From Rhondda to Qatar - Wales manager Rob Page visits hometown ahead of World Cup 2022

  • ITV Wales reporter Cari Davies spoke to Rob Page about how his Rhondda roots have shaped him

Wales manager Rob Page has returned to his hometown in the Rhondda ahead of the World Cup to see how the next generation are being inspired by their local football legend.

Page grew up in Tylorstown and spoke to children at a local school during their football festival day.

Pupils at Penyrenglyn Primary School described their excitement for the World Cup and even got to ask the Wales manager questions about his career.

Reacting to the famous visitor, one student said it was "really good to have someone that important in the Rhondda" while another said it was "unbelievable" that the Wales manager hailed from the same area as them.

  • Children at the school spoke about how excited and proud they were to meet Rob Page

Pupils described getting to talk to Rob Page as "exciting" and "fabulous", with one adding it was "one of the funnest thing that's ever happened".

Local Councillor Ann Crimmings was at the event and said it was "amazing" to see the Wales manager interacting with the children, describing him as a "grounded" individual who represented valleys communities well.

Cllr Crimmings, Cabinet Member for Environment & Leisure, said: "It's definitely inspirational for the young people.

During the day, children also got to take part in football drills and games.

"As an authority we can give them these facilities but when you've got somebody like Rob - from Tylorstown, from the Rhondda - actually here today and in a couple of days time he'll be leading Wales out to Qatar to play in the World Cup, it's amazing.

"To see him fist-pumping the children today and talking to them, talking to people - as valleys people you can take the boy out of the valleys but you can't take the valleys out of the boy."

Page spent 18 years as a player before rising the ranks to become manager. He made more than 500 senior appearances across several different clubs and winning 41 caps for Wales.

The former defender managed both Port Vale and Northampton after he retired as a player.

Page went on to coach at the national team until 2021, when he took over as manager from Ryan Giggs.

The 48-year-old managed Wales through their Euros tournament campaign that same year, where the team made it through their group to the knockout stages. However they were then eliminated from that competition by a 4 - 0 defeat to Denmark.

At the event, Rob Page cut the ribbon to officially open the new 3G football pitch.

The Wales players heading to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will be revealed from 7pm on Wednesday 9 November.

They play their first game of the tournament on November 21, when they face USA.

It is the first time in 64 years Wales have made it to the World Cup.