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New Wales boss Craig Bellamy has promised there is “a lot of football” to come from his captain Aaron Ramsey.
The former Arsenal midfielder has struggled with injury since rejoining hometown club Cardiff in July 2023, failing to add to his tally of 84 Wales caps since playing against Latvia last September.
But the 33-year-old was confirmed as captain by former team-mate Bellamy, who named his first Wales squad on Wednesday for upcoming Nations League ties against Turkey and Montenegro.
“I’m aware of what he’s doing, his training programmes,” Bellamy said of Ramsey, who has completed 90 minutes in each of Cardiff’s three Championship matches this season.
“But we’re talking about one of the best players to ever play for Wales. A player that’s represented Arsenal, played in a World Cup, gone to Juventus and Nice.
“The way I look to play will help him a lot as well. I see a lot of football still to come from him.
“But I like a leadership group – a number of captains in the group. I like a lot of senior players to have a lot of input.”
Bellamy selected a 24-strong squad for his maiden test against Turkey in Cardiff on September 6 and the trip to Montenegro three days later.
Liverpool youngsters Lewis Koumas and Owen Beck, who have agreed loan deals at Stoke and Blackburn respectively, are included and Bellamy believes the pair will benefit from Ramsey’s influence.
He said: “What he brings to the squad for young players, they’re aspiring to be that and he can help them with that.
“If you watch his attitude, the details of what he does, that’s what has allowed him to play at a top level for so long.”
Koumas has emerged as an exciting talent for Welsh football, the 18-year-old striker having made his senior bow in June friendlies against Gibraltar and Slovakia under Bellamy’s predecessor Rob Page.
The son of Bellamy’s former Wales colleague Jason, Koumas has hit the ground running at Stoke with two goals in three starts.
“If anyone can get playing time it’s a benefit to us,” said Bellamy. “We have some exciting young players, and it’s just unbelievable to watch Lewis at the moment.
“Talk about playing with character at a young age, fearless. I love that type of profile and that type of player.
“Owen is also a player with big potential and I believe in the next couple of years he will be a real accomplished international player.”
Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow is in a Wales squad for the first time at the age of 33.
Northampton-born Darlow – the grandson of former 1958 World Cup squad member Ken Leek – turned down the chance to join Wales earlier in his career to focus on club football.
Darlow has played only five times for Leeds since joining them 13 months ago, but the former Newcastle and Nottingham Forest number one has made nearly 250 career appearances and could fill what has become a problem position for Wales.
Bellamy said: “I don’t know the conversations he had with previous managers, but I had the opportunity to talk to him and he was really keen.
“Usually at his age, players may pull away from international football and concentrate on family and club football.
“But he was the reverse. He felt he needed to do this for him and has the aim of going to a World Cup.
“With his leadership values and experience, he is able to handle that. I believe he’ll be a big benefit to the group.”
