Wales name Craig Bellamy as their new manager on a four-year deal... as the former Burnley assistant replaces Rob Page after they failed to qualify for Euro 2024

Craig Bellamy has been confirmed as the new Wales manager following the sacking of Rob Page.

The 44-year-old has signed a four-year contract and will speak publicly for the first time on Wednesday as he accept his first job in senior management.

The former Wales forward, who won 78 caps for his country, had been part of Vincent Kompany’s coaching team at Burnley but did not follow the Belgian to Bayern Munich earlier this summer.

Bellamy said: ‘It’s an incredible honour for me to be given the opportunity to lead my country and it’s the proudest moment of my career. It was always my ultimate dream to become the Cymru Head Coach and I am ready for the challenge.

‘I will give my full commitment to develop this team and I am passionate to bring continued success into Welsh football. I can’t wait to get started with our Nations League games in September.’

Wales had sounded out Steve Cooper, who subsequently took charge at Leicester, and considered a move for Thierry Henry, who is currently working with France’s U21s and will be in charge the Olympic football tournament in Paris in August.

The Welsh FA (FAW) chief football officer David Adams said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to announce Craig as our new head coach. 

'We undertook a thorough recruitment process for the new men’s national team head coach and Craig was identified as the standout candidate.

‘We are all looking forward to the Nations League games and working with Craig to deliver success for Welsh football.’

Bellamy had been put in interim charge of Burnley after Kompany left for Bayern Munich, and new Clarets boss Scott Parker said he wanted the Welshman to stay on his coaching staff at Turf Moor. 

But Bellamy, whose coaching career began at the academy of hometown club Cardiff, has decided to return home to Wales.

Wales return to action with a Nations League home tie against Turkey on September 6 before heading to Montenegro three days later.

During Page's time in charge, Wales reached their first World Cup since 1958, at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

They came agonisingly close to qualifying for Euro 2024, only to lose to Poland in a penalty shootout in the deciding play-off game. 

Fans have been frustrated with poor results in their recent international friendlies, where they were held to a drab goalless draw with Gibraltar - ranked 203 in the world and lost their 13 prior games by an aggregate score of 50-0 - and a 4-0 defeat to Slovakia.