and has since decided not to join the Wales coaching staff, according to manager Rob Page. Bale, who was Wales' most capped men's player with 111 appearances, made a farewell statement in January announcing he was “stepping down but not stepping away” from the Wales environment.
Page recently spoke to Bale and confirmed that he will not be joining the coaching staff, but that he is open to conversations and he wants to play a part in the future. The Wales manager also spoke about Chris Gunter, Bale's former teammate, who recently joined the backroom staff ahead of two qualifiers in March. Page said Gunter is a "first-class lad" and is doing his coaching badges, and is great around the changing room and the lads love him.
Wales had a four-day camp with the under-21s and EFL players, and Gunter was given more responsibility with regards to the training sessions. Page said the culture in the changing room is the most important thing, and Gunter is key to that.
Wales are preparing for their Euro 2024 double-header this month, with three key players nursing injuries. Skipper Aaron Ramsey, goalkeeper Danny Ward, and Neco Williams have all missed the final games of the season for their respective clubs. However, Page has been encouraged by his squad playing more Premier League minutes this term, a top-flight total of 251 appearances being 135 more than the previous campaign and the most since the 2016-17 season.
While Bale will not be joining the Wales coaching staff, it is clear that he will still be involved in some capacity and is keen to play a part in the future. Wales will be hoping to make the most of their increased Premier League minutes and the presence of Bale in some form as they look to qualify for Euro 2024.