Wrexham continue to make strides under Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds, leaving Wales boss Craig Bellamy very impressed.
The last week has proven to be an incredibly positive one for Wrexham.
Phil Parkinson grabbed his first Championship win of the season, as Wrexham beat Millwall 2-0 away from home.
Wrexham then made three deadline day signings to end the window on a high, with Ben Sheaf, Issa Kabore and Dominic Hyam arriving.
Danny Ward’s injury blow has served as a negative for Parkinson, but Wrexham fans have every reason to feel pretty positive in this first international break.
- READ MORE: Official Wrexham statement confirms multiple players axed from Phil Parkinson’s Championship squad
Craig Bellamy on what he wants to see from Wrexham
Fans have now seen a Wrexham player represent Wales for the first time since 2010.
Ward and Nathan Broadhead may have missed out through injury, but striker Kieffer Moore featured for Wales against Kazakhstan on Thursday.
Neil Taylor was the last Wrexham representative in the Wales squad, earning his first cap just weeks before leaving for Swansea City.
Moore has ended that drought in a proud moment for Wrexham, especially as he found the net to hand Wales a 1-0 win.
Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Wales boss Craig Bellamy admitted that he has loved watching Wrexham’s rise – and hopes there is much more to come.
Bellamy noted that Wrexham’s journey has been ‘great’, but he wants to see two things moving forward.
Bellamy wants to see more Welsh players in the Wrexham side, as well as younger players to balance out the experience in Parkinson’s squad.
The Wales boss accepts that these factors may improve with time, and hopes to see Wales benefit from improved academy investment at Wrexham.
Bellamy also heaped praise on Ryan Reynolds, admitting that he understands why people all over the world have shown so much interest in the Wrexham project.
“Great. I’d like to see him have more Welsh players,” said Bellamy. “I believe that’s time. I’d like to see them with a younger team as well, but I believe that’s time. You know, they’ve just been, you know, just promoted, promoted, promoted and they’ve used a lot of experience for that, but what they’ve done with obviously with Reynolds and, you know, it’s like… he’s not just an actor, he’s like Brad Pitt level, you know, like I would watch any film he’s in.
“If he’s part of a team, I want to see that team as well. So, not just being Welsh, like wherever I was from, you know, and I can see why so many Americans have sort of fallen in love with it. It’s been hugely beneficial for Wales, not just Welsh football, for Wales as a country. I feel like a lot of Americans now know where Wales is. It’s not just a small place by London!
“That’s only big for us. Honestly, I’d say everything about it has been so so positive, but I believe in the long run, hopefully, Welsh football will really be able to benefit from them as well, because surely their academy is going to improve and allow better players then to come through and that’s only going to benefit our country,” he added.
Welsh recruitment a key aspect of Wrexham’s summer
Wrexham are certainly attempting to fulfil one of Bellamy’s wishes, having landed Welsh internationals Ward, Broadhead and Moore over the summer.
Wrexham were also keen on Jordan James, though the midfielder ended up joining Leicester City on loan from Stade Rennais.
Owen Beck was eyed by Wrexham, Parkinson considered a move for Chris Mepham, and Tom Lawrence was even considered at the STōK Cae Ras.
Welsh internationals were targeted throughout Wrexham’s summer transfer window, and we can’t imagine that changing any time soon.
Excitement is building over Harry Ashfield and Wrexham did sign Callum Doyle, so Parkinson appears to be making moves of which Bellamy would approve.