Page and Knill

Dai muses on the new coaching set-up for Cymru, and what it might mean for the upcoming autumn internationals and beyond.

With the announcement last week that Rob Page was clear to choose whoever he wanted as his assistant manager, we now have a new man in post – former Wales international Alan Knill. 

Before we look at Knill, this does very much say to me that Rob Page will be in the role of Cymru manager for at least the medium term. That means the conclusion of the World Cup 2022 qualification and the tournament itself if we get there. I expect the FAW to let Ryan Giggs’ contract expire in January 2022, thank him for his time and send him on his way. Most likely Page’s long term future as Wales manager rests on his performance in the upcoming campaign. 

Given this is the likely course of events (in my view), I think it’s worth thinking about what this means for Wales. I maintain that I think Page has done a decent job in very trying and difficult circumstances. He’s taken us over the line in the Nations League and up to the top table, and got us out of a tricky group in Euro 2020. My issue with Page is ‘where next’. Has he achieved all he can achieve? Equally, is he the right man to take our so called golden generation into their last attempt to qualify for a World Cup since 1958?

Embed from Getty Images

The answers lie in the games and situations we have found ourselves in over the last 6 months. Denmark in the Euro’s was undoubtedly a low point, and one that he and his team (on and off the field) are responsible for. That said, it was in the last 16 of a major international tournament so no shame in taking us (13th ranked European team) to our ‘level’. He did get us there though with a good draw in a poor game against Switzerland and a very good win against a Turkey side who did not achieve their potential. He deserves the credit for that as much as he deserves the criticism for the Denmark debacle. 

For me, we should be looking at moving forward now though. Improving. Being ambitious. Developing and changing. This brings me to the key question and the appointment of Knill. Are these men capable of doing these things? On the balance of evidence, I remain unconvinced. 

International football is tough, and as cliched as it is, there aren’t many second chances. You need to have one eye on the future and the next step, as well as the immediate games. You need a clear tactical plan which you can implement in a short space of time and be adaptable. You need to be able to react and be proactive in difficult situations. Has Rob Page produced a result and performance so far where you’d say “I didn’t expect that”. I don’t think he has. The games we are expected to win, we’ve won. The games we thought we’d lose, we’ve lost. That doesn’t sound too bad I grant you, but football is about progression. Have we progressed and can we progress under Page? He hasn’t got a “headline” victory or result. Coleman has Belgium (twice), Giggs had the Croatia draw and the run of wins to get us to Euro 2020. Page maybe needs more time to get his, I’m just not sure we will. 

Embed from Getty Images

I say this because I fear he is unimaginative. The appointment of Alan Knill perpetuates that. He has chosen someone he knows he can work well within a short space of time, and I guess that is important. Knill has also been key (as I understand it) to the development of the overlapping defenders system which kept Sheffield United in the Premier League in his role as assistant coach. Is the peak of our ambition though – a Sheffield United assistant coach? A man who has worked for Torquay, Bury and Scunthorpe? As The Bob Bank Village pointed out on twitter, Knill’s predecessors have all had a very different background. Raymond Verjajen worked under Guus Hiddink. Albert Suivenberg was working with Manchester United and Arsenal having worked at the former with Luis Van Gaal. Osian Roberts is Mr Cymru having spearheaded a fantastic youth development system and revolutionizing Wales’ coaching system and pathways.

You can argue that Giggs was able to get Stuivenberg in because of his connections, but looking at the other names on this list, a lot of previous managers had good connections too. Toshack worked at the biggest football club in the World. Twice. Gary Speed played at big clubs in England before becoming manager for us. Coleman had managed in the Premier League and La Liga among others before continuing the development Speed and Roberts started. Is part of the problem that Page’s experience comes from Port Vale and Northampton. As such, is Alan Knill the peak of the connections he has? That sounds harsh I know, but it is the situation we find ourselves in. 

Embed from Getty Images

Ultimately though, this all comes down to ambition in my mind. Yes there are other factors at play here such as finances, and the complex legal storm, but can we have done more? Should we have done more? I think so. 

I want to make something clear here. Page and Knill have my 100% support. I will not be critical of them at a match, and that support will not diminish. I’m not “Page Out” although I recognize I have pushed some criticism his way. The thing for me is, and I reiterate what I have said before, this is about ambition. 

Ambition isn’t about aiming to win the 2022 World Cup, it’s about realism and progressing to the next level. In 2016 Wales wildly overachieved and it was amazing. We were always due a ‘bump’ because that summer will never be repeated. This summer we didn’t overachieve or under achieve. We stayed at our level. As a consequence we need to aim to get to the World Cup, and get out of our group. That in itself (ranked 19th in the World) would represent progression. But what next? Can Page keep us in the top tier of the Nations League and help us get to the last 8 of the next Euros? That would represent progression. 

Embed from Getty Images

How do we do that and how do we get there though? Improved player pathways, a continued improvement of the domestic league to increase standard so more Welsh players have a chance to thrive in different arenas, more all weather facilities across the country and more qualified FAW coaches at grassroots and age group football. That isn’t Rob Page’s role though. His role is to utilize what comes through, dig out some gems with Welsh connections (something Giggs has done well) and build a style of play which suits the way the young players have been coached through the age groups. It is not an easy job. 

Whatever happens, even if we don’t get to the places I’ve suggested in the future, those destinations at a World Cup and a Euros should still be the aim. My question is, can Rob Page and Alan Knill get us there? Are they the best partnership the FAW can possibly find to help us achieve our goal of progression? I don’t think they are. There are people outside the FAW who could and perhaps should be a part of it. 

Letting Jayne Ludlow go is a mistake and she should have been retained. Could she have come in and made a difference to the men’s set up? Since Steve Cooper is out of work, given his background as a successful coach with younger players at international level, should he be found a role? Did we miss and opportunity to try and get Osian Roberts back into the fold? Even Chris Coleman’s expertise could be useful. Agree with these or not (and perhaps they wouldn’t be available or interested) my wider point is there were options. At no point was Knill on my radar I’ll be honest. 

Embed from Getty Images

I worry that this may be a sliding doors moment in a difficult situation, and the FAW missed the train. They have done what they had to in the Giggs saga, and have been hamstrung by his selfishness. I’m sure this has effected them financially, as the pandemic will have done too. Perhaps the financial side has affected who they could go after, especially as these roles (in name at least) will have to have interim status. 

I’d love nothing more than to be proved wrong, but ultimately I hope the FAW and Page don’t squander what may prove to be our last chance to get to a World Cup in a long time. Whilst some of the factors underpinning that goal may be out of Page’s control, there are enough reasons to suggest our ambitions could have been loftier. And that, is my issue.