Cymru head coach Craig Bellamy is looking for two strong performances from his side next month as they take on World Cup finalists Ghana in Cardiff on Tuesday 2 June (KO 19:45) before heading to Bucharest to face Romania on Tuesday 9 June (KO 18:45 UK).
“They’re two very, very different challenges, but challenges that can really help us improve because I see big improvements in the team,” explained Bellamy as he announced his 26-man squad on Tuesday. “We have to improve, I have to improve as a coach, and those two factors motivate me a lot.”
Cymru missed out on a place at the FIFA World Cup with a penalty shoot-out defeat to Bosnia & Herzegovina back in March, but Bellamy is looking forward to getting the squad back together for the first time since then to move forward and prepare for these two international challenge matches.
“I definitely miss day-to-day and I’ve never been shy and saying that, but I understand it,” Bellamy explained. “It (World Cup) was a clear objective for us and that disappointment was a lot. You can never hide away from that, but at the same time, you move on. We have a lot to move on for, we have a lot to look forward to, and it starts now.”
Bellamy will come up against two high-profile coaches in these two fixtures. Carlos Queiroz recently took charge of Ghana as they complete their preparations for the World Cup finals, while Romanian legend Gheorghe Hagi have recently returned for a second spell in charge of the national team.
“We’ve got two reasonably tough games. Ghana obviously have qualified with some really good players. They have a new manager and so have Romania, so we’ve got to look back into a lot of their previous games from Hagi with his clubs. So, it will be interesting to see how they go about it, and we have to again be able to adapt. Two difficult oppositions, but two good games to look forward to.”
“His (Carlos Querioz) record in coaching and the clubs he’s been at is impressive and he has a wealth of knowledge. To play a team from a different continent is great for us and for me also, maybe there’s something new how they play and a different type of profile of player to play against. It’s really important for us.
“We then switch to Romania, who we’re a team in Bosnia’s group so we’ve got to see a lot of Romania. I’ve seen some very good bits of them, also some so not. But it’s a big test because you’re going out there to win the game. We need to go to these places and that’s a different challenge on its own, which I look forward to.”
Connor Roberts, Ben Davies and Chris Mepham make welcome returns to the squad after injury. “It haven’t really had Connor, it’s been a little bit here and there,” Bellamy explained. “But because I’ve worked with previously he knows how we work. He’s definitely a big, big help. His ability, but also tactically and how aware he is when we need to adapt. He’s definitely a coach on the pitch.
“Ben shows even in training and off the pitch how he leads, he’s so important for us. I’ve loved every second of being able to work with him. He was a big, big miss (in March), but that’s the reality. We will monitor him and see what minutes he can play, but just having him in the squad is so big. My messaging becomes so much easier because he’s the one taking it onto the pitch, it really makes a big difference.”
However, Bellamy will be without the services of Rubin Colwill, Jordan James, Liam Cullen and Mark Harris through injury.
Earlier this month Bellamy was back on the training ground with some of the Cymru intermediate team and EFL players as he continues to look to the future. “You learn a lot and you get a lot as well,” he added. “It’s nice for them to see how we work and what we look for so, I’m sure it works both ways but it’s definitely been a plus.
“We’ve selected one or two we would like to see in certain areas that we’re going to need in the next few years. It’s been really good to get to see them and you always leave these type of weeks with a lot of optimism for the future. There are some really good young players coming through, so it’s great to be able to get to see them and for them to see us as well.
“There’s been one or two I think ready now. They can start pushing and they can start being involved in the squads, and there’s one or two you look at like in the next year or two years, I believe that player is going to have a really good opportunity being able to come into this squad and offer us quite a lot. It gives you a chance to be able to look at where they are.”
Hagi was part of the Romania side that defeated Cymru in the decisive qualifier for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, a campaign and tournament that Bellamy reflected on as that great Romanian side reached the quarter-final stage. “It was an incredible period for them and they justified it by impact they had in the World Cup as well.
“We can talk about a game at Cardiff Arms Park and how unlucky we were, but I remember the game in Romania as well and that’s when Hagi first hit me as a profile of a player. He was incredible and obviously a special player who definitely had a big impact on me growing up for what we had to go through. It will be nice to come up against him, but also nice to see what he thinks of us as well.”
The match against Ghana will mark the 150th anniversary of the Football Association of Wales, and Bellamy has called on the Red Wall to come and support the side ahead of the UEFA Nations League campaign that begins in September.
“I understand where we are financially as people it’s not easy,” Bellamy added. “But we prepare for Ghana and Romania is if we are preparing for Belgium away or any other qualifier. It doesn’t change, it can’t change.
“For its full steam ahead so that’s the message for the fans, if they can, please come and enjoy our game. Come and watch us. I’ve been blown away by our support and it’s a game we want to win.”
