Brennan Johnson: Wales forward 'will be fine' with pressure - Rob Page

Brennan Johnson has scored two goals in 18 appearances for Wales

Brennan Johnson will be able handle the pressure of being compared to Gareth Bale, says Wales manager Rob Page.

Wales are preparing for Euro 2024 qualifying without Bale, scorer of a Welsh men's record 41 goals in 111 international appearances, after he retired in January.

Johnson has impressed for Nottingham Forest this season, although he will have a groin injury assessed ahead of Saturday's Group D opener in Croatia.

"Brennan is a top player," Page said.

"He's arguably one of the best counter-attacking centre-forwards in the Premier League at this moment.

• Davies and Hennessey out of Wales squad

"Top players deal with pressure. He will be fine with that.

"His journey in the last two years since we brought him up to the first team has been really impressive. But we have to manage that with young players.

"There's no expectations from us, he just needs to keep playing how he has been and he will continue to create chances.

"Some of the opposition defenders he will play against are not as good as what he is facing week in, week out in the Premier League.

"We know he is capable of scoring goals, his pace is an unbelievable asset and threat, so we will continue to develop him and take that pressure off him. He just has to enjoy his football."

Wales, who host Latvia on Tuesday, 28 March, are starting life without Bale, who hung up his boots in the wake of last year's World Cup having been part of his national set-up since making his debut as a teenager in 2006.

Former Southampton, Spurs, Real Madrid and LAFC player Bale was Wales' talisman, helped them reach back-to-back European Championships and a first World Cup since 1958.

"Gareth was one on his own, world class, absolutely," Page added.

"Brennan still has a lot of developing and improving to do. We think we can make him a better player as well.

"He is showing great potential at this moment, but we can't compare him to Gareth. They are different types of players."

Page is also without Joe Allen, Chris Gunter and Jonny Williams, who have also retired from international football, while Wayne Hennessey and Ben Davies have been ruled out of the Croatia and Latvia games through injury.

"It's not just Brennan that has to come in now and step up to the plate, it's an opportunity for the others around him to take that responsibility," Page said.

"It's still the same journey we are on, it's just that some of the players have retired.

"We want success. The biggest thing for us now is we don't just hope with the question, 'can we qualify?'.

"We believe we can. The biggest thing has to be the mindset in the changing room."