Wales manager Craig Bellamy pays emotional tribute to the late Gary Speed and admits ‘when we played Turkey, I was thinking of him’

Craig Bellamy paid an emotional tribute to the late Gary Speed and identified him as his guiding light at the start of his journey as Wales manager.

Speed, who would have been 55 today, played alongside Bellamy for Wales and also coached him from 2010-11. Speed took his own life on November 27, 2011. He was 42.

Ahead of Wales Nations League clash with Montenegro on Monday, Bellamy was visibly moved when asked about Speed’s legacy.

‘I always wonder how he would have done certain things,’ said Bellamy. ‘I was like that when I was a player too as he had such a huge impact on me.

‘This week I’ve probably looked back more than usual. I hope the players feel like I felt when he was first in charge. That sense of ‘We’re going to do something here’ because that’s how I honestly felt. ‘I hope they get that and I hope I was able to relay some of the messages he was able to relay to us as a group.

Speed served as Wales’ manager for almost a year before he tragically took his own life

‘The way Welsh football has progressed over the last number of years has been through him. It’s been his identity and it will always be his identity.

‘Everything we look to do is to preserve who he is to us. Trust me, when we played Turkey last Friday night I was thinking of him. I had family members as well but I will always did it. I know it was his birthday today.’

Bellamy made a hugely encouraging start to his time as Wales boss. Even though they drew 0-0 with Turkey, his team outplayed the Euro 2024 quarter-finalists and created enough chances to have won the game comfortably.

The 45-year-old insists he is unworried about the late switch of this clash from Podgorica to Niksic, due to the state of the pitch at the Gradski Stadium in the capital city.

Bellamy is hoping to replicate the feeling he had when Speed was in charge of Wales

The capacity in Niksic is a little more than 5,000, with a running track surrounding the pitch. Bellamy has already called for ball boys to be deployed to favour the front-foot style of football he wants his team to adopt.

He added: ‘I’ve watched a lot of Montenegro and people have been here to check the stadium and facilities. We are aware of the situation and we will not use it as an excuse. With the track, we risk losing 20 or 30 seconds every time the ball goes out for a throw-in so, and we want to play quick football. I hope that’s possible.’