sport news Wales manager Rob Page heaps praise on Gareth Bale's 'wisdom' and 'intelligence' trends now
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Wales manager Rob Page proclaimed the way that Gareth Bale has adapted his football with age and brings the wisdom which secured the team a World Cup lifeline against the USA.
The team, playing in their first World Cup since 1958, experienced a ghastly first half before Kieffer Moore's arrival transformed the game.
But it was Bale who won and converted a penalty, ten minutes from time, to stave off a defeat which would have left his nation in grave jeopardy.
Wales boss Rob Page proclaimed the way that Gareth Bale has adapted his football with age
'We've evolved Gareth's position,' Page said. 'He can still play wide, but I like to give him the freedom to come inside and play off a front man.
'He's good at finding those spaces. He's a wise head. He used all of his wisdom in winning the penalty. He's intelligent, he puts himself in those positions in the box, defenders commit themselves and, if they don't get the timing right, it can be a foul.
'He looks after himself, too. He manages himself. He manages himself through games. If he'd have gone full-tilt from the first whistle, he probably wouldn't have lasted until half-time. But he's
