Craig Bellamy back in charge as Wales prepare to face Portugal in Lisbon
September 24, 2026 00:20
WHAT HAPPENED
Bellamy, 48, declared his commitment to Wales following the Burnley interest and is now focused on results on the pitch. He stressed the team's aims in the Nations League: "We got promoted, so we've earned the right to be here because that's how it works. If we finish third, we have a very good chance of going as the top 12 seeds into the Euro qualifiers, so that's a huge carrot for us."
INJURIES AND SQUAD REACTION
Wales will be without Harry Wilson, Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor and Nathan Broadhead for the current international window; those absences mean the players will miss four games rather than the usual two. Bellamy acknowledged the chance to unearth new options: Wales are "hoping to find another Harry Wilson after these four games."
Team-mates and officials have publicly backed Bellamy. Captain Ben Davies said: "Selfishly, I think as a squad we're very happy to keep him." Connor Roberts, who worked with Bellamy at Burnley, admitted he would have been disappointed had Bellamy moved but added he was pleased Bellamy remains Wales manager. Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney described Bellamy as "an outstanding coach" and "absolutely obsessed with the game."
CONTEXT
Bellamy, who won 78 Wales caps as a player and never reached a major tournament himself, has overseen a period in which Wales have qualified for three major tournaments in the past decade and are competing in Nations League A for a second time.