Craig Bellamy's second anniversary as head coach of the Wales national football team ended with a 2-1 friendly defeat to Romania, highlighting both the progress made and the work still ahead.
Since taking over in July 2024, Bellamy has overseen 20 matches, winning eight (40%), drawing seven, and losing five. While his win rate sits between predecessors Gary Speed and Ryan Giggs (both 50%) and Robert Page (33%), the team has shown flashes of potential but also inconsistency.
Wales secured promotion to Nations League A and enjoyed a nine-match unbeaten run early in Bellamy's tenure. However, the campaign ended in heartbreak with a penalty shootout loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off semi-final, dashing hopes of back-to-back World Cup appearances.
Defender Connor Roberts, returning from injury, noted, "In general I think we're doing well. We're progressing and learning. We just have to sharpen up in areas and stay focused and switched on for the whole game in every game."
With a three-month break before the next fixtures, Bellamy faces the challenge of building on the belief he has instilled while addressing defensive lapses and converting promising performances into consistent results against top-tier opposition.