Craig Bellamy: From fiery player to 'calm' Wales boss

Bellamy’s reputation was forged on his career, and his clashes with team-mates, coaches and opponents. But throughout, there were flashes of the “Mr Calm” we see now.

He was known for making coffees in the changing rooms after training, curious as to how the coaches liked it. He was an ‘anytime coach’, whether players wanted to watch footage with him early in the morning or late at night, he’d be there. He was instrumental in Wales’ rise from 117th in the world to the semi-finals at Euro 2016 as part of Chris Coleman’s backroom team.

And when he turned to coaching himself, he had a desire to pass on what he’d learnt – and keep on learning.

“He was doing his coaching badges when I was at Manchester City, and there was no way he’d miss them for anything – he was totally focused on it,” adds Given, who’s working with him again this international break as part of the Wales backroom team.

“He then took the elite pathway and was manager of the Under-21s, and then all of a sudden he was manager of Anderlecht, which shows you how well he did with the younger lads.

“There’s a softer side to Craig, completely different to the one you’d see on the pitch maybe 10 years ago. To work with someone like that, you have to be a good listener and half the people playing now wouldn’t have that part of their game developed.”

That attitude has helped Bellamy become a mentor to the likes of Harry Wilson, now at Cardiff City and on loan from Liverpool, and Ethan Ampadu, the Chelsea midfielder currently on loan with Venezia in Serie A.

But even after all of the controversy and confrontations, it’s the playing style Bellamy is purveying that may be most surprising.

After all, this was a player who was “one of a dying breed” in Given’s eyes, a player who wanted to “put the keeper under pressure in his own six-yard box”, who lived for the surround sound of boos.

“Recently, I was with him and he was saying debriefs to his youth team, talking about position, angles and how to press,” says Hughes.

“I’m thinking ‘Where have you come from?’ because he was just a flying machine, a wrecking ball. But that’s why he’s doing so well because he’s adapted and learned.”

Under Bellamy, Wales are switching between a back four and back three, playing with a dynamic forward three, manipulating the opposition’s shape and defending on the front foot to stop the opposition from building attacks.

“They play good football, don’t ever forget that,” says Roberts. “Craig will know what a good player can and can’t do, and he knows the identity of his team.”

And, having secured a draw against Belgium, Wales are now on an eight-game unbeaten run, and have the likes of Ampadu, Wilson, David Brooks, Dan James and Rabbi Matondo starting to make real impacts.

There are the aims long-term, of course – getting out of the Nations League group, qualifying for Euro 2024, and then the big one of making the 2026 World Cup.

Bellamy won’t be around for the latter, at least not officially, as his first spell in charge was only ever intended to be as an interim manager nosediving into Covid-enforced uncertainty.

“We were in that abyss, and there were only two teams we could play,” says Bellamy. “I felt that it was the right thing to do even though it came at the wrong time. Then I started to put my spin on the team. They were two good results.”

There have been plenty more since, the highlight perhaps being victory against the Czech Republic last month to go top of their Nations League group.

“And we haven’t even really started yet,” Roberts adds. “When you look at the potential, that’s the scary bit.”

Maybe that’s the thing you’d least expect from the former firebrand – that ability to so quickly and effectively bring order to chaos, yet maintain the passion, the desire, the spark that defined him.

To take a team to three away victories in a week, to tell another group of players their roles are negated but they can still take their international caps, to tell Wales’ record caps holder he’s not in the current squad but he will continue to feel value.

“He’s very intense, demanding and he’ll let you know if it doesn’t meet his rigorous standards,” adds Hughes. “But he’s also very good with people and relationships – that human element is so important.

“It looks and appears that he’s well on his way to a successful managerial career in whatever capacity he chooses.

Indeed, for all the teenage angst, the battling and bickering, the image of Bellamy in the stands with a coffee in his hand after training, looking out for his players, perhaps isn’t so surprising.