CRAIG BELLAMY has backed Ryan Giggs’ claim that Wales can become the big winners from the Team GB Olympic experience.
The Wales veteran, on the brink of sealing a final career move back to his home-town club Cardiff City, reckons tournament football has enhanced the careers of young guns Aaron Ramsey, Neil Taylor and Joe Allen.
Bellamy believes that if Wales can get to the finals of a World Cup or European Championships, that trio can lead the way after the day-to-day rigours and demands of London 2012.
Bellamy is candid enough to admit Wales still need a bigger pool of players and an enormous slice of good fortune if they are to reach the World Cup in two years’ time.
The qualifying road to Brazil 2014 begins in just four weeks’ time when Belgium come to Cardiff City Stadium to take on Chris Coleman’s side.
Wales go to Serbia four days after that, before another double-header with Scotland and Croatia in October.
Bellamy was unable to give a categoric assurance he would be playing in those matches, pointing out: “At this stage of my career I just have to take things day by day.
“Provided I’m good physically, I want to play every match I can. I’m a great believer in the game retiring you, not you retiring yourself.
“If I packed it in, I would probably miss it and want to come back, so I keep the door open.
“But I can’t think too far ahead. I’m 33 years of age and the World Cup is a two-year qualifying period.
“The first qualifying match is just a few days away. What happens if I tell you I’m definitely playing, then I get injured and that knocks things back?
“Let’s just take it as it comes and see what happens, shall we?”
What Bellamy did emphasise, though, was the confidence the Welsh youngsters around him with Team GB can take going into the World Cup campaign.
“Olympic football has been a wonderful experience for them at such a young age and they can only become better players for what they have just come through,” said Bellamy.
“I never had this type of opportunity with Wales before and it has been something different for each and every one of us.
“I don’t think I’m being biased if I say that every single Welsh player shone during the tournament. I really do believe that. We come out of the tournament with our heads held high and for Ryan Giggs and myself to have captained the team at our home Olympics is something we’ll cherish.
“The Welsh youngsters are already wonderful players, but they will go on to become even better as a result of this experience.
“Look at how well Ramsey played during the tournament. He has battled back from that really bad injury and I know what he has gone through because I had surgery on my knee when I was his age.
“That sort of thing sets you back, can knock your confidence, but he has come through the problems and was absolutely magnificent during the Olympics.
“To watch him in training every day, to see his vision and what he can do with a ball, was a joy. Without doubt, he really stamped his mark upon this tournament and made people realise just what a special talent he is.
“Next to him in the midfield young Allen was absolutely incredible too. I’ve talked about his qualities for some time, but he is another who has really stepped up to the plate on the big stage and showed everyone what he is about.
“As for Tayls, he played down the flank with me for two or three of the games. What I will say about him is this... if I could have played with him for the whole of my career, then what a player I could have become.
“His defending was excellent, his link play, his energy. He’s another terrific asset for Welsh football who will grow from what he has just been through.
“As I say, I’m 33 and I don’t have time on my side. These youngsters have their future in front of them with club and country.
“I just hope I led by example and showed enough to them during this tournament about how they should do things in training and during matches.”
With other gifted Welsh youngsters such as Gareth Bale, Wayne Hennessey and Jack Collison also in the mix, the World Cup prospects for Wales do appear bright.
But Bellamy, speaking with pragmatism from past qualifying experience with his country, pointed out: “We still need a bit more than that. Four, five or six real quality players is not enough, really.
“One of the reasons we were able to make a mark with Team GB was because we had nine, 10, 11 players of quality for this level of football throughout the team. Plus, of course, it was short and sharp, the games coming thick and fast.
“Experience with Wales tells me that over a two-year qualification period we will possibly need as many as 19 or 20 quality players.
“We’ve always struggled when it comes to strength in depth and it particularly affects us when injuries and suspensions bite.”
Bellamy has left the Olympic tournament amid mounting speculation over his future, with Malky Mackay’s Cardiff said to be on the brink of a deal to take him from Liverpool.
Asked about the links with his home-town club, Bellamy was coy.
“Look, you know me better than to expect me to talk publicly about that. I’ve no immediate plans at the moment. What will be, will be,” he replied.
But Bellamy was far less reserved about the Olympic experience he has just participated in, which saw Team GB undefeated in four matches and bow out only on penalties to South Korea at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday night.
“I can’t speak highly enough of what a magnificent time we have had. It’s just been so nice to be with this group of players and to be a part of the Olympics,” said Bellamy.
“We were always going to be up against it because we only came together just before the tournament began. Other sides had been together for some time, we had to work at it during every training session.
“But we acquitted ourselves well and the support we have had throughout the country, including here in Cardiff, has been immense.
“It would have been great to have got a medal, but it wasn’t to be. That doesn’t take away from the memories for me, though.
“Just to go out in the Olympic village, to meet other athletes, to see the security people, the police, has been a quite incredible experience.
“To see London get the Olympics, for games to be played in Cardiff, and for me to have been a part of that was something to cherish.
“At my age, I thought this sort of thing had passed me by. I, for one, will certainly never forget London 2012.”
