Giggs and Bellamy leading the way in race to take over reins at Wales
FORMER players Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy are among the candidates being considered by Wales to replace Chris Coleman, with an appointment expected this month.
Coleman left the Welsh team after failing to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia and has since joined Sunderland.
The FAW have taken their time in considering which direction they want to go in but have now interviewed four candidates and will pick one before the draw for the Uefa Nations League on January 24.
Giggs (above) and Bellamy were interviewed despite never having held full-time managerial roles, though former Manchester United winger Giggs was the caretaker boss at Old Trafford in the wake of David Moyes’ departure back in 2014.
He later admitted that the pressure of managing United had made him break down in tears and struggle to sleep, but he stayed on as assistant manager under Louis van Gaal before departing the club with Jose Mourinho’s appointment in 2016. Mark Bowen, Mark Hughes’ assistant at Stoke until this month, has also been interviewed for the role as well as Coleman’s former assistant Osian Roberts, who has been described as the “most influential man in Welsh football”. MAURICIO Pochettino insists Harry Kane would rather win trophies at Tottenham than anywhere else.
Kane said last weekend he was happy at Spurs but added his boyhood team need to make progress and start winning titles.
With 30 goals already in all competitions this season, Kane has established himself among the very best players in the world.
But Pochettino, who has admitted Kane could never be forced to stay, believes the 24-year-old would prefer success at Totten- ham over any other team.
“Harry is happy. Always, I told our fans, he is happy,” Pochettino said. “He loves Tottenham and everyone wants to win — us, the club, (chairman) Daniel Levy, the players, the fans — and wants to win in the place you love.
“For Harry it’s so special to win titles and trophies at Tottenham.
“At the moment he wins a lot of individual awards but he would like to offer our fans and the club collective trophies.”
Tottenham, who host Everton today, have allowed out-of-favour winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou to join Burnley on loan until the end of the season but are yet to make any additions in January.
“No one is close to arriving in this transfer window,” Pochettino said. “Maybe in five minutes, something happens. But nothing is close.”
Their lack of activity has come in stark contrast to most of the Premier League’s top six. Manchester City and Manchester United are scrapping over Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez while Liverpool have already bought Virgil van Dijk and sold Philippe Coutinho.
“I am confident always,” Pochettino said. “I never look at what another team is doing. It’s about how I believe, how we believe, and how we make things happen.”