Craig Bellamy will remain as Wales manager after his proposed move to Championship side Burnley fell through, ending weeks of speculation over the 46-year-old's future.
The Clarets had approached the Football Association of Wales with a view to appointing Bellamy as Scott Parker's successor, triggering talks with the former Manchester City, Liverpool and West Ham forward. But the move has now collapsed, with negotiations for Bellamy's backroom staff to join him at Turf Moor understood to have been a point of contention. Crucially, the breakdown is not related to compensation for the FAW.
“Wales manager Craig Bellamy's proposed move to Championship side Burnley has fallen through.”
Bellamy's decision to stay in charge of Wales comes just weeks after his side failed to reach the 2026 World Cup, losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina during a penalty shoot-out defeat in Cardiff. He was appointed Wales boss in 2024, inheriting a squad that had missed out on the previous World Cup, and his current contract runs until 2028 – a period that includes the European Championships being held across England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
Bellamy is no stranger to Turf Moor, having served as a coach under Vincent Kompany between 2022 and 2024, and even had a brief spell in caretaker charge. His connection to the club made him a natural candidate when Burnley sacked Parker – BBC Sport revealed on 30 April that Bellamy was a leading contender to replace him.
With Bellamy now out of the running, attention turns to former Wolves head coach Rob Edwards, who is in contention for the job at Turf Moor. Edwards, who left Molineux earlier this month, had previously been a contender to replace Bellamy with Wales and remains an option for the Clarets as they search for a new manager.
For Wales, the stability of Bellamy's continued presence offers a chance to build towards the 2028 European Championships, though the pain of missing out on the 2026 World Cup will linger. For Burnley, the search goes on.