Chris Coleman's future as Wales manager overshadowed by Craig Bellamy
Chris Coleman appears increasingly alienated from his employer at the Football Association of Wales and the spectre of Craig Bellamy lingers over him.
Coleman's future as the Wales manager is uncertain despite him reaching a verbal agreement with the FAW over a two-year contract extension before last month's fixtures against Macedonia and Serbia.
Back-to-back defeats dropped Wales to the bottom of World Cup qualifying Group A, and the FAW chose instead to assess performances when Wales wrap up their campaign at home to Macedonia and away to Belgium.
Coleman has voiced his irritation at the situation, and his chances of improving a record of only three wins in 13 games have all but been derailed by a huge injury list. Ten players have withdrawn from his original 23-man squad.
Adding to his discomfort has been the speed with which Bellamy has emerged as a contender to succeed him. The World Cup qualifiers against Macedonia and Belgium will bring down the curtain on the 34-year-old's on-field international career. Should Coleman leave his position, Tony Pulis and Ryan Giggs would be high on any FAW wishlist, but Bellamy's is another name under consideration.
Speaking before Friday's game against Macedonia, Coleman said he would only continue in the job with the full backing of the FAW. "You do need [the complete backing of the Welsh FA], if people are talking about judging me on these two games, then what's the point? You can't go about it like that," he said.
"I have said before, if that is the case I won't be the man to lead Wales forward because I am not sure if I would want to be involved in that set-up."
He added: "In the whole campaign we have had just two bad performances and in the others we have been stretched, we have had some great performances, some good results and some defeats as well and you are judged on them.
"I have seen how things can go from one direction to another in 10 days on the basis of two bad results."
Bellamy was asked whether he would be interested in managing Wales earlier this week and while he felt the question was unfair to him and Coleman, he acknowledged being in charge of the current squad would be a "great opportunity" for whoever is in charge.
When asked if the pair had spoken to discuss Bellamy's retirement, Coleman replied: "The first time I saw that was definite was when I read it in a newspaper. We never had him at the start, there were other things going on, then he was back in and he has hinted it would be his last campaign.
"In the back of my mind I've been planning going forward, if I am going to be here, without Craig anyway. It's no big surprise. Craig has done numerous articles expressing what he thinks.