Wales reporter notebook: Craig Bellamy brings optimism but knows he must get Wales to the World Cup and the Euros

Craig Bellamy wants an ‘identity’ for his team, but the ultimate aim is the same – to qualify for the major tournaments and be at the World Cup and Euros party, writes Geraint Hughes.

So the long-term plan of getting to the World Cup in 2026 and then also a ‘home’ Euros in 2028 is no different to the realistic aspirations of previous Wales managers.

Rob Page, Ryan Giggs and Chris Coleman all played their part in Wales qualifying for Euro 2016 and 2020, and the 2022 World Cup. With a group of talented players, that yes, did include Gareth Bale, and a structure and investment behind the scenes from the FAW, those aims were achieved.

It’s a reason why Wales falling short to qualify for this summer’s Euros in Germany hurt so much. Wales banked on qualifying and despite being a penalty kick from a June soiree with France and the Netherlands, they didn’t make it.

It felt unusual not unlucky. Ultimately, it also cost Rob Page his job as the men’s senior team manager.

So Craig Bellamy’s ultimate long-term ambition and the instruction from the FAW hierarchy hasn’t altered – Wales not only want to be at World Cups and Euros, they expect to.

Craig Bellamy feels different though. Don’t misunderstand, all managers, coaches are not identical, far from it, but Bellamy really does feel like something very, very different. Forget any preconceived ideas of him as a player, this is Bellamy the manager, the coach.

Wales’ journey to any future World Cup or Euros under him is going to have a unique feel on and off the pitch and it starts at home to Turkey in Cardiff on Friday night in the Nations League.

While the aim to qualify for major tournaments is not a new target, it’s the way Bellamy and ‘his’ Wales team go about it that does constitute a new era. There’s been talk of intensity about the way Wales want to play, and in the short period I’ve been able to observe and take in everything Bellamy talks about, it’s fair to say that is a very visible element of how Bellamy wants to coach and prepare his players.

In footballing terms, Bellamy wants his players to have the body language which tells the passionate Welsh fans that they are sweating blood and tears for their country. That shouldn’t be a difficult ask as this group of players have made it clear how much they love playing for their country.

So for Bellamy this is a perfect fit. He will also demand more, don’t expect any Wales player to be standing still waving hands or arms around, that just is not going to be acceptable for Bellamy. He wants them focused on where the ball is, where they need to be and where the next pass could come from where the next defensive phase could arise from.

Expect a team that presses high up the pitch that wants to win the ball back as quickly as is humanly possible, and also expect a team that plays at pace – whether that be on the counter-attack, or whether that means getting the ball forward quickly. It’s about attacking the opposition at every opportunity and not wasting those opportunities.

It’s also been obvious that off the field things are different under Bellamy in his training sessions. Bellamy actively becomes involved whether it’s a quick tap on the shoulder of a player to have a 10-second chat with them or whether he’s getting involved in a warm-up drill, he’s very much the hands-on coach.

And the players have noticed this as well and are quite happy talking about how the team meetings are longer than they have been previously and that there is a lot of detail to take on board, but there is an understanding why. Bellamy wants to play in a different style and that takes the involvement and the engagement of the players, so there is going to be an awful lot of detail that is being taught by Bellamy to his new team.

It certainly appears from the first week that the players and Bellamy are enjoying this new relationship, this start to a new era for Wales.