“ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

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“ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

Postby worcester_ccfc » Tue Dec 05, 2017 12:25 am

Monday 4th December 2017

By Scott Johnson

Everyone has a view on who should be the next Wales manager. There is no one candidate that has the popular vote, with a wealth of names linked with the vacant post in recent weeks.

My opinion was and still is that Wales already had the best man for the job in situ.

Chris Coleman, lest we forget, picked Welsh football up off the floor and somehow led them to the later stages of a tournament. An ultimately disappointing campaign may have followed, but only if you’ve been following Wales for the last few years. He more than merited another campaign.

Only losing only one game in qualifying was far from a disaster. A post-Euro 2016 hangover cost Wales — or unnecessary negativity if you belong to the anti-Coleman brigade. Yet that argument neglects the fact Wales used the same plan which had proven so successful over recent years.

I also disagree that it was a relatively easy group. There was no superpower, but with four very evenly-matched teams, it was always going to be a tricky task.

The likelihood is that Coleman’s replacement will be one of Ryan Giggs, Tony Pulis or Craig Bellamy . In many respects, everyone’s a winner, but all have strings attached.

Where to start with Giggs? The darling of Welsh football, as far as those within the corridors of power at the FAW are concerned, he has the Welsh media eating out of his hand too, but not a sizeable chunk of Welsh supporters. He will surely get the job at some point, but it may well split the fan base.

There are those that will always feel that Giggs never put Wales first, like Gareth Bale does now, resent that he retired too soon and then returned to represent Team GB at the Olympics. He has been unwilling to get his hands dirty as a coach yet either, seemingly waiting for a juicy job rather than dropping down a level and earning his corn.

The alternate reading would be that he is undoubtedly one of the best ever Welsh players and may prove to be a great manager too. As long as he remains untried, it could go either way. He could emulate the great Gary Speed, but he could also be another Dean Saunders.

But if you subscribe to the theory that international football should be the best of theirs versus the best of ours, then Tony Pulis is the best Welsh manager. No question. He has managed in the Premier League for a decade and is very good at what he does.

Whether Pulis's methods would work in international football or with this particular group of players is another matter. The potential style clash has been well documented, but as Ireland have recently discovered; brute force and defensive discipline will only ever get you so far.

On the one hand, Wales would be very lucky to have a manager of Pulis’ calibre, but it would be a massive culture shock.

Which brings us on to the third candidate; Bellamy, who may well be the happy medium between Giggs and Pulis. He may not be as decorated as the Manchester United legend, but Bellamy spent the vast majority of his playing career in the top flight. He has worked under a wide range of excellent managers and is respected throughout the football world.

More importantly, Bellamy would have the respect of this current Welsh set-up.

He was a prominent figure during the tragic period following his close friend Speed’s death, a loss which hit him harder than most. He was there at the genesis of this side’s upward trajectory and you would expect that to give him greater gravitas than Giggs, whose achievements probably pre-date the careers of most of this squad.

Bellamy is perceived as a prouder Welshman than Giggs, but that is at best subjective and at worse unfair. Both lined up for Team GB after all and were forced to manage their careers according to long-term nagging injuries.

Bellamy certainly worked that angle recently when he threw his hat in to the ring for the job by claiming: "I'd always be interested, and looking ahead I'll probably be interested in it for the rest of my life. I'm passionately Welsh and it would be the pinnacle for me."

Bellamy shares the passion Pulis displays to great effect, but it has at times manifested itself in negative ways and harmed his career. It may also work against him in terms of his prospects for the Wales job. He does appear to be a lot calmer these days though and has found favour as an articulate pundit.

Like Giggs, it seems inevitable Bellamy will manage Wales some day, but at present he has his hands full overseeing Cardiff City’s academy. Long may that continue because he may be a great fit for the national side, but I feel Cardiff need him more right now.

Under the tutelage of Neil Warnock, Bellamy, a Dragon Park coaching graduate schooled in ‘The Welsh Way,’ is receiving an invaluable education for the next stage of his career at his hometown club.

You also get the impression that Bellamy is being groomed to succeed Warnock when he eventually steps down. That could be sooner rather than later, especially if Cardiff get promoted and Warnock opts against managing in the Premier League.

As a Cardiff fan, it is a thrill to see the club finally moving in the right direction after several years littered with errors of judgement and self-destruction. Bellamy jumping ship wouldn’t capsize the boat, but would certainly give it a hefty rock.

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander and Bellamy nurturing Cardiff’s finest young talent will only benefit the Welsh national side further down the line. The other two are out of work anyway, if not short of a few bob.

Bellamy may well be the best fit as Wales' next manager and his time will surely come. Just hopefully no time soon.
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“ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

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Re: “ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

Postby dogfound » Tue Dec 05, 2017 3:33 pm

No mention of Osian Roberts who is currently 3rd favourite ?
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Re: “ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

Postby Sven » Tue Dec 05, 2017 3:38 pm

dogfound wrote:No mention of Osian Roberts who is currently 3rd favourite ?


Not expected to be promoted but should stay on the staff ;)
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Re: “ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

Postby dogfound » Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:00 pm

Sven wrote:
dogfound wrote:No mention of Osian Roberts who is currently 3rd favourite ?


Not expected to be promoted but should stay on the staff ;)


yes would be unexpected by many people..but was encouraged to throw his hat in the ring :thumbup:
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Re: “ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

Postby RYANBLUE » Tue Dec 05, 2017 4:03 pm

Bellamy for me HAS to be involved in Welsh set up. IF this is as No 2 (to lets say Pulis - GREAT) why cant he do both roles? Not as if the international is a full time set up
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Re: “ CARDIFF CITY NEED CRAIG BELLAMY MORE THAN WALES DO “

Postby stephendavid » Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:16 pm

Doing a decent job with the academy leave him where he is i say,got to earn his spurs the same way as most managers get his experience before throwing him in anywhere
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