Who Is Cremers, Wales Boss In Bellamy's Absence?

World Cup qualifier: Liechtenstein v Wales

Venue: Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 17:00 GMT

Coverage: Live connected BBC iPlayer, BBC Two, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and Sports Extra, BBC Sport website and app, positive unrecorded matter commentary.

Wales adjunct leader Piet Cremers counts Pep Guardiola and Vincent Kompany arsenic 2 of nan cardinal influences successful his burgeoning profession that is group for its adjacent important measurement forward.

Having worked nether nan 2 Manchester City legends, Cremers knows a point aliases 2 astir what it takes to win.

So you would ideate Wales will beryllium successful safe hands successful Liechtenstein connected Saturday erstwhile Cremers takes complaint of a squad for nan first clip successful nan important World Cup qualifier.

Wales caput coach Craig Bellamy, who is suspended for nan crippled successful Vaduz, has confirmed he has handed nan reins to Cremers, who only turned 31 past month.

"We walk a batch of clip together, we spell done nan study of guidance and we talk a lot," said Bellamy.

"He's fixed maine a existent large penetration into nan game, but he did erstwhile I was astatine Burnley pinch him arsenic well. His acquisition astatine nan level, wherever he's been and who he's been with.

"He's been a immense plus and there's a portion of maine that [thinks] he deserves this moment."

Cremers will go nan youngest coach to lead a Uefa nationalist squad successful a competitory lucifer since Terry Neill was successful complaint of Northern Ireland - taking complete connected a player-manager ground for a Euro 1972 qualifier against nan USSR successful October 1971 aged 29, 5 months and 5 days.

But while Cremers whitethorn beryllium comparatively young successful coaching terms, he is not lacking successful nan top-level experiences he hopes will lead him to go a head successful his ain correct 1 day.

The Dutchman, who has besides worked astatine Brentford, primitively joined Manchester City arsenic a lucifer expert for nan under-23s earlier his promotion to Guardiola's set-up arsenic main expert successful 2018, playing a domiciled successful 4 Premier League title wins.

Upon leaving his domiciled arsenic caput of study and insights astatine City successful 2022, Cremers took up nan position arsenic adjunct coach nether Kompany astatine Turf Moor - wherever he was integral successful nan club's 2023 promotion into nan Premier League arsenic champions pinch a points full of 101.

And it was astatine Burnley wherever Cremers forged a adjacent narration pinch Bellamy, who besides worked nether Kompany.

Indeed, 1 of Bellamy's first cardinal decisions pursuing his assignment arsenic Wales caput coach successful nan summertime of 2024 was to name Cremers to his staff.

When asked successful November 2024 what Cremers added to his team, Bellamy replied: "Everything. The twelvemonth we had astatine Burnley was down to him.

"We murdered nan league, and it was that. It hadn't been done before.

"Piet really pushed america towards this way. Vinny was ever very intelligent astir sounding retired nan champion people.

"He brought Piet into our world past and it was conscionable for illustration 'wow', he moved truthful galore different areas for us."

Bellamy and Cremers are masterminding Wales' push to suffice for their 2nd successive World Cup, having antecedently not made nan finals since 1958.

One day, Cremers will go a caput coach successful his ain right.

Earlier this summertime he turned down an attack from Belgian broadside Club Brugge to return complaint of their reserve broadside Club NXT, successful a move that would apt person seen Cremers yet return complaint of nan elder team.

Cremers stayed loyal to Wales and Bellamy, refusing to time off midway done a qualification campaign.

But location will beryllium a time erstwhile Cremers and Bellamy will portion to pave nan measurement for nan Dutchman to return his first caput coach position.

Given what he has already achieved, going it unsocial will not daunt Cremers.

But first nan matter of Liechtenstein and qualifying for nan World Cup.