- Published
A game won, a line drawn.
And perhaps the end of Craig Bellamy's summer of discontent.
asserted
line → publish → discontent
The significance of the victory over Norway was not lost on the Wales head coach.
asserted
significance → lose → coach
After all, goals from Neco Williams and Dan James – as well as shutting out Erling Haaland – delivered not only Wales' first win in seven games, but their first ever in Nations League A.
Indeed, this was only the second time Wales have beaten a side ranked higher than them in a competitive fixture since reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
But it also meant more.
asserted
it → shut → more
And even if it wasn't obvious at the final whistle as he calmly shook hands with Stale Solbakken and his staff, Bellamy knew it too.
asserted
Bellamy → shake → it
From March's disappointment over missing out on the World Cup, to June's dalliance with Burnley, it has been a testing time for a head coach still trying to make his mark with his country.
asserted
it → miss → country
Those summer clouds that had darkened the atmosphere among fans had lingered into the start of this Nations League campaign.
asserted
that → darken → campaign
But, on a clear night in Cardiff, the evening's skies ended up filled only with the sound of the national anthem serenading a re-energised national side's efforts.
asserted
sound → end → efforts
Just as they had done on the night World Cup dreams were ended on penalties by Bosnia-Herzegovina, prior to Thursday's game fans gathered at the Canopi venue in the shadow of the Principality Stadium where – all being well – Wales will kick-off a home European Championships in less than two years time.
asserted
Wales → do → time
That prospect was not the topic of conversation of the Red Wall members present, though, with many instead deep in discussion of where and why things seemed to have gone wrong under Bellamy.
asserted
things → seem → Bellamy
From going unbeaten in his opening nine games with a refreshing brand of football, the consensus was things had gone flat and that the head coach was bearing the brunt of it.
"
asserted
coach → go → it
I think people were down on him after Bosnia, the way the game panned out and seeing mistakes we made on the night we'd made earlier in the campaign," said Ryan March, fan and editor of Alternative Wales, the fanzine that had organised the pre-match meet.
asserted
that → think → meet
"He didn't really come out and say he'd made an error, and then when the Burnley thing happened, perhaps people thought it might be good for a change and we could move on.
uncertain
we → come → change
"When it didn't, I expected a reaction – and we haven't had it.
asserted
we → expect → it
Although never a yardstick to always take seriously, the reaction on social media has been more extreme.
asserted
reaction → take → media
In real life, the opinion was less that Bellamy had to go, but he had to be better.
asserted
he → have → life
The promise and possibilities offered from Bellamy's exciting opening to life as head coach were seen as having petered out.
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promise → offer → coach
I don't think we are," added March.
asserted
March → think → ?
"We have less of a style, less of an identity, and we've not been better than the sum of our parts, which the best Welsh sides always tend to be.
asserted
sides → have → which
It was something Bellamy had addressed and admitted in his press conference prior to the game, accepting he deserved scrutiny.
asserted
he → address → scrutiny
"We need to improve; I need to improve," he had said.
asserted
he → need → ?
It was a revealing piece of humility, especially given some supporters suggested a sense of being tired of Wales – and their head coach – "talking a good game".
uncertain
Wales → give → game
A mile down the road in the Canton suburb of the Welsh capital, feelings were not dissimilar - although some long-standing fans reminded others of a history of impatience among Wales fans with their manager, scolding some supporters' reaction in Copenhagen.
And there were plenty of caveats being offered.
asserted
fans → stand → caveats
A four-game window without first-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow, a first-choice centre-back in Joe Rodon and a go-to attacking threat in Harry Wilson was accepted as a tough hand to have been dealt, likewise the calibre of opposition.
asserted
window → go → opposition
Instead of Premier League regulars, League One options have to be turned to at times.
asserted
options → have → times
Then there were the arguably unfair expectation levels following recent success in qualifying for major tournaments, as well as those set publicly by Bellamy himself when he told supporters to no longer accept being "little old Wales."
asserted
he → be → supporters
A group of fans, who point out the previous dark days following the national team, mentioned all of the above, but still questioned tactics, game-management and the 'coach-speak' of Bellamy and whether there may be another club offer to tempt him on the horizon.
And then they all chuckled in admission when another suggests the mood will change in an instant with victory over a side ranked 19th in the world and boasting hundred-million pound talents.
uncertain
mood → point → talents
Identity restored
So it eventually proved.
asserted
it → restore → ?
And yet it was the performance perhaps more than the result that appeared to win fans over again and reset the relationship between supporter and head coach.
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that → appear → supporter
"If they wanted to turn, that was their chance," Bellamy said on S4C of the crowd response to Oscar Bobb's opener after 11 minutes in what was Wales' first home game since those Burnley links.
asserted
what → want → links
"But they didn't, they drove players on.
asserted
they → do → players
Indeed, there had been only a Red Walled-willingness for Wales - and Bellamy - to be better throughout the 90 minutes, the noise lifting as Haaland remained contained and the hosts continued to move forward.
asserted
hosts → lift → minutes
They liked what they saw.
asserted
they → like → what
Bellamy admitted to having an "identity meeting" with players to try and re-establish what had been the hallmarks of his initial time in charge.
asserted
what → admit → charge
It evidently did the trick given the way the tempo and aggression returned.
asserted
tempo → do → way
One win is only one win, but there were red-shirted signs of redemption, from Liam Cullen's performance - a player Bellamy has been criticised for selecting over others - to Neco Williams' free-kick following a difficult night in Denmark.
asserted
Bellamy → be → Denmark
But suddenly the Nations League campaign has new life and the chance of remaining in the top tier, and maybe even a seeding boost for those Euro 2028 qualifiers.
asserted
campaign → have → qualifiers
"It felt more like what we saw at the start under Craig," said former Wales midfielder Joe Ledley.
asserted
Ledley → feel → Craig
"I think people have wanted to see it back but they saw it here.
asserted
they → think → it
Fans don't always have patience, decision-makers don't always have patience so I think everyone knew we needed to see a result – but we also saw the performance and things we've not seen for a while.
asserted
we → have → while
"I hope so," said Robert Earnshaw, another former Wales teammate of Bellamy and now part of the Match of the Day Wales team with Ledley.
asserted
Earnshaw → hope → Ledley
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
