Bellamy, The Bear and the 'non-negotiables' of Wales

In nan critically acclaimed tv bid The Bear, caput cook and lead protagonist Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto lays retired a database of “non-negotiables” for unit astatine his upscale restaurant.

It is an exhaustive, 27-point ngo connection featuring halfway principles specified arsenic “no excuses”, “details matter” and “every 2nd counts”; a manifesto for Berzatto’s burning pursuit of perfection.

While nary specified archive exists for Welsh football, immoderate of these phrases person been heard astir nan Wales squad’s guidelines successful nan Vale of Glamorgan complete nan past week arsenic nan squad accommodate to life nether their caller caput coach Craig Bellamy.

Players person really utilized nan aforesaid terminology successful reference to Bellamy, while he himself has mentioned “non-negotiables” successful each 1 of his interviews truthful far.

Top of Bellamy’s requirements are difficult activity disconnected nan shot and unerring attraction during study sessions. Senior figures successful nan squad speak glowingly astir his “intense” and “obsessive” approach.

There is thing of Berzatto astir Bellamy, some analyzable and compelling characters who are utterly consumed by their activity and uncompromising astir nan standards they demand.

Bellamy is now 2 games into his tenure, and his non-negotiables person shone through.

Wales’ players property relentlessly erstwhile they are without possession, hunting successful packs to triumph it back, while they are agile and inventive erstwhile they are connected nan ball.

The hours that players person spent successful gathering rooms pinch Bellamy and his analysts are clear successful nan measurement they move positions aliases alteration tactically according to nan lucifer business aliases what their opponents are doing.

All this aft Bellamy took his first training convention only 8 days ago. Every 2nd counts.

“Habits person to beryllium good,” he says. “Body connection has to beryllium good, showing intent.

“Do you activity backmost for nan team? Set-plays, are you alive? Throw-ins, a awesome opportunity to triumph nan ball, are you live to that? When you look to press, is your thorax complete your knee? Are you fresh to go?

“I don’t for illustration anyone waving hands, you execute thing from it isolated from giving nan guidance squad an other lift. I clasp these rather dear.

“Being capable to recognise each this, it sounds for illustration it's conscionable race, race, race. It’s not. Players are very clever. They are capable to move into these situations. Do I expect it each to happen? No, location are definite times it won’t. But that’s what we’re looking to get to.”

Bellamy’s semipermanent purpose is to suffice for nan 2026 World Cup. Before then, he wants his squad to show a clear playing personality and, if possible, triumph their games while doing so.

That sounds evident but for personification for illustration Bellamy, whose will to triumph fewer tin match, Nations League results are important. Asked what he would deem a successful run earlier it started, Bellamy simply said: “Win each game.”

However, these matches are besides an opportunity for nan caput coach to instrumentality extremist alteration and get his squad to play precisely arsenic he wants.

That was evident during his first crippled against Turkey. Even though it ended goalless, this was a thrilling glimpse of what lies up and a bold antidote to nan underwhelming show that had seen Wales neglect to suffice for Euro 2024.

Dreadful playing conditions successful Montenegro made it almost intolerable for Wales to replicate that capacity connected Monday, but they were still capable to unafraid Bellamy’s first win.

Even arsenic torrential rainfall created chaos successful Niksic, those non-negotiables were connected show again. Bellamy beamed pinch pridefulness astatine his players’ resilience and commitment.

Bellamy has laid retired what he wants from Wales now and successful nan future, and location will beryllium nary negotiating really they get there.

“You support connected track. We don’t jump excessively acold ahead. I judge nary matter wherever it is successful life, it’s a story,” he says.

“What’s our story? We’re starting a caller chapter. Through nan Nations League, what’s nan communicative passim our campaign? Where’s it going to lead us? What are we going to look to get retired of it astatine nan end? You get to a World Cup, what’s nan communicative going to beryllium then?

“It’s ever looking to create a story. This week has been nan first commencement of it. The building blocks towards it. Then beryllium prepared for immoderate comes. I’m prepared for each scenarios.”