In one of Craig Bellamy’s pre-match press conferences for Wales a little while ago, he said something unrelated to football that has stayed with me ever since.
It was something to the effect of that if you arrive to work early, you should park at the end of the car park, to allow those arriving later than you to park closer. He’s right. It’s one of those things that you’ve never thought about, but once someone says it, you see things differently. Will I put that wisdom into practice? Absolutely not, but this is not a post about parking. What I want to talk about is perception because Bellamy appears to have developed a problem in that regard.
His car park comment touches on a lot of the things that people either like or dislike about Craig. On the plus side, it serves to demonstrate that he’s an original thinker, which should never be viewed as a bad thing, but in this day and age, even that is seen as something to mock or kick against. Bellamy is a football obsessive and a workaholic. He works long hours for the cause and nothing is left to chance. This is his first managerial post, he understands what an honour it is and he will give it everything he’s got. When you oversee a small nation with limited resources, you need to maximise every advantage you can fashion and he will do that.
The comment was also not to be taken literally, so should you spot him parking close to Dragon Park, you don’t need to troll him on social media.
Embed from Getty ImagesThis brings me on to a comment he made after his very first game in charge, which is that despite a solid draw against Turkey, that Wales would never be that bad again. He didn’t mean that they would never lose or play badly, what he meant was that this group will better understand and implement his methods going forward, which they have, yet some continue to use the comment against him in order to demonstrate their grievances.
I’ve spoken to Craig a few times over the years, but the first time I did it was a big deal because he did not really speak to the media. I had to earn his trust and when it finally happened, I was amazed by how smart, driven and articulate he was. I too shared the public perception that he was a coiled spring, ready to go at all times, but he had mellowed and matured. He speaks incredibly well and his streams of thought are fascinating, but even that is viewed negatively by some. That he talks a great game, but doesn’t back it up. Talking a good game is important though. It’s often half the battle, but I now understand why he was so reluctant to talk in the past because when everything you say is poured over and weaponised, its often better to say nothing at all.
Bellamy has created a Welsh identity from scratch and that involves dominating both the ball and territorial possession. As Brian Barry-Murphy has also found at Cardiff, that is all well and good, but also leaves you with half of a congested pitch in which to operate, which is not an easy task. Spain v Cape Verde in the World Cup is a recent case study demonstrating how frustrating it can be trying to open up a team with 10 men behind the ball. It requires individual brilliance plus patience, on and off the pitch. There will be bumps in the road playing this way and I know that 2026 has not been great for Wales, but it also resulted in the performance against North Macedonia, which is the best I have ever seen my country play.
That performance was the crystallisation of his efforts to date and demonstrated what Wales can be under Bellamy. What is not to like or get behind? Is it worth throwing the baby out with the bath water because he brought on Liam Cullen and Mark Harris in a game they ultimately lost on penalties? For some, yes, it is.
Embed from Getty ImagesInternational management is a part-time job, but Bellamy works full-time. Maybe you would prefer an international mercenary to swan in a few times a year for games and vanish in between, but I feel that is neglecting the bigger picture. I know football is ultimately a results business though and the upcoming Nations League games look particularly imposing, but the reason Wales are playing at that level is down to Bellamy. From his current wounded position, maybe he won’t survive six more tough games, but having earned that opportunity, he surely deserves a fair crack at them.
Despite a history of disappointment, Wales is no longer a nation that tolerates failure though, despite its size or limited means and why should they, but some perspective is always needed. Chris Coleman reached a semi-final, but when he missed out on World Cup qualification, despite often missing Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen, the knives were out, from supporters and journalist alike. This feels very similar, unless Burnley swoops for Bellamy in the meantime. Having worked there previously, they know exactly what they’ll be getting and he appears to be very much top of their wish list as a result.
Should Bellamy take charge of Burnley, he will be emulating his mentor Vincent Kompany, who initially impressed there, before supporters eventually lost faith in his methods. He secured a domestic treble last season and is now one of the most in demand managers in the world. Some will never forgive Bellamy for those substitutions or will always hold his Turkey comment against him. Some were not on board from the very beginning and are now doubling down. Maybe they’re right and this is as good as it gets, but maybe they’re wrong and this may prove to be one of the great missed opportunities.