Bellamy calls for composure as Cymru target World Cup spot

Craig Bellamy insists his side must remain calm and pick the right moments if Cymru are to secure FIFA World Cup qualification through the play-offs.

Cymru host Bosnia and Herzegovina in a semi-final showdown at the Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday night, knowing that victory would set up a decisive final against either Northern Ireland or Italy.

Bellamy’s side have enjoyed a productive week on the training pitch in the build-up to the clash, and he believes their preparation has put them in a strong position heading into the tie.

“I feel calm. I feel like we’ve got a lot done in that time as well,” he said. “We have done everything we can, definitely. It’s been really good. You always feel a lot calmer as it goes along; the more you tick things off, the more you reassure yourself. When you feel like you haven’t done it, then you get uptight – it’s normal. Imagine going into an exam without putting the work in and expecting good results.

“To me, we’ve definitely, as a group, gone through everything we need to with the players. The players have been top, and they’re used to this as well. Bosnia will be the same – it’s not their first play-off. It’s two experienced teams in this situation, and we’ll see what happens tomorrow night.”

Bosnia & Herzegovina arrive in Cardiff in strong form themselves after finishing just two points behind top seeds Austria in Group H, underlining the scale of the challenge facing Cymru.

Bellamy expects a difficult test but wants his side to remain patient and stick to their principles – an approach that has served them well throughout his 20 months in charge.

“They’ve shown two different sides. At home they can be a little different to away. Away from home, they haven’t had too much possession, but they’ve scored early and then held on to leads. It was a chaotic group with Cyprus, Romania, and Austria,” he said.

“They’re defensively well organised, with very good individual players playing for strong teams. It’s about what we do during the game – we have to adapt. If we need to speed it up, we do. If we need to be patient, we will.

“The key for us is always to dominate the tempo. If we try to force things, it won’t suit us. We have to wait for the right moments. “That’s what we’ve had. Only one team has had more possession than us in 18 games. We’re used to it.

“With that comes experience – you need patience, sometimes an extra pass to open things up. Don’t get involved in chaos; that won’t suit us. Stay compact, move the ball, wait for openings, and then take them.”

Cymru have enjoyed many memorable nights in the capital over the years, and with another sell-out crowd expected, home advantage could play a key role. However, Bellamy was quick to stress the importance of maintaining composure.

“It’s big. Imagine going away to Bosnia, it’s tough. And it’s the same for teams coming here,” he added.

“But we have to stay calm. We’ll feed off the crowd when needed, but we can’t ride the rollercoaster. Be clear, be calm, be ourselves – that gives us the best chance. “I don’t like the word ‘pressure’. It’s a privilege. If you can’t enjoy this, you’re not made for elite sport. The best chance of performing is to be calm and relaxed.”

With a place at the World Cup within reach, Bellamy made no secret of his belief that his side belong on the biggest stage.

“I honestly feel we should be at this tournament,” he admitted. “We’re going to have to work hard to get there, but I believe we’d be a massive asset to the World Cup – our players, our fans and our coaching team. We’d add to it.

“We’ve kept it going and we will keep going some more. Imagine what the next two years are going to look like? You know where the Euros are going to be and the players we have coming through are exciting. But we have two games now to keep this marching forward.”