Cristiano Ronaldo in Lisbon, Erling Haaland at home and a double-header with a Denmark side they have not beaten in 18 years as Wales return to Nations League A. But does head coach Craig Bellamy face his own challenge? Supporters were already smarting from missing out on the World Cup.
Then their mood darkened further as it emerged Bellamy had held talks over becoming boss at Burnley. The 47-year-old admitted to a "sleepless night" when coming to a decision to either stay with Wales or succeed Scott Parker at Turf Moor, the club he had previously served as an assistant boss under Vincent Kompany. Bellamy said he went with his gut to turn down Burnley and that he had unfinished business with his national side.
Nevertheless, some pundits have suggested the 78-cap former striker now needs to win back support after such speculation over his future. Bellamy suggested he did not know whether that is the situation he faces over the next three weeks - and beyond - after reiterating his ambition to lead Wales to a home Euro 2028. Even so, given that as a player Bellamy once had a legal tussle with his club in order to be available for his country, is it fair to question his commitment?
Bellamy says he has a "gift" of not taking what people say to heart, but he will have heard queries over his commitment before. "I think with my body of work over the years, I don't think I need to say too much about that," he said, after announcing his squad for the first four games of the new Nations League campaign – the first international matches since the Burnley saga. "I think my commitment has always been there and I've proven that over the years.
"I remember I had to go and get solicitors' letters from independent people because my club at the time were trying to tell me not to play [for Wales] and they would sue me if I did. I haven't seen anyone else do that." There are other examples of Bellamy's commitment to Welsh football. He donated money to Wrexham when they were in financial difficulty during his playing days, while there have been claims that he has not claimed expenses from the Football Association of Wales (FAW) either as a Wales player or coach.
"Wales is way more important to me," he said. "I don't believe I have to ever try to win anyone over with that." But has the Burnley episode changed that? Bellamy 'committed' to Wales after Burnley talks Rodon absent as Ashford earns first Wales call-up Bellamy has denied that his decision not to join the club side was based on an issue with backroom staff.
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