Wales boss Bellamy ‘feels a responsibility’ with World Cup on line

Manager Craig Bellamy told AFP on Friday that he “feels a responsibility” to take Wales to this summer’s World Cup, ahead of a crunch home play-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina this month.

The former Manchester City and Liverpool attacker has impressed since taking over as Wales boss in July 2024, and the World Cup in North America is within touching distance.

Wales qualified for Qatar 2022 under previous coach Rob Page — the first time in 64 years that the country of just over three million people had played at the World Cup.

Former international Bellamy said guiding his native Wales to football’s biggest stage again would “definitely have to be up there” in his achievements.

But more than that, he said: “It keeps that momentum. For us, to where we have been to now, we’ve got to keep looking to qualify, keep being in the major tournaments because it allows us to grow.

“Football in the last 10, 12 years has really grown in Wales.

“The excitement with people, with our game, has been really big. You want to keep hold of that.”

Bellamy, who played 78 times for his country and scored 19 goals, added: “So I feel a responsibility to keep this going.”

The 46-year-old was in Hong Kong to launch the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens, a tournament featuring two of his former teams, West Ham and Newcastle.

But his mind is very much on Bosnia and Herzegovina in front of what will be an expectant home crowd in Cardiff on March 26.

If Wales win, they will host Italy or Northern Ireland for a place at the finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

– ‘It doesn’t sit well’ –

In the Premier League, where Bellamy scored 81 times, set pieces and in particular corners have emerged as a major weapon, notably for table-toppers Arsenal.

Some have criticised the over-reliance on dead-ball situations this season, with Liverpool manager Arne Slot saying his “football heart” does not like the trend.

Bellamy, who tips the Gunners to maintain their lead over Manchester City and win the title, says “there’s no right or wrongs in styles”.

But he wants to see the ball in play more often for the good of the Premier League as a spectacle.

“If you’re taking a certain period of time to take the set play, it’s a problem,” he said.

“The best thing with our game is the speed, that’s why it’s the biggest and the best league. We can’t mess about with our market.”

Nor will Bellamy be telling Karl Darlow or his other goalkeepers to go down with a made-up injury — another recent trend that has crept into football as a tactical ploy.

“It’s a coach’s responsibility to use every trick he can,” he said.

But he added: “I’m not a fan. We have discussed it, you have to, but to me it doesn’t sit well.”