Craig Bellamy reaffirms Wales commitment despite club offers in 2026

Wales head coach Craig Bellamy has turned down multiple club job offers to focus on leading his nation at Euro 2028.

Bellamy rejects club advances Craig Bellamy, aged 46, has confirmed he will stay in his role as Wales manager after receiving job proposals from several clubs. The former striker, who previously worked as Burnley's assistant manager under Vincent Kompany, had been suggested as a potential replacement for Scott Parker at the club. He has also been linked with another past club, Celtic, following the departure of interim manager Martin O'Neill, but remains focused on his current responsibilities. ## Commitment to Euro 2028 Bellamy expressed his dedication to Wales and their upcoming Euro 2028 campaign, which the nation will co-host alongside England, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland. Officials from the Football Association of Wales have stated they are fully confident he will honor his contract, which extends until the conclusion of the tournament. He emphasized the support he receives and the opportunity it provides for growth over the next two years. ## Bellamy on his future plans Speaking ahead of Tuesday's match against Ghana in Cardiff, Bellamy addressed the speculation about his future. He acknowledged the offers but made it clear he is not entertaining them. He described his current position as something he deeply values, especially after Wales gave him this chance despite his lack of prior managerial experience. He added, "I am ambitious, trust me. I want to earn loads and loads of money but there's a time and now, at this present moment, it just doesn't feel that time." ## Contract details and release clause Bellamy was appointed on a four-year contract in the summer of 2024 and has made a strong start in his first senior managerial role. While he has hinted at a future move into club management, leading Wales at Euro 2028 remains a significant motivator. No formal bids have been made, and any interested club would need to pay a release fee of at least £700,000 to negotiate his exit from his Wales contract. Bellamy stated, "I couldn't see it being fair for me to walk away. That's not right." ## Wales' upcoming fixtures Wales are set to play two friendlies, starting with Ghana at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, followed by a match against Romania in Bucharest on Saturday. Defenders Ben Davies and Connor Roberts have recovered from injuries, but Fulham's Harry Wilson will miss the games due to unavailability. Swansea defender Ben Cabango has also withdrawn, prompting the inclusion of uncapped trio Cameron Congreve, Ollie Bostock, and Jayden Lienou. ## Bellamy targets June improvement Bellamy admitted that June has not been a strong month for Wales in past friendlies or competitive matches, with only two wins in thirteen games. He stressed the need to improve their record in this period, stating, "You want to be a serious nation? Our June record's nowhere near, so we have to correct that." He also acknowledged the challenges of midweek fixtures and lower ticket sales for the Ghana game, attributing some of it to the timing of the match. ## Broadcast and coverage details The Ghana match will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer, BBC One Wales, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, and Sports Extra, as well as the official BBC Sport website and app. Live text commentary will also be available.