Lawrence feared Wales career was over after Page fallout

2026 World Cup qualifying: Wales v Kazakhstan

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Saturday, 22 March Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch on BBC One Wales, iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app, plus S4C via iPlayer. Text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Sport Extra.

Tom Lawrence feared his Wales career was over after falling out with former manager Rob Page – but is now savouring his recall under Craig Bellamy.

Lawrence, 31, was frozen out for four years before current head coach Bellamy named him in the squad for Wales' upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and North Macedonia.

This is the first time the Rangers attacking midfielder has been involved since winning the most recent of his 23 caps in March 2021.

Asked why he had not featured, Lawrence said: "The manager [Page], if I'm being blatantly honest. 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."

Since making his senior international debut in 2015, Lawrence had featured regularly under former Wales managers Chris Coleman and Ryan Giggs.

He played only three times under Giggs' successor Page, prompting the Manchester United youth product to fear he may not have a future in international football.

But that changed when Page was sacked last summer and replaced by former Wales captain Bellamy.

"Sometimes I thought I wouldn't play for Wales again, but this manager has been brilliant since he came in," Lawrence said.

"He rang me when he first got the job and he's kept in contact ever since. It was refreshing to hear him speak about how he wants to play and his philosophy. It was good on that front."

Lawrence has not yet played for Wales at a major tournament, having missed Euro 2016 through injury while Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup coincided with his time in the international wilderness.

"Last day of training camp [before Euro 2016] we had a game and I did my ankle ligament. So that was a bitter one to swallow. There was a divot in the pitch, I was sprinting and my ankle completely rolled," Lawrence added.

"I'd love to be a part of tournaments. It's about looking forward and I think the manager has brought a whole new identity to Wales and it's refreshing to see."

Over the course of a well-travelled career, Lawrence has played for the likes of Leicester City, Cardiff City and Derby County.

He joined Rangers in 2022 and has scored five goals in 24 appearances across all competitions this season, while he converted his penalty in a shootout win over Fenerbahce earlier this month to help the Scottish giants reach the Europa League quarter-finals.

Having spent the early stages of his career as a striker or winger, Lawrence has played centrally recently as an attacking midfielder.

Bellamy has praised his versatility, a quality underlined by the fact that Lawrence's most recent appearance for Wales came as a wing-back in a 1-0 friendly win over Mexico four years ago.

"I've had I don't know how many conversations with the manager. Each time he's said about different positions so it's exciting," said Lawrence.

"I think every player matures more and more. I can play in various positions for Rangers - centre-midfield, number 10, right wing, left wing, false nine - so it adapts.

"I've played in a lot of big games, I've been at Rangers and that's only going to help you, especially coming back into the international level, and hopefully I can help the team here."