Craig Bellamy Remains Committed to Wales Amid Burnley Interest
Craig Bellamy insists he is exactly where he wants to be – in charge of Wales – and says it was his call alone to reject Burnley’s summer move for him.
The 47-year-old confirmed he held talks with the Championship club about replacing Scott Parker after their relegation from the Premier League, with the Football Association of Wales granting permission in June once Burnley activated a compensation clause.
Bellamy did not deny the lure of Turf Moor. He called the approach “flattering” and admitted he briefly weighed up walking away from his national-team role just two years into a four-year contract. But he walked back into the FAW offices still Wales manager – and, he says, never really looking for an exit.
“I had a decision to make and I made it,” Bellamy said. “It didn’t break down. I said no, it’s not for me. That was it. There was no walk away from discussions. It wasn’t for me.
“I made the decision to stay because this is the right place for me.
“We had a conversation but I was already in a role and this (Wales) was what I wanted.
“It was flattering – we all like our ego being exercised and being wanted – but for me, my partner, my kids, this is the place and we didn’t see anything else being able to move that.”
Bellamy was speaking as he named a 28-man squad for Nations League A fixtures against Portugal, Denmark and Norway, the first time he has publicly addressed the summer speculation that briefly shook Welsh football.
His connection to Burnley runs deep after a successful spell there as Vincent Kompany’s assistant, and he suggested that respect for his former club meant he felt obliged to at least listen.
That courtesy came at a cost. The uncertainty around his future led several former players to argue he would now have to win sections of the fanbase back. Some supporters voiced their frustration that talks with Burnley came so soon after Bellamy had declared he “was not going anywhere”.
He did not dodge that perception.
“I know how it could be seen, but I’ve only one person I have anything to prove to, and that’s me,” said Bellamy, who saw his first World Cup qualifying campaign end in heartbreak with a penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in March’s play-offs.
“I’m comfortable with the decision I’ve made. I’ve always been committed in everything I do and that hasn’t changed.
“Now, winning people over? I don’t know, that’s the honest truth.”
Bellamy’s start as Wales boss in 2024 brought a surge of optimism: an unbeaten run and promotion to the top tier of the Nations League after he replaced Rob Page. That early momentum has been checked by the failure to reach the 2026 World Cup, prompting sharper scrutiny of his tenure.
He does not hide behind sentiment. Results matter. He underlined the “volatility” of management and refused to promise he would definitely see out his contract, aware how quickly the landscape can change in international football.
But the bigger target remains clear. Euro 2028. At home. In Cardiff.
Asked if he still intends to be in the dugout when that tournament kicks off on Welsh soil, Bellamy did not hesitate.
“Oh, I’d love to – but that’s two years from now. Nothing’s guaranteed. I’m no different, I’m not more special than anyone else (in management).”
For now, the noise around Burnley has faded. The Nations League, the dressing room, and the long road to 2028 are back at the centre of his world.
