LONDRES, 18 Ene. (DPA / EP) –
Coach Robert Page will be in charge of directing the Welsh team in the Qatar World Cup playoffs after the trial for gender violence against Ryan Giggs, main coach, has been delayed until August.
Giggs, sidelined since November 2020 when he was arrested at his Manchester home, is charged with “controlling and coercive behavior against his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville between August 2017 and November 2020”.
He is also accused of physically assaulting Greville and assaulting his younger sister, Emma Greville, at her home. Giggs, 47, has denied the allegations and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His hearing was set for next Monday at Manchester Crown Court, but there is no courtroom available to take the case and it has now been delayed by seven months. On Tuesday, Judge Hilary Manley explained: “Unfortunately, it has become necessary to strike this trial off the list. The reason for this is that there is no court available to accommodate this trial.”
Giggs’ attorney, Chris Daw, said: “Of course, I have explained the situation to him and he is extremely disappointed with the development. He is grateful that efforts have been made to fix the new date as soon as possible.”
Page, who accepted the position of caretaker coach of Wales in November 2020, led his team to the last 16 of the last European Championship and will now try to qualify them for next winter’s World Cup in Qatar.
Wales, whose only previous World Cup appearance was in 1958, play Austria in a play-off semi-final in Cardiff on March 24. The winner of that first tie will play at home to Ukraine or Scotland five days later to compete for a place in Qatar.