Wales boss Page promises to 'look after' Bale following Mourinho concerns

Acting Wales manager Rob Page has promised to take good care of Gareth Bale and the rest of the squad after Jose Mourinho expressed his concerns over the Tottenham star's condition. 

Bale has been eased back into first-team action since rejoining Spurs from Real Madrid over the summer. 

And Mourinho is worried that consecutive international games could undo the club's work in helping the winger regain his fitness, having only recently returned to the starting XI. 

"He's a player that's had enough problems in the past. He's working so much and we all are working so much and so carefully with him that we don't want to destroy the work that everybody has been doing for the past couple of months," the Spurs boss signalled to reporters ahead of the international break.

"Wales have two matches in the Nations League and I expect him to play but if they care as much about him as we do they have to manage the recovering periods."

Page, who is managing Wales on an interim basis while Ryan Giggs answers alleged assault charges, gave a diplomatic response as he sought to put the Special One's mind at ease. 

"I can empathise with what Jose is saying because I have been a club manager myself," Page explained in a press conference held via Zoom on Wednesday.

"We are borrowing his players so they can play for Wales, so we are absolutely going to look after them.

"We are not going to undo any work that has been done at club level, irrespective of whether that is Gareth Bale or whoever. We trust that what we deliver is elite sports preparation for the games.

"I haven't spoken to him [Mourinho], but there is a plan that we have for Gareth and that is no different to any other player.

"If they come in having played on a Saturday, they will have a second-day recovery on a Monday. If they play on Sunday, they will be off the grass on Monday, with second-day recovery on Tuesday.

"We have a medical team that is second to none and they have a template in place for every player coming into the squad.

"If they have individual plans for themselves, we will, of course, adhere to that as well.

"From our point of view, there has been no communication [with Spurs], but we have a plan to get the players fit and ready for the games in a sensible manner. It has been no different over the years and we will continue to do that."

Page nevertheless admitted that he was delighted to have Wales' star player back in peak condition, and backed him to make a big impact in the upcoming matches.

"We now have a fully fit Gareth Bale," Page added. "I've had a conversation with him and he is raring to go. He is fighting fit.

"Since I've been involved with Wales over the past year, this is probably the first time he has been enjoying his football and his training. He looks fit and he feels fit.

"It's good to have a fully-fit Gareth Bale involved in the squad."

Wales meet United States in a friendly on Thursday before back-to-back Nations League meetings with Republic of Ireland and Finland on November 15 and 18 respectively.