In Ryan Giggs’s absence a former Port Vale and Northampton manager renowned for his honesty has done a remarkable
Job 
Robert Page has not savoured the array of trophies Ryan Giggs did across a glittering playing career but there is no doubting his pride at leading his country at a European Championship. Colours pinned to the mast, it radiates in his voice. “I’m from Tylorstown in the valleys and to play for your country is a great honour … but to manage it in a major tournament like this is unbelievable,” he says. “I left the valleys at 16 years old to go and pursue a career.”
Wales’s senior players speak glowingly about the way Page has held the fort for eight matches during the off-field uncertainty that has surrounded Giggs and the
Football Association of Wales since November and the 46-year-old, a popular personality, is seen as a relatable character. “When Rob Page speaks, particularly to young players, he knows what he’s talking about because he’s been there,” says Micky Adams, who signed him as a player at Coventry and took him to Port Vale as a coach.