Craig Bellamy says he remains fully focused on Wales and a World Cup play-off amid links with Celtic.
The Wales head coach – who had a loan spell with the Hoops in 2005 – has been linked with a potential replacement for Brendan Rodgers following his decision to resign from the Scottish champions last week.
Wales are in the middle of a World Cup qualifying campaign, with games against Liechtenstein and North Macedonia this month, and are set to be involved in the play-offs in March.
Martin O’Neill is back at Celtic in interim charge
“I couldn’t want for anything more than what I have at this present moment and that’s where it lies for me,” he said.
“Anything else is not on my radar and it won’t be on my radar.
“I can understand the links because I played there. I’m coaching so I definitely understand the links but to me I love what I’m doing at this present moment, I have to be honest.
“I’m completely focused on what’s to come.
“It’s going to be a playoff in March, we know that, and to me that’s all I’m focused on. I know it’s a little bit cliche but it’s the honest truth.”
Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has also been linked with a move to Celtic
The 46-year-old went nine matches unbeaten with Wales following his appointment in July 2024, with the side losing three of their last four games in all competitions.
Asked whether his stance on the Celtic vacancy could change if the club were prepared to wait for him, Bellamy insisted that he will remain with Wales for as long as he is wanted.
“I have a number of years to run. I did sign a four-year contract,” he added.
“Now, I know the game as well. You lot might have enough of me in a short space of time. That’s the reality as well.
“But I feel as long as I’m wanted, and people in Wales feel like I can add, then that is something that motivates me. Then I stay. You always be careful. I try to live day by day. It’s not always wise, but to me it makes sense.
“I try and appreciate what I have. Having this at the moment has been one of the best periods of my life, and hopefully that continues for a lot longer as well.”
Different presser as Bellamy quizzed about Wales future
Craig Bellamy had a loan spell at Celtic as a player
Analysis by Sky Sports News’ Geraint Hughes:
“A slightly different feel to Wednesday’s news conference with Craig Bellamy, less on the players he’d selected, the opponent, the form of the team or even his thoughts on football – but on him and his future.
“For 16 months since his appointment as Wales head coach – he prefers that to being called a manager – any questions about him have been about his footballing style, the identity he wants from his teams, his background with Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht and Burnley. Lots of personal insight, but it’s all been about him and Wales. After a very decent 16 months in his first job as a ‘No 1′, it’s probably no surprise that a club – in this case Celtic – have an interest in Bellamy given Brendan Rodgers’ departure.
“How did Bellamy take to questions about his future? Not how I expected! I did expect him to front up about the links with Celtic as he’s not shy in addressing what could be termed an ‘awkward’ question, but in modern-day football, where you always hedge your bets, never over-commit or under-commit, his reply to my questions about Celtic did slightly surprise me.
“He went beyond what he probably had to do to dispel any possibility that he would leave Wales any time soon and potentially be lured to Celtic. He spoke about his love for his current job and how it’s helped him fall more in love with the game and his country, Wales. He spoke personally about how the job has made him happy and that he is probably in one of the best periods in his life. From a man who has spoken previously about mental health issues in his past to link his current personal circumstances to a job is rarely heard.
Craig Bellamy’s been Wales head coach since 2024
“After his first answer to my question about links with Celtic, there was a silence as everyone in the room took Bellamy’s response in – then me and about 25 other people tapped away furiously on our laptops to make sure we made a note of what he’d said and that we hadn’t dreamt it.
“Away from Celtic, Aaron Ramsey’s future was a topic of discussion. No clarity on his club future in Mexico, but Bellamy is making a plea to think right now about Ramsey the human being, not the footballer. Beset by injury for the best part of a couple of years, it appears it’s not worked out at Pumas in Mexico – Bellamy did confirm Ramsey was still injured – and as Bellamy was eager to point out, family matters more than football.
“Ramsey’s family dog ‘Halo’ has been mysteriously lost – sadly presumed dead – which has clearly affected him, his wife and children, who had all moved to Mexico to be together.
“Bellamy ended the conference by alluding to the famous former Liverpool manager Bill Shankly’s quote: ‘Some people think football is a matter of life and death… I can assure you it’s much more serious than that’. Bellamy did tell all present that he understood Shankly, one of his heroes, perhaps wasn’t being totally serious, but that is no longer his take on football. There are more important things to him and others in life.”
