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Craig Bellamy and John Hartson eye Wales manager role

Last updated on .From the section Walescomments87

Coleman wants a Welshman to succeed him

Former Wales strikers Craig Bellamy and John Hartson say they would relish the chance to succeed Chris Coleman as manager of the national side.

After resigning from the post to become Sunderland boss, Coleman called for another Welshman to replace him.

Bellamy told Sky Sports: "I'll probably be interested for the rest of my life."

Hartson told BBC Sport Wales he "would walk on broken glass" for the job, but said he does not expect to be offered it and Tony Pulis "fits the bill".

Bellamy and Hartson described themselves as "passionately Welsh", with the former saying the job would be the "pinnacle" while allowing him to begin his managerial career.

Premier League role 'not realistic' - Bellamy

Coleman's late predecessor Gary Speed built his managerial reputation in the Wales job, as did Stoke City boss Mark Hughes.

Bellamy said: "It's a good position so I'm sure there are going to be plenty of people interested in it - and rightly so - due to what the Welsh FA have put in place and the group of players you'd have to work with.

"Would it be realistic for me to go into a Premier League team? It wouldn't be there due to where the Premier League's gone to.

"I'm passionately Welsh. It's the pinnacle for me and I would definitely always be interested in that job."

Bellamy says the players Coleman has left behind "are the most successful in the history of Welsh football" having reached the Euro 2016 semi-finals.

He added: "I've worked with Wales' younger age groups so I've got a good idea of the system that's been put in place for producing young players."

Gareth Bale and Craig Bellamy
Gareth Bale and Craig Bellamy celebrate as Wales beat Norway 4-1 in November, 2011

Bellamy also pointed to having played with many of the current squad, including Gareth Bale.

"I've played with them all and been through the hardest of times with this group of players so we know each other very well," said Bellamy

"I respect a lot of them and it's just a healthy position at this moment.

"From outside looking in, a good group of men and people that just see qualifying for the next tournament and the tournament after that as well."

Pulis 'a no brainer' if he wants Wales job

Hartson says "it's a no-brainer" if Pulis, sacked by West Bromwich Albion on Monday, wants the Wales job.

He also believes it would make for "a fantastic team" if Bellamy was Pulis' assistant.

Swansea-born former Celtic star Hartson scored 14 goals in 51 games for Wales and totalled more than 500 appearances in an eight-club career spanning 15 years.

Tony Pulis
Newport-born Tony Pulis had two stints as Stoke City manager

He retired from international football in February 2006 and hung up his boots for good in 2007 with more than 200 goals to his name.

The year he retired, Hartson was a rival to Coleman's late predecessor Gary Speed for the Wales job.

"I was interviewed for the job when Gary Speed, God rest his soul, got it 10 years ago and I've been working on every single game (in the media) - I've not missed a Welsh game in the last three years," said Hartson.

"So I know exactly what goes on within the group.

"I know the system, I know the philosophy and what the boys like working to because I've been in there."

Chris Coleman: Farewell to a Welsh managerial hero

However Hartson, working part-time as a striker coach with Scottish Championship club Livingston, is resigned to not being among the Football Association of Wales' candidates to take over from Coleman.

"I would walk on broken glass for the job," said Hartson.

"But at this moment in time I don't think I'm coming into their thinking."

He added: "I think it's probably a job, at this moment in time, for somebody that they feel with that little bit more experience and the ideal man, in my opinion, would be Tony Pulis."

Hartson expects more Premier League manager sackings before the end of the season and believes Pulis may be tempted to remain in the market for one of those roles.

Chris Coleman with Kit Symons (L), John Hartson and Osian Roberts (R)
John Hartson was Wales assistant manager under Chris Coleman from summer 2012 until November, 2013. Kit Symons (L) and Osian Roberts (R) were also in Wales' backroom staff

"There'll be several Premier League jobs and whether Tony feels he is capable of continuing at the highest level in the Premier League - whether he feels he has another couple of jobs in him - before he takes over the national job, I don't know," he said.

"If Tony Pulis were to become available, then I believe it's a no-brainer.

"It's basically down to Tony whether he wants to do the Wales thing right now."

Hartson says former Wales team-mate Bellamy has furthered his cause by working as Cardiff City's player development manager under the guidance of experienced manager Neil Warnock.

However, Hartson would not himself be interested in being an assistant to Pulis.

"I've done an assistant role and it wasn't a role that I enjoyed so it would have to be a manager's role or nothing for me," said Hartson, alluding to being part of Coleman's backroom staff for 14 months.

Hartson was among a group that included Kit Symons and Osian Roberts and says he felt unable to "put his opinions forward".

He added: "I didn't feel at that time that I was given the chance to put my own stamp and didn't feel as if I could make an impact because of the situation and what it was.

"And I respect Chris - I have all the time in the world for him - but I felt unable to put my opinions forward and express myself within the group.

"So I did it for about 14 months and then came away from it."

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87 comments

  • Comment posted by User0532541719, at 22:41 20 Nov 2017

    But...But the BBCs tame simpleton Phil Nevillie wants the job.

    He put his hand up first and has also drawn a lovely picture of a dragon, in crayon...

  • Comment posted by Vox Populi, at 21:36 20 Nov 2017

    Looking at the opinions so far, it's clear that people think 'passion' is by far the most important quality for a manager to have. What about tactical expertise and coaching credentials? You might as well just get a Welsh fan from the stands to come and shout at the players before the game, then you'd get the 'passion' for free and not have to pay a penny.

