Bellamy Turns Down Club Opportunities to Focus on Wales Future

Craig Bellamy has firmly stated his dedication to the Welsh national team, confirming that he has declined several offers from professional clubs. The 46-year-old has recently been linked with the managerial vacancy at Burnley, a position where he previously served as assistant coach under Vincent Kompany, who has since moved to Bayern Munich. Additionally, reports suggested a potential return to Celtic, a club Bellamy previously managed, as they seek a permanent replacement for interim head coach Martin O’Neill.

Despite these external interests, Bellamy is determined to guide Wales through the upcoming Euro 2028 campaign. Executives at the Football Association of Wales (FAW) have expressed strong confidence to BBC Sport Wales that Bellamy will fulfill his contract, which extends through the conclusion of the tournament.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s friendly match against Ghana in Cardiff, Bellamy emphasized his satisfaction with his current situation. "Everything is in place, I get completely backed, and it’s going to give me the opportunity in the next two years to improve again," he said. Addressing the speculation, he added, "Links? I understand it but I don't look too far. I love what I have here."

Bellamy acknowledged that while other opportunities exist, his path with Wales was unique. "I've been offered that elsewhere as well, but I have this here already. Wales gave me this opportunity and one or two might not have because I was conscious I haven't managed before. Wales have given me this opportunity and I'm really grateful for that."

While admitting to personal ambition, he clarified that financial gain is not his immediate priority. "I am ambitious, trust me. I want to earn loads and loads of money but there's a time and now, at this present moment, it just doesn't feel that time."

Appointed to a four-year deal in the summer of 2024, Bellamy enjoyed a strong start in his first senior managerial role. He led Wales to nine unbeaten matches, securing promotion to the top tier of the Nations League and introducing an attacking style of play. However, his tenure faced a setback when Wales lost the World Cup play-off final to Bosnia-Herzegovina at home in March.

Although Bellamy has previously spoken about his desire to return to club management after his international stint, the prospect of co-hosting Euro 2028 with England, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland serves as a significant motivator to stay. There have been no official offers made for his services, but any club interested would be required to pay a release clause of at least £700,000.

"I couldn't see it being fair for me to walk away. That's not right," Bellamy explained. "I had one or two players ringing up like, 'Is this true?'. Listen, we're not going anywhere. We're going again, we've got another two years. I've always wanted to do this role, so I don't want to wish this away. I get great backing, you know, and that's all I can ask for."

Wales face Ghana on Tuesday, 2 June, at Cardiff City Stadium, with kick-off at 19:45 BST. The match will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer, BBC One Wales, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, Sports Extra, and via the BBC Sport website and app, along with live text commentary.

The upcoming international window presents Wales with two friendlies: the home game against Ghana followed by a trip to Bucharest to play Romania on Saturday. The squad sees the return of defenders Ben Davies and Connor Roberts from long-term injuries, but they will miss the presence of in-form Fulham midfielder Harry Wilson. Additionally, with Swansea defender Ben Cabango withdrawing, uncapped players Cameron Congreve, Ollie Bostock, and Jayden Lienou have received their first call-ups.

Ticket sales for the Ghana fixture have been sluggish, with only approximately 10,000 tickets sold by Monday afternoon. Bellamy offered context for the lower demand, noting, "It's a difficult period, I have to be honest. Don't forget it was half-term last week, this is a midweek game. If you've been with your kids for a week, I'm..."

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-01 15:36:15 UTC