Bellamy: We must manage our players' playing time properly as Wales faces four matches.

The first round of Group D matches in the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League will kick off, with Wales traveling to face a strong Portugal side. Manager Craig Bellamy stated that playing four matches in 11 days is no easy task, therefore player playing time must be managed carefully.

It is worth noting that Welsh goalkeeper Carl Dalow, who plays for Manchester United, is unavailable due to injury, while Joe Rodon and Harry Wilson are also unable to represent Wales.

Wales manager Craig Bellamy said, "We have to face reality because everyone knows how tough these games will be, and that we have to play four games in 11 days. So we have to make reasonable arrangements, which means we need to rotate players for specific games."

"From a physical standpoint, we can't use the same lineup all the time, while also requiring them to maintain consistent intensity. Therefore, we must manage the players' playing time effectively and adjust our approach to different stages of the game."

Speaking about Wales' promotion to League A, Craig Bellamy said, "We earned our place in this level through our own performance. We were facing three top-seeded teams from the World Cup qualifiers, which is not a common occurrence."

"Our current goal is to finish third in the group, because that would give us a great chance to become one of the top 12 seeds in the European Championship qualifiers."

Craig Bellamy also said, "This is a huge incentive. If we don't do this, we'll fall into the second tier, and we've been in that tier for a long time. All the top 12 teams have a chance to become top-seeded teams, so this is a very strong motivation for us."

Image source: Internet