Wales go into their Nations League openers aiming to shut out Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland. With that kind of challenge, Craig Bellamy's squad might need all the defensive help they can get for games against Portugal, Denmark and Norway. Cue Ashley Williams, the centre-back described by Bellamy as Wales' "greatest captain" of the modern era.
Williams was skipper as Wales reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016 against Ronaldo and Portugal, the peak of an international career that earned him 86 caps, wearing the armband for more than half of those appearances. Now 42, the former Everton and Swansea City defender will not be adding to those appearances. Instead, he will form part of a new-look Bellamy backroom team that the Football Association of Wales (FAW) hopes will add a missing ingredient in the bid to reach Euro 2028.
Bellamy says Williams, and fellow new coach Alan Sheehan, will help provide "a different dynamic". Colwill's 'surreal' Ronaldo and Haaland ambition Wilson major Wales injury concern for Nations League With Bellamy losing two key assistants just weeks after it seemed the Wales boss himself would walk away from the job amid interest from Burnley, Williams' arrival was something of a surprise. His coaching experience has been limited to informal roles and fans are accustomed to seeing the much-admired ex-captain in the Match of the Day studio.
Sheehan, too, was not an expected announcement, with the former Leeds, Leicester and Luton full-back out of work since November 2025 when he was sacked by Swansea City following a relatively unsuccessful seven-month stint. They replace James Rowberry, who has opted to focus on his role with Mark Robins at Stoke City, and Piet Cremers, a man whose analytical work Bellamy said meant "everything" but left to join Belgium's Club NXT in July. Cremers spent time under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and worked with Bellamy and Vincent Kompany during their successful period at Burnley.
He was often the person Bellamy turned to mid-match, but Bellamy says he was already keen to take on more of the tasks that Cremers performed. "I loved this summer interviewing people, seeing who could add to us," said the 47-year-old, who has seen former Wales midfielder and now Tottenham assistant Andrew Crofts remain part of the setup. "It freshens you up, gives you a different eye.
Different strengths coming in means a different dynamic to how you work, which leaves me quite excited." The obvious strength Williams brings is his personality. Past team-mates for club and country will queue up to attest to his character as a player and a person. With Bellamy's Wales a young side, it mirrors the role the more experienced Williams played while on the field.
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