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18:10 Tom Coleman

Bellamy - tournament experience could be crucial

Craig Bellamy never made it to the World Cup with Wales as a player, but when he steps out under the lights of the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday night, it will be the first step towards what he hopes will be the next best thing.

Wales have already been freed by the shackles of history and the class of 1958, having ended their agonising exile from football's biggest and grandest stage by qualifying for Qatar in 2022.

The scenes that unfolded in the wake of that emotionally-charged play-off final win over Ukraine are scorched into the memory of everyone connected with Welsh football, and indeed into its very fabric. That's despite Wales exiting the tournament with a disappointing whimper, a whimper that in hindsight might have been the more natural conclusion to that particular chapter.

The disappointment of failing to reach Euro 2024 loomed large over Bellamy's predecessor, mainly due to the steady rise in expectation that has started to build around the national team, even in the post-Gareth Bale era.

Six games in, Bellamy starts this attempt at writing his own chapter as Wales manager still unbeaten, and his reign has already sparked plenty of excitement courtesy of a bold brand of high-octane and progressive football that hasn't really been seen from a Wales team before.

The Nations League, as well as being a big success in terms of results, was clearly a valuable period in helping to bed many of his ideas into the group. Now, is the time for this group to show what it's learned - and Bellamy himself insists there's a chance it could take a little bit of time to truly click.

But for all the tactical changes and adjustments, Bellamy has the luxury of working with a Wales squad that has never had as much experience of qualifying for tournaments.

"I can just sit back and let them do it," he joked when asked about the importance of so many members of the camp having tasted a major tournament.

"It's so valuable. Their calmness with it as well, they've been there. But also the crowd, they’ve been there as well. It’s so important because they've got to experience major tournaments.

"Like everyone here you’ve come along on the ride as well. When we say 'Together Stronger' it's everyone. Some get to play more a part than others but if we're successful we all get to go and enjoy this and get to support something we really love. That’s where people's experience is more than mine because I wasn't on this journey.

"It's no coincidence that since we had this idea of being 'Together Stronger' we've had very good success. How can we now turn that into every tournament that we are there. This time it is my responsibility to get to where other managers have been able to get to and then maybe leave it in a place where it continuously keeps happening. I'm going to enjoy this because it's everyone."

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