Craig Bellamy needs an ‘id’ for his crew, but the final goal is the similar – to qualify for the main tournaments and be at the World Cup and Euros get together, writes Geraint Hughes.
So the long-term plan of getting to the World Cup in 2026 and then additionally a ‘residence’ Euros in 2028 is not any completely different to the lifelike aspirations of earlier Wales managers.
Rob Page, Ryan Giggs and Chris Coleman all performed their half in Wales qualifying for Euro 2016 and 2020, and the 2022 World Cup. With a gaggle of proficient gamers, that sure, did embody Gareth Bale, and a construction and funding behind the scenes from the FAW, these goals have been achieved.
It’s a purpose why Wales falling brief to qualify for this summer season’s Euros in Germany harm a lot. Wales banked on qualifying and regardless of being a penalty kick from a June soiree with France and the Netherlands, they did not make it.
It felt uncommon not unfortunate. Ultimately, it additionally value Rob Page his job as the males’s senior crew supervisor.
So Craig Bellamy’s final long-term ambition and the instruction from the FAW hierarchy hasn’t altered – Wales not solely need to be at World Cups and Euros, they count on to.
Craig Bellamy feels completely different although. Don’t misunderstand, all managers, coaches will not be equivalent, removed from it, but Bellamy actually does really feel like one thing very, very completely different. Forget any preconceived concepts of him as a participant, that is Bellamy the supervisor, the coach.
Wales’ journey to any future World Cup or Euros underneath him goes to have a singular really feel on and off the pitch and it begins at residence to Turkey in Cardiff on Friday night time in the Nations League.
While the goal to qualify for main tournaments is just not a brand new goal, it is the approach Bellamy and ‘his’ Wales crew go about it that does represent a brand new period. There’s been speak of depth about the approach Wales need to play, and in the brief interval I’ve been in a position to observe and soak up every thing Bellamy talks about, it is honest to say that could be a very seen component of how Bellamy needs to coach and put together his gamers.
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Aaron Ramsey says Craig Bellamy has instantly made a constructive impression and the Wales gamers have a lot of recent ways to tackle board
In footballing phrases, Bellamy needs his gamers to have the physique language which tells the passionate Welsh followers that they’re sweating blood and tears for his or her nation. That should not be a tough ask as this group of gamers have made it clear how a lot they love enjoying for his or her nation.
So for Bellamy it is a excellent match. He will even demand extra, do not count on any Wales participant to be standing nonetheless waving fingers or arms round, that simply is just not going to be acceptable for Bellamy. He needs them targeted on the place the ball is, the place they want to be and the place the subsequent cross might come from the place the subsequent defensive part might come up from.
Expect a crew that presses excessive up the pitch that desires to win the ball again as shortly as is humanly potential, and additionally count on a crew that performs at tempo – whether or not that be on the counter-attack, or whether or not which means getting the ball ahead shortly. It’s about attacking the opposition at each alternative and not losing these alternatives.
It’s additionally been apparent that off the subject issues are completely different underneath Bellamy in his coaching periods. Bellamy actively turns into concerned whether or not it is a fast faucet on the shoulder of a participant to have a 10-second chat with them or whether or not he’s getting concerned in a warm-up drill, he’s very a lot the hands-on coach.
Bellamy is underneath contract with Wales for the subsequent 4 years
And the gamers have observed this as nicely and are fairly blissful speaking about how the crew conferences are longer than they’ve been beforehand and that there’s a lot of element to tackle board, but there may be an understanding why. Bellamy needs to play in a distinct fashion and that takes the involvement and the engagement of the gamers, so there may be going to be an terrible lot of element that’s being taught by Bellamy to his new crew.
It actually seems from the first week that the gamers and Bellamy are having fun with this new relationship, this begin to a brand new period for Wales.
