I told Bell that this is the right time to retire, and I hope he will continue in some capacity

January 10, Welsh star Bell announced his retirement. In an interview with the BBC, Welsh coach Page
He said Bale had contacted him on Sunday to inform him of his decision.
Then Page said he told Bell that now is the right time to retire.

“Bale sent me a message saying he needed to talk to me, and I knew it was a big deal, but I wasn’t totally surprised when he told me that,” Page said.
I told him I thought it was the right time to retire, he had just scored at the World Cup, he had everything on his résumé, what he did for us was unbelievable.”

“He can continue to be part of us in the future, with a slightly different role. Can he play two 90-minute games in a row? We learned from the World Cup in Qatar and every team now has great athleticism.
That might be too much to ask of him and he might make an impact coming off the bench.”

“For me, right now I have mixed emotions and I’m excited because it’s a time for some young guys to get a chance and a player like Brennan Johnson can take that opportunity and step up and let us
Seeing the next Bale. But I’m also a little bit sad because it’s the last time we’ll see Bale play for Wales.”

“I hope he’s still involved with us in some capacity, it’s not clear what that role is. It’s a big adjustment for him, he’s going to try to live a normal life, but we’ll see each other in a few weeks.
Have another conversation with him. We’ll have a plan going forward because he has a lot to offer in the locker room.”

“His presence is something I’m really passionate about and I’d love to have him involved, but I’ll let Bale and his family make the right decision. You’ve seen what Henry did in Belgium, with ex-players playing some
role, whether it’s a coach, an ambassador or being part of a decision-making committee, I’m sure the Welsh FA will also involve Bale in some capacity.”

(Ma Dongyu)