Bellars Wants Wales Job

Last updated : 21 November 2017 By Footy Mad - Editor

Craig Bellamy has declared his interest in becoming the next Wales manager.

Bellamy is 5/2 second favourite with Sky Bet to succeed Chris Coleman, who resigned his position last Friday to take over at Sky Bet Championship strugglers Sunderland.

Image result for Newcastle United Craig BellamyThe 38-year-old former striker is currently working within the youth set-up at his hometown club Cardiff.

"I'd always be interested in that job. Even now at this present moment, of course I am," Bellamy said on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football.

"Looking further ahead, I'd be interested in it for the rest of my life. I'm passionately Welsh, it's the pinnacle for me.

"You are working with a group of players that are the most successful in the history of Welsh football in getting to the semi-final of a major competition (Euro 2016)."

Bellamy won 78 Wales caps during an international career which stretched from 1998 to 2013.

He played under Coleman and with most of the players who qualified for Wales' first major tournament for 58 years and then reached the last four in France.

"You need someone who's been involved in the set-up from a young age so he knows which players are coming through, which I do," Bellamy said.

"But at the same time it's a good position. So there will be plenty of people interested in it and rightly so."

Asked whether it would be the right vacancy to launch his managerial career, Bellamy replied: "Would it be realistic for me to go into a Premier League team?

"It wouldn't be there due to where the Premier League has gone to.

"One or two clubs would maybe take a gamble, but then it is lower down or working through the youth systems and learning your trade that way.

"I've done that and I'm still doing that now which I really enjoy.

"I've worked with Wales' younger age groups, so I've got a good idea of the system that's been put in place and producing players at a young level.

"I've been heavily involved in that and enjoyed that as well."

As well as Bellamy, Tony Pulis (8/13 favourite) and Ryan Giggs (6/1) are at the head of the betting.

Former Arsenal and France striker Thierry Henry has emerged as a 10/1 contender for the role but he is currently involved in the Belgium set-up ahead of next summer's World Cup.