  • Comment posted by User0557175479, at 20:59 20 Nov 2017

    One thing you would get from Hartson is passion
    There is no doubt about that

  • Comment posted by Bielsas revolution, at 23:21 20 Nov 2017

    They have been playing Osian Roberts style football for the past few years, so they might as well give him the job now.

  • Comment posted by NickB57, at 21:43 20 Nov 2017

    Sometimes with a small nation with few players, passion plays a big part in what the team can achieve. We don't expect to win any national comps in Wales so why not let a novice have a go. At worse we don't qualify. We don't get relegated either.

  • Comment posted by tediouslybrief, at 21:49 20 Nov 2017

    #12: 'it's clear that people think 'passion' is by far the most important quality for a manager to have. What about tactical expertise and coaching credentials?'

    There is a Welsh proverb: Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn.

    Passion isn't the only thing a manager needs; but it's the first thing.

  • Comment posted by GarethJr, at 21:31 20 Nov 2017

    I'd have him before Giggs, Bellamy and Pulis. Seems a humble guy, has played at the top level, clearly passionate and I think the youngsters coming through would want to work for him. Granted he's not an experienced manager, but with OR as his number 2 I think they could do a good job. And in the grand scheme of things with what's happening around the world, winning or losing a match is irrelevant

  • Comment posted by Stephen, at 11:38 21 Nov 2017

    None of these , like Giggs have ever been prepared to do the"hard yards" in the lower leagues. They seem to just want to be parachuted into a job worth half a dozen games a season. Gents GO & LEARN YOUR TRADE, instead of being a " know all " pundit, sitting safely in a nice warm studio!

  • Comment posted by Jesus saves, at 12:28 21 Nov 2017

    As we speak Allardyce is busy combing his family tree to see whether his seventh cousin twice removed was delivered by Ivor Thomas, obstetrician.

  • Comment posted by D1679304119067, at 21:40 20 Nov 2017

    @12. Also makes me laugh that so many of these clowns don't want Giggs, because they think as a player he wasn't fully committed to Wales.Yet they're probably fine with their club sides hiring foreign managers & signing foreign players for tons of cash who have no connection with their towns, cities, and areas whatsoever. Pulis? Look forward to defensive long ball rubbish if you go down that road.

  • Comment posted by cardamine, at 04:15 21 Nov 2017

    Coleman was an uninspiring appointment but didn't half turn the tables. After Gary Speed, God rest his soul, it was always going to be a period of transition and somebody needed to steady the ship. Coleman did just that and took Wales to heights greater than even the most passionate of fans couldn't have hoped.

    Now it's time to take it up a notch.

    Hartson/Bellamy would be backwards steps.

  • Comment posted by petepud, at 22:15 20 Nov 2017

    @20 did you not realise this thread might be about something welsh when you saw the headline?if you didn't,are you thick?and if you did,why read it?think you're clever taking a pop?bore yourself off

  • Comment posted by Gazzag31, at 12:29 21 Nov 2017

    If John Hartson's football managerial skills match his pundit skills then I think the whole of Wales would walk over broken glass just to get away from him !

  • Comment posted by Barley, at 05:03 21 Nov 2017

    Pulis can win one off games, games he is not expected to win, he's always done that, its what he does. During his time at WBA he set them up to win at Man United, they beat Chelsea 3-0, won at Anfield and so on. He did similar things with Stoke. Where he is not so good is when his side have to take the initiative but if it has to be a Welshman, as Hartson says, its a no brainer. Pulis.

  • Comment posted by piscean62, at 12:20 21 Nov 2017

    Ryan Giggs, previous Wales international duty shirker, the man with no managerial experience whatsoever, but who is interested in ANY managerial post as long as it's at the top level?...

    Steve McClaren, the man who can do interviews in a convincing Welsh accent?...

    Joking aside -- someone of the calibre, football intelligence and international experience of Juergen Klinsmann would be good.

  • Comment posted by U16650765, at 23:37 20 Nov 2017

    Love the bones of you big man, but I don't think you have the necessary experience. You were renowned as a maverick ( often ignoring the relevant manager at the time ) and in that sense, it's kind of hard to then expect to have everybody else's respect.

  • Comment posted by cardiff bread , at 22:07 20 Nov 2017

    JH has no chance of becoming Wales manager in the near future.He makes his dislike of Cardiff - the city, fans and club - very apparent.We need a unifying figure, not a divisive one.

    I agree with @18 SCStaff - Hartson’s punditry leaves a lot to be desired.

    JH should spend some time coaching and managing at club level,in Wales or further afield,before piping up with this click bait nonsense.

  • Comment posted by Gareth, at 14:38 21 Nov 2017

    Again - why is no-one mentioning Slaven Bilic!? The man has top-flight experience, Win percentage of 64% with Croatia between 2006-2012, international tournament football knowledge and experience. Blows all other candidates out of the water. Can't leave our best squad ever possibly to a rookie with barely ANY first team games under their belts (Giggs, Bellamy, Hartson, Henry)

  • Comment posted by BoingBoingRich, at 12:48 21 Nov 2017

    53. Look at this. On the West Brom page Pulis has done no wrong. All fans of other clubs think the sun shines very brightly from him and all Albion fans are deluded thinking his brand of football has run its course. Now as I stated, you wait till he is linked with your club/country, you will soon change your tune! And here it is! Surely he would be a perfect fit, Welsh and tactical genius?

  • Comment posted by superWhales3, at 10:47 21 Nov 2017

    20. Posted by Theresa Mays long arms are terrifying

    Who forced you to come on to a Welsh football HYS page? Correct no one. You English do drone on about us Welsh, on a page about our own football team. We get it you're English. Now i understand that's terrible for you but go away.