Craig Bellamy: Wales job is one I've always wanted
Monday 14th February 2022
Cardiff City hero Craig Bellamy has revealed the Wales manager's job is the one he has always dreamed of having, citing that he is "beyond proud" to be Welsh.
The former Liverpool, Newcastle United and Celtic forward has been out of work since returning from coaching at Anderlecht's youth system back in September.
Bellamy cited personal reasons and wanting to spend more time with his family in his home town of Cardiff.
However, the former Bluebirds star has spoken about when he interviewed for the Wales job before it was eventually given to Ryan Giggs in January 2018.
Bellamy said it was difficult to take, but has seemingly not stopped him wanting to get that job at some point in the future.
CRAIG BELLAMY:
"It was already done. It was already given, I don't think there was any need for an interview process," he said.
"It was already voted. Six committee members vote and decide who the manager is. They are all valued people, they are all on there for a reason.
"The one thing I did was change views. The voting went to deadlock.
"It was six people who voted, three went for me, three went for Ryan. The president gets the final vote, which is right, he is your president, he was part of the three who voted for Ryan, so he got it.
"It was difficult. Because it's something I've always wanted to do, something I'm beyond passionate about. Being Welsh, I'm beyond proud of it."
He did touch on the reason behind joining Cardiff, firstly on loan from Manchester City in 2010, stating it was a club he always wanted to play for since he was a kid.
"It was a nice day in Cardiff, the sun was out and I was with my family and I thought, 'Why not play here? Would that be possible?'," he recalled.
"(Then Man City CEO) Garry Cook, spoke to him and he said, 'Yeah, if you want to go to Cardiff, we'll make it happen'.
"I couldn't go to Spurs, Liverpool came back in, but he wouldn't let me go to a rival team [in the Premier League].
"It was either going to Scotland with Celtic or going back home to Cardiff, which I always wanted to do.
"I always wanted to play for Cardiff. I always saw my career starting at Cardiff, going to Liverpool, I always wanted to go to Celtic because I wanted the Old Firm, and I wanted to play for Wales, that was it.
"I've been lucky enough that I've had bonuses elsewhere. I got to live in Newcastle and West Ham was brilliant, I loved it."
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