Neco Williams: 'No pressure' on injured defender says Wales boss Page

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Neco Williams of Nottingham Forest battles with Pedro Neto of Wolverhampton WanderersImage source, NurPhoto
Image caption,

Williams has played in 31 of Nottingham Forest's 33 Premier League matches this season

Manager Robert Page says Neco Williams is under "no pressure" to be fit when Wales' European Championship qualifiers resume in June 2023.

Williams has undergone surgery on the broken jaw that has ruled him out of Nottingham Forest's battle against Premier League relegation.

"It's all about his health and safety," Page told BBC Sport Wales.

Page says he hopes to welcome back Bournemouth's David Brooks following his all clear after a cancer diagnosis.

Brooks has made a gradual return for Bournemouth after being diagnosed in October 2021 with Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma.

The 25-year old was given the all clear in May, 2022 and amid a tentative return with his club, Page did not call him in for Wales' qualifiers in March, 2023.

Wales host Armenia on Friday, 16 June and go to Turkey three days later having made a strong start in qualifying with an unexpected 1-1 draw in Croatia followed by a 1-0 win over Latvia.

"It was just a little bit too soon for him [Brooks], the last camp," Page told BBC Sport Wales.

"I did have a conversation with him before. I phoned him. And I was happy to use Bournemouth's training programme to just get him in our camp.

"I think it was more beneficial for him to stay behind and play in an under-23s game that Bournemouth had organised for him.

"This will be slightly different in June. We will have about a four day camp in May because the EFL season finishes slightly earlier than the Premier League, so it's important we keep the boys topped up ready for those two important games. If Brooksy is fit, he will be a part of it."

Image source, BBC Sport
Image caption,

Neco Williams (7) was treated on the pitch and then taken to hospital after the accidental collision which broke his jaw

Williams was carried off on a stretcher during Forest's 3-1 win over Brighton after a collision with club and country team-mate Brennan Johnson.

"He's had a significant injury and we'll put no pressure on him," Page said. "We just want to make sure he's right, if not for June, then for the future."

The Wales manager says he will continue to monitor the form of Wales-qualified Wrexham striker Paul Mullin.

Mullin has declared his interest in playing for Wales and enjoyed a terrific campaign with the National League champions, scoring 47 goals in 53 games in all competitions.

"I went to Sheffield United and watched him and he's a talented player, he's a goalscorer," Page added.

"We have to be respectful of the levels that we're all playing at… we are continuing to watch his progress and he's impressed so far and we will just continue to monitor him."

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