Bellamy 'focused On Wales' Despite Celtic Links

Wales caput coach Craig Bellamy is "completely focused" connected qualifying for adjacent year's World Cup contempt being linked pinch Celtic, says Football Association of Wales (FAW) main executive Noel Mooney.

Bellamy - who had a indebtedness spell astatine Celtic during his playing profession - has been touted arsenic a imaginable successor to Brendan Rodgers pursuing nan erstwhile Liverpool manager's departure from nan Scottish champions past week.

But Wales are successful nan mediate of a World Cup qualifying campaign, owed to play Liechtenstein and North Macedonia this period and group to beryllium progressive successful nan play-offs successful March.

"Craig's done a terrific occupation pinch Cymru (Wales), he's built an personality pinch america and a style of playing that has really sewage you each excited," Mooney told S4C's Sgorio.

"He's a twelvemonth and a spot into nan occupation of a four-year contract, and we're wholly focused connected going to nan World Cup successful America, Canada and Mexico adjacent year.

"Two monolithic matches successful November that he's perfectly focused on. Look, erstwhile you do good successful immoderate occupation I deliberation you'll get linked to different jobs - and Celtic is simply a monolithic shot club."

Bellamy, who started his coaching profession pinch Cardiff City's academy earlier moving arsenic Vincent Kompany's adjunct astatine Anderlecht and Burnley, has impressed successful his first elder managerial role.

He made nan champion commencement of immoderate Wales leader pursuing his assignment successful July 2024, going 9 matches unbeaten and winning promotion to nan apical tier of nan Nations League while implementing an adventurous caller style of play.

The erstwhile Liverpool and Manchester City subordinate is successful nan midst of nan astir testing spell of his tenure truthful far, pinch Wales losing 3 of their past 4 games successful each competitions.

If Celtic were to prise Bellamy away, they would person to salary what FAW sources person described to BBC Sport Wales arsenic a "significant, seven-figure" compensation fee, which would beryllium higher if it was activated earlier adjacent year's World Cup.

In position of salary, however, Bellamy earns acold little than immoderate of nan different candidates for nan Celtic occupation - specified arsenic Ipswich Town leader Kieran McKenna - having taken a salary trim from his erstwhile domiciled arsenic Burnley adjunct coach.

"He [Bellamy] is going to get linked pinch roles. He's an breathtaking coach who has really captured nan imagination of a batch of people," Mooney added.

"He will spell from spot to spot pinch Cymru and I'm judge aft america he will spell connected to negociate nan champion teams successful nan world. I person nary uncertainty astir that.

"But, for now, we're wholly focused connected getting to nan World Cup. All of us. We opportunity 'Together Stronger' astatine nan FAW and Craig is correct astatine nan bosom of that.

"As I say, six points successful November is our goal, onto nan play-offs, and past connected to nan World Cup we go."