Robert Page led Wales their first World Cup since 1958, but is now on the hunt for a new role in management.

After a managerial career in the lower leagues and the Wales backroom team, Page suddenly found himself at the helm of the national side after Ryan Giggs stood down from the role after assault charges were brought against him.

Before Page became a manager, he had a successful career as a player turning out in all four of the top English divisions. Though it was with Watford he will be most fondly remembered.

In his short time as an international manager, he managed Wales at the delayed 2020 European Championships and led Wales to their first World Cup in 64 years.

But he was sacked in June 2024, almost halfway through a four-year contract he signed in September 2022, after an unhappy 18 months where Wales failed to qualify for Euro 2024, then drew 0-0 with Gibraltar and were thrashed by Slovakia.

Rob Page's playing career

Beginning his career at Watford in 1993, Page eventually established himself as a key figure at the club.

He captained the Hornets to the second division title in the 1997/98 season and their 1999 play-off final victory.

In what was Watford's first Premier League season, Page earnt plaudits for his performance, picking up the award of Watford's player of the season. However, he could not prevent the club's relegation from the top flight.

He was moved on to Sheffield United in 2001. He was again made captain of the side as he led them to a play-off final, where they were defeated by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

After a very successful spell at Sheffield United, he joined Welsh side Cardiff in July 2004. He was unable to establish himself in the side and left on a free transfer to sign for Coventry in 2005.

Under manager Nicky Adams, Page was again appointed captain, but he was forced to leave the club after a training ground fight with Michael Doyle in 2007 which left him frozen out the side by then manager Iain Dowie.

The end of Page's playing career saw him represent Huddersfield and Chesterfield before he announced his retirement in 2011 after an 18-year playing career and over 550 senior games.

Page as an international

Page played at Under-18 and Under-21 level for Wales and finally made his international debut in 1996 during a 0-0 draw with Turkey in a World Cup qualifier.

The pinnacle of his playing career was captaining the Welsh side to a 2-0 victory over Hungary in 2005.

In the span of his international career, he earned 41 caps for Wales but never managed to score for the side.

Wales did not qualify for the European Championship or the World Cup during Rob Page's playing career.

Page's managerial career

Page started his coaching career in the Port Vale youth team in 2011 under former manager Micky Adams, and then became a first team coach in 2012.

Page eventually replaced Adams as caretaker manager in September 2014, before securing the job full-time in October and kept Port Vale away from relegation from League One. In his first full season in management he led Port Vale to 12th place in the 2015/16 campaign.

Northampton swooped for his services that May, but he only lasted in the role until January 2017 after the team dropped to 16th in the League One table and were dumped out the FA Cup by non-league Stourbridge.

Page took a coaching role at Nottingham Forest soon after leaving Northampton but was approached by Wales in March.

Page as Wales manager

Initially, Page was given the role of Wales U-21 manager. His responsibilities were extended making him in charge of the U-19 and U-17 side.

He impressed the hierarchy at the Welsh federation and succeeded Osian Roberts to become Ryan Giggs' assistant for the Welsh men's team.

Page was then put in interim charge of the side following Ryan Giggs arrest on assault charges in November 2020.

He remained in charge for the delayed Euro 2020 tournament in the summer of 2021 and guided Wales to the last-16 of the competition. He also helped Wales earn promotion to Group A in the Nations League.

But his biggest achievement came in June 2022 when Wales secured a Ukraine 1-0 qualifier play-off victory over Ukraine in June 2022 to earned a place in their first World Cup since 1958.

Giggs then resigned from his role before his trial started and Page was named permanent Wales manager

Everything appeared rosy heading to Qatar a few months later.

But Wales’ World Cup excursion would mark the beginning of the end for Page; poor team selection, tactical mistakes and a torrid campaign that saw the Dragons finish bottom of their group with one point and one goal – a Gareth Bale penalty.

Bale announced his retirement from football six weeks after the World Cup exit, and Page had to begin plotting Euro 2024 qualification without Wales’ long-time talisman.

It was a mixed campaign that saw Wales take four points from 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Croatia but was ultimately undone by picking up just one against Armenia, who were barely ranked inside the world’s top hundred.

Wales were consigned to the play-offs and, having registered a semi-final win over Finland, missed out on the Euros as Poland prevailed in a penalty shoot-out contest in Cardiff and attention now turns to the Nations League campaign that starts in September.

Football Association of Wales president Steve Williams took less than 24 hours to give Page his full backing after an agonising defeat that hit Welsh football’s finances hard.

But that support evaporated after two June friendlies, a goalless draw against Gibraltar – opponents ranked 203rd in the world – and a 4-0 hammering to Euros-bound Slovakia.

Even without a host of senior players, the FAW hierarchy could not escape the fact Wales had won only five times in 22 games since qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

Nor could they ignore the loud calls of fans – both inside the stadiums after the Gibraltar and Slovakia games and on social media – to replace someone whose only previous managerial experience came at Port Vale and Northampton.

Williams said: “I am incredibly grateful for all that Rob has done in his role as Cymru men’s national team manager and I want to put on record my gratitude for taking Cymru to EURO 2020 and the FIFA World Cup.”

Page personal life

Page lives in Sheffield, UK with his wife Kate

Page net worth

Page reportedly has a net worth of £1.3million.