{"id":147841,"date":"2025-05-31T22:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T22:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/147841\/"},"modified":"2025-05-31T22:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T22:00:13","slug":"craig-bellamy-wants-wales-to-honour-the-shirt-by-not-swapping-with-opposition-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/147841\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig Bellamy wants Wales to \u2018honour the shirt\u2019 by not swapping with opposition \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Craig Bellamy has told his Wales players to \u201chonour the shirt\u201d and not swap jerseys with Kevin De Bruyne and company after their World Cup qualifier in Belgium.<\/p>\n

Wales resume their bid to reach the 2026 World Cup finals this week with a double header at home to Liechtenstein and away to star-studded Belgium.<\/p>\n

Taking on the Red Devils in their Brussels backyard is Wales\u2019 biggest test in Group J, but boss Bellamy believes the culture and mentality fostered since his appointment last July and the eight-game unbeaten run that has followed will stand Wales in good stead.<\/p>\n

\"KevinKevin De Bruyne (right) shakes hands with Gareth Bale after a previous Belgium v Wales game (Tim Goode\/PA) <\/p>\n

Bellamy insists Wales should not be considered underdogs \u2013 \u201csmall footballing nations don\u2019t expect to qualify for World Cups, and we do\u201d \u2013 and keeping hold of the jersey after the final whistle is among the pillars of his philosophy.<\/p>\n

\"Something<\/a>\"NI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to honour your shirt,\u201d said Bellamy. \u201cThe only time you give it up is when you lose your place and someone else takes it, but you\u2019ve left it in a good place.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a no-brainer to me and I believe the players love that as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur shirt is the most important shirt in football. We don\u2019t give that away, you can\u2019t give it away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if not swapping shirts extended to Belgian midfield maestro De Bruyne, one of the Premier League\u2019s all-time greats at Manchester City, Bellamy replied: \u201cI don\u2019t think it is even worth having a conversation about.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need to answer that question. It\u2019s not going to happen.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m an aspiring young player then I want that (Wales) shirt. I see ours as the most important shirt, nobody else\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wales opened their World Cup qualifying campaign in March with a 3-1 home victory over Kazakhstan and a 1-1 draw in North Macedonia.<\/p>\n

David Brooks equalised with virtually the last kick in Skopje to protect Bellamy\u2019s unbeaten record after Wales won promotion to the top tier of the Nations League in the autumn.<\/p>\n

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Craig Bellamy’s Cymru remain unbeaten. pic.twitter.com\/Sg97LAgA1W<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Wales \ud83c\udff4\udb40\udc67\udb40\udc62\udb40\udc77\udb40\udc6c\udb40\udc73\udb40\udc7f (@Cymru) March 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Bellamy draws parallels with basic habits on the football field to a 1980s Hollywood martial arts drama success at the box office.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you ever watched The Karate Kid?\u201d said Bellamy.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes he do karate straight away? No \u2013 it\u2019s Mr Miyagi who decides.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wax on, wax off. He paints the fence. He teaches him all these types of rules before he can do karate, so that he has the disciplines.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s about basics, habits. If you don\u2019t have that intensity without the ball, if your body language is poor and you\u2019re waving your hands, it\u2019s the wrong team for you. This is not your team.\u201d<\/p>\n