Bellamy not ruled out as Wales close on shortlist

Wales are narrowing their options successful nan hunt for a caller head - pinch Craig Bellamy still a contender to switch Rob Page.

Bellamy is presently portion of nan coaching set-up astatine Burnley, pinch caller Clarets leader Scott Parker keen to activity pinch nan 44-year-old erstwhile Wales captain.

But Bellamy is thought to beryllium still among nan names being earnestly considered by Welsh football’s governing assemblage for a shortlist of imaginable managers.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has met pinch respective imaginable candidates during nan 2 weeks since Page’s departure.

Bellamy, capped 78 times, is believed to beryllium among those approached while Thierry Henry and Georgia leader Willy Sagnol are besides being considered, but ex-Wales leader Ryan Giggs is not.

Oxford United head Des Buckingham has besides emerged arsenic a astonishment contender.

The 39-year-old precocious led Oxford to nan Championship having had world acquisition during an awesome stint pinch New Zealand's age-grade sides, overseeing qualification for nan Under-20 World Cup and Olympics.

A erstwhile Oxford youth-team subordinate who sewage his coaching break during Chris Wilder's clip astatine nan club, Buckingham besides served arsenic adjunct head astatine A-League broadside Melbourne City.

He was appointed head astatine chap City Football Group broadside Mumbai City, winning nan Indian Super League, earlier joining Oxford arsenic head successful November 2023.

The FAW is wished to analyse each options arsenic they activity nan correct campaigner to lead Wales' bid to scope nan 2026 World Cup.

That has meant looking astir nan globe for imaginable managers, pinch Sagnol besides having been connected nan radar of elder figures aft starring Georgia - who were successful their first awesome tourney - to nan knockout stages of Euro 2024.

Sagnol is retired of statement astatine nan extremity of this year, though nan Georgian Football Federation is expected to connection nan ex-France and Bayern Munich defender a important salary emergence successful an effort to support him.

Sagnol’s erstwhile world team-mate Thierry Henry has besides been nether consideration, but nan Arsenal fable is different who is nether statement elsewhere arsenic he prepares to negociate France’s Olympic squad astatine this month’s Games successful Paris.

FAW main shot serviceman Dave Adams is starring nan search, pinch main executive Noel Mooney besides involved, arsenic they formed an oculus complete different managers moving pinch nationalist sides.

Former Greece and Sunderland leader Gus Poyet expressed an liking successful nan domiciled but BBC Sport Wales has learned Poyet is not among nan starring candidates.

Giggs, who stepped speech successful 2020 earlier eventually resigning successful June 2022, is not thought to beryllium among those being considered.

Bellamy narrowly missed retired connected nan Wales occupation to Giggs successful 2018, pinch nan Cardiff-born striker going connected to return his first steps successful elder coaching arsenic adjunct to Vincent Kompany astatine some Anderlecht and Burnley.

He was named Burnley's acting head erstwhile Kompany near Turf Moor for Bayern Munich successful May, but is now group to return to coaching duties pursuing nan assignment of erstwhile Fulham and Bournemouth head Parker.

Page was sacked past month aft failing to lead Wales to Euro 2024.