'We didn't see eye-to-eye': Gers star lets rip in 'brutally honest' expose on former manager
03/19/2025 03:30 PM
Tom Lawrence is back in the Wales squad after four long years and the Rangers playmaker is convinced his old boss had it in for him.
It's been a difficult three seasons for Tom Lawrence ever since he completed a move to Rangers in 2022, with a succession of high-profile injuries severely limiting his contribution over the piece.
Another high-earning player who, when all is said and done, has not had the impact Rangers expected, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a lack of availability and form that was keeping the Welshman out his national team's side.
But after Lawrence was recalled to the Wales squad under Craig Bellamy, the midfielder insists it's a run-in with former manage Rob Page and not consistent injury problems which had him rubbed out of the picture with his nation.
Tom Lawrence, Wayne Rooney and the run-in with Rob Page
Back when Tom Lawrence was at Derby County, Wayne Rooney defended the Rams captain by claiming Rob Page's personal grievances were keeping him out of the Wales set-up.
Rooney claimed there was a bit of 'history' between the pair and urged Page to 'get over it' for the good of the nation.
"Tom Lawrence wants to play for Wales, but it's a personal choice from the Wales manager," Rooney said in 2022, as quoted by BBC Sport.
"I think he managed Tom at U21 level and maybe there's a bit of history. As manager, you need to get over that.
"Wales are in a position where they are trying to qualify for the World Cup. They need their best players and Tom is certainly one of Wales' best players."
Page rubbished the suggestions from Lawrence's camp, insisting the decision was 'just football' before claiming that there was 'no issue' between the two.
"There's no history between me and Tom," said Page in 2022, as quoted by the Scottish Sun.
"Understandably he was disappointed that I didn't take him to the Euros, I would have been disappointed as a player as well.
"I think he deserved his move to Rangers off the back of his performances at Derby and he's a good player.
"But Brennan Johnson and Rubin Colwill have come into the squad, and we've got youngsters like Luke Harris that people are talking about. That's just football."
It's alleged the spat goes back to a disagreement stretching back to Lawrence's days in the Welsh youth set-up, where Page was a coach.
Lawrence and Derby teammate Mason Bennett also narrowly avoided jail over drink driving charges back in 2019 following a crash which left club captain Richard Keogh seriously injured.
Tom Lawrence slams Rob Page role in Wales exile
Not that Tom Lawrence agrees with Rob Page.
Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of Wales' World Cup Qualifiers against Kazakhstan (H) and Macedonia, the 31-year-old insists Page did have a vendetta and it came at the expense of the country.
"The manager [Page], if I’m being blatantly honest," Lawrence answered when asked why he was out of the Wales picture for so long. "He had his own way of doing things and I wasn’t to be a part of that – for what reason, you’d have to ask him. I asked that same question, he couldn’t give me it.
“I’m a pretty simple guy. When someone’s not honest with me, then I don’t have all the respect in the world for them. There were questions I asked that weren’t answered and that was the way it went.
“I don’t think I need to go into it completely. Let’s just say we didn’t see eye to eye in certain things. Regret on my behalf? Absolutely not. I did everything I could while I was here, while he was the manager.”
| Caps | Goals | |
| Tom Lawrence's Wales record | 23 | 3 |
Rob Page was Wales manager from November 2020 to June 2024, with Craig Bellamy since coming in to replace the former defender in July.
Lawrence has repeatedly talked up his relationship with Bellamy and the ex-Rangers star has earned a Wales recall following an injury to ex-Ibrox midfielder Aaron Ramsey.
