Craig Bellamy: Five things to expect from new Wales boss – BBC Sport

You want preparation. Bellamy does preparation – and how.

His first opponents will be Euro 2024 quarter finalists Turkey, in a Nations League tie at the Cardiff City Stadium, on 6 September.

When he sat down to meet the media this week at his inaugural press conference Bellamy admitted he had already watched Turkey eight times.

Almost apologetically, he said he had only seen Montenegro – Wales’ opponents three days after Turkey – a couple of times.

Before his press day he had also studied detailed analysis of the players he has inherited in the national team.

His one concern over stepping out of a day-to-day club environment was how he would fill his time during the natural breaks in the international calendar.

Bellamy admitted: “I cannot be not working. So we have worked out a plan of action so I am constantly on analysis, constantly reviewing games, constantly looking at different training ideas.”

Wales may not win every game – but that won’t be for a lack of preparation on Bellamy’s part.

According to Bellamy, football is not about systems, it’s about shapes.

But his overriding ambition for the national team is to play on the “front foot”.

It’s fair to say much of Wales’ success from Euro 2016 onwards has been built on keeping clean sheets and looking to Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to provide match-winning magic at the other end of the pitch.

There is no Bale now, although Ramsey – providing he can get himself fit after a 2023-24 campaign ruined by injury woes – is still there.

But Wales have to be more creative now, especially in attacking situations. Bale could conjure golden moments out of nothing – goals have been harder to come by since his retirement.

The main criticism of Rob Page’s tenure was his in-game management, sometimes failing to react quickly enough to rivals’ tactical tweaks in the heat of battle.

Bellamy will be expected to be better in that department – and that would involve being bold, just as he was as a player.

You would expect, too, that he would make use of the players with whom he could be compared as a player.

Wales do not lack the pace, explosive qualities or guile which Bellamy had in abundance. Brennan Johnson, Daniel James, Harry Wilson and David Brooks should be right up his street.

Kieffer Moore is there, too, for a more direct option, which Bellamy will not ignore.

An integral part of Bellamy’s coaching background has been helping to hone talented youngsters.

He had Rubin Colwill under his charge when he was part of the Cardiff City academy. At Anderlecht he coached a 16-year-old, who has since starred for Manchester City and Belgium, in Jeremy Doku.

As a Wales captain, Bellamy was a champion for youngsters coming through the ranks. It wasn’t for the want of his trying, but Bellamy was among those famed Wales internationals – Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush, Neville Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe and John Hartson to name a few – who did not qualify for a major tournament finals with their country.

Yet when he played, he saw Bale, Ramsey, Ashley Williams, Chris Gunter and James Collins coming through.

Bellamy always counselled, that given time, these talents would help Wales qualify for a major tournament. They duly obliged in 2016 – a little less than three years after he had retired. His judgement, though, had proved correct.

He will be excited at the prospect of helping develop Wales hopefuls such as Liverpool’s Lewis Koumas and enhancing the international career of Birmingham City midfielder Jordan James, already a regular in the national team.

Bellamy has also already shown an interest in the younger age-group Wales squads and referenced the under-17s in his media interviews.

“If they are good enough they will be involved,” he said.

It’s five years since Bellamy lived in the country of his birth.

On leaving the Cardiff City Academy he joined Anderlecht initially as under-21s coach under Vincent Kompany and then Burnley, but will return now.

Cardiff born and bred, Bellamy said he always felt “at home” in Burnley.

But he has made his stance clear in the past, Bellamy believes it’s important to be based where the job is.

His hunger for football means he will be seen at plenty of games and not necessarily senior encounters.

In his eyes football must not become “elitist”. To Bellamy, football can encourage habits which can be observed in all parts of life.

When they rolled out the criteria they were looking for in a head coach, the FAW said: “The Cymru National Teams are pivotal to and embedded within Welsh culture, language, history and life.”

Squad announcements are taken around the nation, often made at a cultural Welsh venue or events such as an Eisteddfod.

Bellamy will be expected to continue and raise awareness of this approach which in recent years has helped evolve Wales international games to become cultural occasions; a symbol of national pride and passion for the country.

That word “passion” again. Bellamy displayed it as a player. He’s experienced it as a “fan” in the Red Wall. Now he will live it as a manager.