Craig Bellamy is expected to be named the new Wales manager on Tuesday. It is understood that Bellamy will succeed Rob Page – who was sacked last month – after turning down the opportunity to stay at Burnley under new Clarets boss Scott Parker.

Osian Roberts has said, “Thanks . . . but no thanks” to Wales but has left the door open to one day becoming manager. The man who enjoyed hugged success as Chris Coleman’s assistant has ruled himself out of the running to become the next national manager..

Wales are willing to appoint a non-Welshman as manager for the first time in 25 years. The Football Association of Wales has detailed the criteria required to succeed Rob Page after ending his three-and-a-half-year reign last week and invited “expressions of interest” from potential candidates.

Thierry Henry once flogged Renault Clios by talking about “va va voom”. But now it’s Wales who want to add some glamour to a bog-standard banger with the suggestion they want him to manage a team stuck on the hard shoulder.

Osian Roberts heads the early betting as favourite to take over from Rob Page as Wales manager. Page was dismissed on Friday morning following the dismal friendly performances against Gibraltar and Slovakia, which intensified the pressure built by the failure to qualify for Euro 2024.

Rob Page’s position as Wales manager is set to come under review after hugely disappointing friendlies against Gibraltar and Slovakia. Page was booed by Wales fans again following the 4-0 thrashing in Slovakia on Sunday and there were more calls for him to quit after Thursday’s embarrassing 0-0 draw with Gibraltar, opponents ranked 203rd in the world.

Former Wales international pair Rob Edwards and Craig Bellamy are dropping out of the Premier League, with Luton Town boss Edwards admitting it is getting harder for clubs from the Championship to compete. For just the second time in Premier League history all three promoted sides are heading back down to the Championship after a season that has exposed the growing gulf between English football’s top two tiers.

Two coaches – both former Wales internationals – will walk the Premier League relegation tightrope this weekend, desperate to avoid the drop. Craig Bellamy and Rob Edwards were once Wales teammates, but they are now both fighting for survival on the penultimate weekend of the season.

Lionel Messi and company have been lined up as potential opponents for the Dragons with Wales keen to play Argentina in Cardiff or Patagonia, where thousands of Welsh emigrants settled in the 19th century. “There is an ongoing discussion between us and them,” Football Association of Wales chief executive Noel Mooney said about a possible friendly between the two nations.

Sol Bamba and Nathan Jones are the current favourites to become the next Cardiff City manager. Bamba – a massive hero to Bluebirds fans, but a management novice – is even reported in some quarters to have already been offered the job.

Craig Bellamy’s arrival at Anderlecht can help the Belgian club recover their status, claims their sports director Michael Verschueren. The former Wales striker has signed a three-year deal to become the club’s under-21s coach – despite an ongoing investigation into bullying allegations at Cardiff City. The move reunites Bellamy with his former Manchester City teammate Vincent Kompany, who left the Etihad Stadium last month to become player-manager at Anderlecht.

Craig Bellamy has temporarily stepped down from his role as Cardiff City under-18 coach to allow the club to investigate claims he bullied young players. The former striker denies the allegations and Twm Owen argues some time for reflection could be beneficial all round. The first weekend of the year will have been an unusual one for Craig Bellamy who rather than being involved in a football match will probably have found himself reflecting on his career and the past year.  In the space of 12 months Bellamy has gone from being interviewed for his “dream job” as Wales manager to announcing he was, voluntarily, stepping aside from his job as Cardiff City’s under-18 coach while the club investigates allegations of bullying young players.