Losing – or even a draw – isn’t really an option for Wales. It sounds demanding to make such a claim but even after just five games of the Craig Bellamy era, a set of standards have been clearly defined and reached, writes Sky Sports News senior reporter Geraint Hughes.
So why settle for less?
So far under Bellamy, his short-term vision of striking an identity for his team is evident, and continuing a natural evolution.
The players have spoken of the way Bellamy and his backroom staff work and communicate, and how much they’re enjoying it. The public have been able to feel that inclusion in the process by witnessing a Wales team that is playing it’s football in a way that engages them. The high press, the energy, the desire – it’s all there.
While that identity is clear, the performances have been evident – and because of that, so have the results. In five matches, no opponent has really looked like beating Wales.
You can argue Wales had a little bit of luck against Turkey at the weekend, but while Turkey – especially in the first half – had a dominant share of possession, Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow only actually had to make one telling save.
Despite all Turkey’s possession, it was Wales who had the better chances in the first half, including a disallowed goal from Jordan James for a marginal offside, and Harry Wilson striking the post.
So Wales returned from Turkey with a valuable point, and so far under Bellamy it’s played five, won two and drawn three. Unbeaten and quite difficult to score against.
Pretty much every day we hear that football is a cut-throat, results-driven business, and if that really is the case then Bellamy and his staff are delivering.
With results and performances comes further and greater expectation, which means when Wales play Iceland in front of a near-capacity crowd on a cold Tuesday night in Cardiff, the paying public not only want to see a win, they expect to see a victory.
David Brooks celebrates with Harry Wilson after his penalty gave Wales a 1-0 lead over Montenegro
Now that expectation doesn’t just come from the fans – the players have that in bucket loads from Bellamy.
In the Wales manager’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Iceland game, several times Bellamy talked about just wanting to win. He couldn’t care about how the Nations League group table looks right now, it’s all about the team just getting on the pitch and winning.
Winning is everything. That is a culture and a part of the identity that Bellamy is building, and while he want Wales to play in a certain way, he has also become very driven to get the right results.
Considering the vast experience he had in his career as a player in the Premier League, he is well aware of the importance of just winning and how that breeds confidence – and leads to better performances.
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Sky Sports’ Geraint Hughes reviews Wales’ 1-0 victory over Montenegro as Craig Bellamy became the first Wales senior men’s manager to be unbeaten in his first four matches
Bellamy continues to talk of his pride at being the national manger of the men’s senior side, but it surely must be the FAW chief executive and it’s board that is sitting on and watching Wales play with pride.
The job of a chief executive is to generate revenue and exposure, and with Bellamy he has that. The FAW also have a very realistic chance of a manager being unbeaten in their first half-dozen games and a manager who, in their first Nations League, gets the country promoted back to the top tier.
Then there’s the ultimate goal for Wales, which is of course to qualify for the World Cup in 2026 – and if they get to the USA, Canada and Mexico, not to be a country that just makes up the numbers but one that makes a splash in the knockout stages.
If Bellamy’s Wales achieve that, he’ll have a very happy chief executive and FAW board.
