Craig Bellamy has once again emphasized that he does not want Wales to settle for mediocrity, insisting his goal is to establish them as “one of the top national teams”. Since taking on his first managerial role in the summer, Bellamy has remained undefeated and admits he still gets “goosebumps” every time he reflects on his achievement. Bellamy will oversee his sixth game on Tuesday as Iceland visits for a Nations League match. Wales, currently ranked 29th in the Fifa rankings, are positioned second in Group B. To avoid a playoff in March and secure a direct path to the World Cup qualifying campaign next year, they must win in Cardiff and hope Turkey falters in Montenegro. Bellamy’s vision for Wales is ambitious. “I don’t want us just to be a good national team; I want us to be one of the top national teams,” he stated. “I am an unrealistic person, but that’s what I want us to strive for. I genuinely believe we can achieve it. That’s why we are here—we don’t just want to participate in major tournaments; we want to make a significant impact.” Wales managed a 0-0 draw against Turkey on Saturday, maintaining Bellamy’s unbeaten streak. “I still can’t believe I’m doing this,” he said. “I’m like: ‘I’m the Wales national manager.’ It gives me goosebumps every time I think of it. I want to protect that feeling as well. I feel a deep responsibility to do well for the country. To achieve that, I need to stay calm and composed because this is deeply personal for me. I’m fully invested in this. I feel incredibly fortunate. This isn’t just a career choice; it’s not about financial gain.” Joe Rodon is expected to earn his 50th cap on Tuesday, while Ben Davies is set to match Neville Southall’s record of 92 caps, placing him fourth on the list of most-capped Welshmen. Bellamy revealed that if he had taken the Oxford United job in 2018, he planned to sign Rodon from Swansea, and Burnley, where he worked as assistant to Vincent Kompany, also tried to acquire the now Leeds defender from Tottenham. “He’s been outstanding for us,” Bellamy said. “Perhaps we’ve helped him grow too. But we couldn’t be more pleased with his contributions.”

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