Bellamy's Tenure Overview
Craig Bellamy, who scored 19 goals in 78 appearances for Wales as a player, concluded his second year as head coach of the Welsh national team following a 2-1 defeat to Romania. Bellamy assumed the role in July 2024 after Robert Page's departure. His tenure has seen a blend of successes and setbacks, including promotion to Nations League A and disappointment in World Cup qualification.
As Wales enter a three-month hiatus before their next fixtures, following the friendly loss in Bucharest, Wales reviews Bellamy's period in charge.
Bellamy's Record
The match in Bucharest marked Wales' 20th game under Bellamy's leadership. The team has secured eight wins, representing a 40% win rate, drawn seven matches (including the World Cup play-off semi-final against Bosnia & Herzegovina), and suffered five losses.
For context, previous managers Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs achieved win rates of 50%, while Bellamy's immediate predecessor Robert Page, the only Wales manager to lead the team at two major tournaments, had a 33% win rate. Chris Coleman, who guided Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-finals, recorded a 39% win rate over 49 games from 2012 to 2017.
Under Bellamy, Wales have scored 34 goals, averaging 1.7 per game, and conceded 24 goals.
Connor Roberts, who returned from an Achilles injury as a substitute during the Romania match, commented on the team's progress:
"In general I think we're doing well. We're progressing and learning. We just have to sharpen up in areas and stay focused and switched on for the whole game in every game."
Highs and Lows
Bellamy, who previously served as an assistant to Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht and Burnley, began his Wales managerial career with a strong start. He became the first Wales manager to remain unbeaten in his first four matches, starting with a 1-0 win over Montenegro in October 2024.
This unbeaten streak extended to nine matches before a 4-3 loss to Belgium in a thrilling World Cup qualifier in June 2025.
Despite this promising start and promotion to Nations League A, the team has faced challenges. Wales were eliminated in the play-off semi-final after a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, ending their bid for consecutive World Cup appearances for the first time in history.
Additionally, Wales have lost twice to Belgium and suffered defeats to Canada and England in friendlies. Since Bellamy's appointment, the team has yet to secure a victory against a higher-ranked opponent.
David Brooks, who scored in the Romania match, reflected on the team's performance:
"There's stuff to improve on, for sure. It's bitterly disappointing that Wales will not be at the World Cup."
The upcoming Nations League fixtures in the latter half of 2026 will be demanding, with Wales set to face Portugal, Norway, and Denmark, all ranked above Wales by FIFA.
Burnley right-back Connor Roberts acknowledged the challenge ahead:
"It's going to be tough in the Nations League, our group has got top, top teams in it, so it's going to be difficult. But that's why you play football, to play against the best footballers on the biggest stage."
Evolving Squad
Bellamy has emphasized the importance of expanding and enhancing the Welsh player pool. Since taking charge, he has utilized 37 different players and introduced seven new senior internationals: Karl Darlow, Dylan Lawlor, Ronan Kpakio, Kai Andrews, Joel Colwill, Isaak Davies, and Cameron Congreve.
Qualifying for Euro 2028 remains a key objective, with the integration of young talent considered essential to Wales' long-term development.
Now midway through his four-year contract with the Football Association of Wales, Bellamy acknowledges progress but recognizes the need for further improvement.
Reflecting on his two years as manager following the Romania defeat, Bellamy stated:
"We're definitely very different, two years older. It's been really enjoyable, there's a lot of stuff I really like that we've been able to do. But also it's so, so clear, I feel that if we want to improve, these are the areas we need to improve on."
Despite speculation linking him to several clubs recently, Bellamy remains committed to the Wales role.
He added:
"That excites me as well because I do like the team, I like how we play, but we need to be better in certain areas. That's going to allow us to be able to compete with the top, top teams on a regular basis - because that's where we want to be and we're going to be tested now on that in Nations League A. It's going to test everything about us. That's where we want to be and that's where we want to stay, so a lot of work to do."
Bellamy sees Koumas future at centre-forward
