Craig Bellamy Remains Committed To Wales After Burnley Move Falls Through

Craig Bellamy remains fully focused on leading Wales after the collapse of a move to Burnley, according to Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney, who stresses that the links with the Championship club have not changed Bellamy’s position or status with the national team.

Mooney underlines that Bellamy, now 46, is “absolutely committed” to Wales and continues to plan long term. The FAW chief executive states that every meeting with Bellamy centres on future tournaments, upcoming campaigns, and how the national side can progress over the next years.

Bellamy took charge of Wales in July 2024 and quickly delivered key milestones. Under Bellamy, Wales reached the 2026 World Cup qualifying play-offs and secured promotion to Nations League A, while also reshaping the playing style to a proactive approach that has impressed the FAW hierarchy.

The World Cup route ended in dramatic fashion when Wales lost to Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties in the play-offs. Mooney highlights that the squad came very close to qualification and describes the shootout defeat as “a lottery”, stressing that the result does not lessen Bellamy’s work with the team.

Attention now turns to life in Nations League A, where Wales begin against Portugal in September. The schedule also includes fixtures with Denmark and Norway later in the autumn. Mooney believes these matches will test the group at a higher level and provide important preparation for later qualification cycles.

Bellamy previously worked at Burnley as assistant to Vincent Kompany, and reports suggested a return as manager before negotiations ended on Thursday. Mooney does not see any damage to Bellamy’s image from the failed agreement and insists the focus inside the FAW remains on continuity.

The FAW chief executive praises Bellamy’s impact on the pitch and in the dressing room. Mooney says the style under Bellamy is positive, that the squad has adapted well, and that internal conversations about staff movements are expected but do not change the organisation’s current direction.

“Craig’s been brilliant with us. We look forward to going to Nations League A this autumn, against Portugal, Denmark and Norway, he said. We were unfortunate not to get the World Cup on penalty kickswhen you get to penalty kicks, it’s a lottery.We’d loved to have been there, but now our focus is very much on Nations League A and Craig at the helm. He’s done a terrific job here so far. He has got us playing really, really good football. Craig is absolutely committed to his country. He is committed to the job.Every discussion we have, he’s always talking about the future and how we’re going to go forward. We understand the conversations will happen around the place, but he’s here, and we’re all looking forward to the autumn.”

Wales now prepare for top-tier Nations League opposition under Bellamy, with Mooney’s comments underlining stability around the national setup, continued trust in the head coach, and a clear focus on September’s opener against Portugal followed by demanding fixtures against Denmark and Norway.