Stoke City winger Thomas believes the growing interest in Bellamy is fully justified, insisting the national team boss has already elevated performances across the squad — including his own.
Bellamy’s early impact in his first senior managerial role has not gone unnoticed.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup after a play-off defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Wales have shown clear signs of progress, including promotion to the top tier of the Nations League.
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For Thomas, the transformation under Bellamy is obvious — and a major reason why clubs are now circling.
“You can see how different it is and what he’s brought out of the players,” said Thomas.
“Not just myself, but a lot of the boys. You are seeing some of the boys playing their best football.
“It’s amazing to see. I feel my game has elevated since he became involved and it’s helped me at club level as well.
“I’m not surprised that he is a man in demand. I don’t blame teams trying to nab him off us and we’ve got to try and keep him as long as possible because I feel success is going to come.”
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Thomas’ own performances offer a strong example of that uplift.
He was on target again as Wales drew 1-1 with Northern Ireland in Cardiff, calmly finishing early in the second half to cancel out the visitors’ opener.
That fixture came in the shadow of a painful week for both nations, following their respective exits from World Cup contention.
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But Thomas suggested the quick turnaround actually helped the squad begin to process the setback.
Reflecting on the mood within the camp, he added: “It was tough for us as a team and the nation in general, but it was the same for them and other countries that missed out.
“I felt the friendly came at the perfect time as opposed to not having the game and we’re waiting too long.
“A lot of the young boys are going to take longer to get over it than more of the experienced lads, but we’ve got to know we can’t let these things happen again.”
While the frustration of falling short still lingers, there is a growing sense that Bellamy is building something with long-term potential.
His contract runs through to Euro 2028, and the Football Association of Wales will be keen to fend off any external interest if his upward trajectory continues.
The next phase of that journey begins this summer, with a friendly against Ghana followed by a demanding Nations League campaign in the autumn against elite opposition including Portugal, Denmark and Norway.
Thomas believes the recent disappointment could ultimately serve as a catalyst rather than a setback.
“With all good stories, there has to be some kind of blip at the beginning,” he said.
“This is our blip and it’s now about going into two friendlies in June with the right mindset and then the Nations League with a bit of confidence.
“We’re in League A and we’ll be playing better teams and coming up against top players.
“It will be a good experience and it’s about not having moments that we had. It’s about looking up and looking towards the future.”
If Bellamy’s influence continues to resonate as strongly as Thomas suggests, Wales may yet turn that “blip” into the foundation for sustained progress — provided they can hold on to the man driving it.
