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Silent Wales Keep Ryan Giggs And Robert Page In The Background As The Show Goes On

By David Williams

Wales have been forced to shake-up their goalkeeping options, but neither Ryan Giggs nor Robert Page have been given a platform to discuss them.

With Giggs having stood down from his duties following his arrest on Sunday night and his assistant Page placed in charge, the Football Association of Wales have announced their latest squad but held no press conference.

Giggs was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a woman on Sunday night and later bailed over an alleged row with “on-off girlfriend” Kate Greville at his Manchester home on Sunday, The Sun newspaper reported.

A statement released on behalf of Giggs said he denied “all allegations of assault made against him”.

The FAW took the unusual step on Thursday of announcing the squad for the upcoming games via their social media platforms rather than hold a press conference on Zoom.

Page will be in charge for the three upcoming games and will be supported by Arsenal coach Albert Stuivenberg.

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Gareth Bale has returned to the squad which was selected by absent manager Giggs.

Skipper Bale missed Wales’ October games against England, the Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria with a knee injury which delayed his Tottenham debut following his season-long loan move from Real Madrid.

But Bale is back in a 29-man squad which was selected by Giggs before his arrest

Wales, who are top of Nations League Group B after three wins and a draw, are without first-choice goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey and his deputy Adam Davies through injury.

Giggs has recalled Dunfermline’s Owain Fon Williams, who was part of the squad which reached the semi-final of Euro 2016 under Chris Coleman, and Newport’s Tom King.

Defenders Tom Lockyer and James Lawrence are also recalled and Newport midfielder Josh Sheehan wins a first senior call-up after being preferred to Cardiff’s Will Vaulks.

Tom Lawrence features in a Wales squad for the first time this year after summer surgery.

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Wales have injury concerns over various players, among them Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

The former Arsenal playmaker limped off during the second half of Juventus’ 4-1 Champions League win away to Ferencvaros on Wednesday night.

Defender Ben Cabango missed Swansea’s 1-1 draw at Brentford on Tuesday after suffering a hamstring injury in the warm-up.

Rhys Norrington-Davies also sat out Luton’s midweek win at Rotherham with a hamstring concern.

Squad:

D Ward (Leicester), O Fon Williams (Dunfermline), T King (Newport), C Roberts (Swansea), C Gunter (Charlton), N Williams (Liverpool), B Davies (Tottenham), R Norrington-Davies (Luton, on loan from Sheff Utd), C Mepham (Bournemouth), B Cabango (Swansea), J Rodon (Tottenham), T Lockyer (Luton), J Lawrence (St Pauli), E Ampadu (Sheff Utd, on loan from Chelsea), J Morrell (Luton), M Smith (Doncaster, on loan from Man City), D Levitt (Charlton, on loan from Man Utd), J Sheehan (Newport), A Ramsey (Juventus), J Williams (Charlton), B Johnson (Lincoln, on loan from Nottingham Forest), D Brooks (Bournemouth), H Wilson (Cardiff, on loan from Liverpool), R Matondo (Schalke 04), D James (Man Utd), T Roberts (Leeds), G Bale (Tottenham, on loan from Real Madrid), K Moore (Cardiff), T Lawrence (Derby).

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