Craig Bellamy Hopes Aaron Ramsey Will Continue Playing for “Couple of Years”

Wales head coach Craig Bellamy has expressed his desire for Aaron Ramsey to continue his playing career for an additional “couple of years,” notwithstanding the midfielder’s recent struggles with injuries. The Cardiff City midfielder has been sidelined since mid-September due to a hamstring strain. Ramsey, aged 33, also missed a significant portion of the previous season because of a knee injury. Despite nearing a full return to fitness, Ramsey was not selected for the Wales squad for the upcoming Nations League matches this month against Turkey and Iceland. “I honestly still believe that he still has a good couple of years in him because of his footballing brain,” said Bellamy. “If you just watch his movement and how he’s able to use his feet… you can tell a lot about a footballer with the way they use their feet “Aaron is still able to do that, he still has an eye for a pass and can still time his runs.” “I believe he still has a period of really good football ahead of him that he’s going to be able to offer us.” Following his appointment in July, Bellamy opted to retain Ramsey as Wales captain, despite the former Arsenal player having made only 15 appearances for both club and country during the previous season. Bellamy stated that Ramsey, who played a crucial role in Wales’ qualification for two European Championships and a World Cup, continues to hold an important position. “He still has a lot to offer, not only playing-wise, but also to younger players and being able to show them what elite footballers look like,” Bellamy added. “When I was developing as a player, learning off the likes of Mark Hughes and Gary Speed and seeing really elite levels allowed me to have a decent career.”