KIT SYMONS has been dumped as Wales assistant manager for the Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The ex-Fulham boss, 51, received the news in a telephone call from manager Robert Page this week where he was told his contract would not be renewed.
No2 Symons flanked Page during Wales’ disappointing World Cup 2022 showing in Qatar where the Dragons exited at the group stage.
Page said in September before the winter finals that both Symons and fellow assistant Alan Knill would remain alongside him when he signed his new four-year deal but a U-turn has been performed.
And it is clear that ex-Manchester City and Portsmouth centre-back Symons was not expecting to leave his post.
Instead, SunSport understands Wales boss Page plans to bring in a new coach alongside Knill before their Euro opener against Croatia in Split on March 25.
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Popular Symons had a successful and long-running association with Wales over the last decade, having been twice assistant to ex-national chief Chris Coleman.
Symons missed the run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals after taking the Fulham job on a full-time basis but, after getting the sack at Craven Cottage, helped Cookie out as an opposition scout.
The pair still work together at Greek Super League club Atromitos in Athens.
Defender Symons, who won 36 international caps, returned for a third coaching spell with his country when Page drafted him in ahead of the Euros finals in the summer of 2021.
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Then he combined the two roles for club and country since moving with Coleman to Greece last January.
SunSport also understands Wales’ head of performance Tony Strudwick is not expected to have his contract renewed too.
Strudwick, who worked as a fitness coach under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and is now director of medical at West Brom, was appointed by then Wales manager Ryan Giggs in January 2018.
But it is believed his deal expired at the end of the World Cup finals which saw Wales draw with USA before two defeats to Iran and England in November.
The departures are the latest from the Football Association of Wales with more than 20 key staff leaving in recent months.
SunSport understands there could be a financial aspect to the changes with budget cuts expected as part of a review from the finals.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
