Burnley target Bellamy in managerial hunt

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• Published3 hours ago

Burnley have stepped up their pursuit of Wales boss Craig Bellamy.

The Clarets have contacted the Football Association of Wales (FAW) as they target their former coach in their search for Scott Parker's replacement.

No deal has been agreed yet and compensation would need to be negotiated.

Bellamy previously worked under Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor, helping the club to promotion in 2023, and was briefly named acting head coach after Kompany's move to Bayern Munich in 2024.

The 46-year-old has two years left to run on his contract with the FAW but could now part company with his home country midway through his four-year deal.

The Clarets have been searching for a new boss since Parker left by mutual consent in April, little more than a week after the club's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.

Ex-Wales forward Bellamy was swiftly identified as a contender to replace Parker.

Prior to Wales' June friendly fixtures with Ghana and Romania, Bellamy confirmed he had received interest from club level, but went on to commit his future to Wales.

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"Everything's in place, I get completely backed and it's going to give me the opportunity in the next two years to improve again," Bellamy said before his side's 1-1 draw with Ghana in Cardiff on 2 June.

"Links? I understand it but I don't look too far. I love what I have here.

"I've been offered that elsewhere as well, but I have this here already.

"Wales gave me this opportunity and one or two might not have because I was conscious I haven't managed before. Wales have given me this opportunity and I'm really grateful for that.

"I am ambitious, trust me. I want to earn loads and loads of money but there's a time and now, at this present moment, it just doesn't feel that time."

Prior to the June international camp, FAW bosses told BBC Sport Wales they were "very confident" Bellamy would see out his contract - which runs until the end of Euro 2028 - despite early interest from Burnley.

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Bellamy - who was recently linked with the Celtic role - was assistant to Kompany during the former Belgium international's time as head coach at Burnley between 2022 and 2024.

The Clarets clinched the 2022-23 Championship title with 101 points to gain promotion to the top flight.

But they were relegated from the Premier League in 2023-24 - with Kompany leaving Lancashire to join Bayern Munich while Bellamy later departed to take the Wales job.

Wales were unbeaten in Bellamy's first nine games as he guided them to promotion into Nations League A, where they will face Portugal, Norway and Denmark later this year.

But they missed out on World Cup qualification after losing a penalty shootout in the play-offs against Bosnia-Herzegovina and have won just three out of their past 11 games.

Bellamy's former Norwich and Wales team-mate Iwan Roberts told Radio Cymru: "I'm not sure if it would be a big loss [to Wales] if he did go, because Bellamy still has a lot of questions to answer as Wales boss. He's very inexperienced, but I do see why he'd be a good fit for Burnley."

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• Football
• Wales Men's Football Team
• Burnley
• Championship
• Wales Sport
• Welsh Football