Page Calls It An International Day

Last updated : 28 September 2006 By Covsupport

Coventry City centre half Robert Page has announced that he will retire from international football. The Welshman had been selected for the squad for the Wales next two European Championship qualifiers but after giving the matter careful consideration, he opted to announce his international playing career of ten years was over.

Page who had 41 caps told the BBC: "I've given it a lot of thought but I feel I can't be away from the family for 10 days. "If I knew I was going to play at the end of it then maybe I would carry on because there is no greater honour than playing for your country. "But with having such a young family and being away for 10 days, it's not only hard on yourself but also on the children and the wife.

There's no animosity whatsoever. I've got nothing but praise for the team, the set-up and the coaching staff. "Nobody in the squad is going to have a guarantee they are going to play, but this is a decision I've been thinking about for the last couple of months.

"When I got the phone call last Friday it was pleasing in a way that I'd been playing well enough at club level to get back into it. "I took a while to make my decision and then I phoned him (Toshack) to tell him I wanted to retire."

"I've had a fantastic few years playing for Wales and there's no greater honour - I want to emphasise that. "The memories I've got will stay with me forever and something I can share with my kids when they're growing up."

John Toshack, rather reluctantly accepted Page's decision and later released a short statement saying: "We do, of course, thank him for his efforts over the years and wish him every success in the future."