Wales manager Robert Page has backed Scotland boss Steve Clarke’s calls for bookings to be cleared before the World Cup qualifying playoffs with a host of players walking a disciplinary tightrope in March’s semi-finals.
Scotland have eight players at risk of missing the final if they pick up a booking in the Hampden semi – Andy Robertson, Billy Gilmour, Che Adams, Jack Hendry, John McGinn, Kevin Nisbet, Scott McTominay and Stephen O’Donnell – while Page faces losing as many as seven of his stars if they fall foul of the referee in their own semi-final clash in March.
Wales boss Robert Page has backed Steve Clarke. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Clarke has already called on FIFA and UEFA to clear the slate for players and Page has given his support, backing Clarke’s claim the rules are unfair on teams like Scotland who also had to play a couple more fixtures as a result of having an extra team in their group.
“I fully support it. Absolutely,” Page said.
“I see it especially from Scotland’s point of view because they had six teams in their group and had more games to play.
“It is what it is. But if we can influence a change we absolutely will.”
Wales also have a home tie in the semi-finals of the playoffs after securing a place as one of the seeded sides in the draw later this month as they look to reach the World Cup more than six decades after their last appearance.
Scotland and Wales could be drawn against Turkey, Poland, North Macedonia, Ukraine, Austria and the Czech Republic in the semi-finals on November 26.
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