A method of managing a relay connection through a relay device in a wireless communications network at a first UE, the method comprising: receiving a relay search message from a second UE requesting a relay UE to establish a connection to the wireless communications network through the relay UE; transmitting a message to a base station informing the base station of the relay search message from the second UE; and receiving an initiate relay association procedure message from the base station, the initiate relay association procedure message informing the first UE that the first UE has been selected by the base station to initiate a relay association procedure with the second UE, characterized by receiving a message from the base station requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality and transmitting a message to the second UE requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality based on the message from the base station requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality; receiving a message containing information regarding second UE-to-relay link quality from the second UE in response to the message to the second UE requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality and transmitting a message to the base station including information regarding second UE-to-relay link quality based on the message containing information regarding second UE-to-relay link quality received from the second UE: receiving a message from the base station in response to the second UE-to-relay link quality instructing the second UE to reinitiate a relay search procedure, including transmitting another relay search message; and transmitting a message to the second UE instructing it to reinitiate the relay search procedure. receiving a relay search message from a second UE requesting a relay UE to establish a connection to the wireless communications network through the relay UE; transmitting a message to a base station informing the base station of the relay search message from the second UE; and receiving an initiate relay association procedure message from the base station, the initiate relay association procedure message informing the first UE that the first UE has been selected by the base station to initiate a relay association procedure with the second UE, characterized by receiving a message from the base station requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality and transmitting a message to the second UE requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality based on the message from the base station requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality; receiving a message containing information regarding second UE-to-relay link quality from the second UE in response to the message to the second UE requesting periodic reporting of second UE-to-relay link quality and transmitting a message to the base station including information regarding second UE-to-relay link quality based on the message containing information regarding second UE-to-relay link quality received from the second UE: receiving a message from the base station in response to the second UE-to-relay link quality instructing the second UE to reinitiate a relay search procedure, including transmitting another relay search message; and transmitting a message to the second UE instructing it to reinitiate the relay search procedure.