Liechtenstein 0-1 Wales: Cremers says Craig Bellamy is ‘calm’

There are few stadiums in the world with as picturesque a backdrop as Liechtenstein’s Rheinpark, a compact ground in the shadow of the stunning snow-capped Alps on the banks of the Rhine.

There are some vantage points for game viewing in these parts as well. At Vaduz Castle, perched on a mountain above a terrace, Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein might be able to catch a glimpse of a match if he squinted his eyes hard enough.

When Wales visited for a World Cup qualifier on Saturday, coach Craig Bellamy had to watch from a new position – higher up on a stand on the other side of the pitch from his coaching staff – because he was suspended.

He didn’t like what he saw.

Wales put in a great effort in a 1-0 win over a Liechtenstein side ranked 206th in the world and made up mostly of part-time players.

As much as the result kept Wales on track to finish second in their group and secure qualification to the semi-finals on home soil in March, it was a job well done.

But there was no hiding the fact that this performance was uninspiring. Too much possession, and precious little creativity or quality in front of goal.

Bellamy was prevented from communicating with his coaches or players during the match, and was unable to carry out his media duties before or after the match.

So it was left to assistant coach Pete Cremers to lead the team and tell the media gathered in Vaduz how Bellamy viewed the proceedings.

“I didn’t see him during the game. He was calm and collected, as I know him, after the game,” Cremers said.

“This is the kind of game where everyone expects you to win 5-0, 6-0 or 7-0. As a coaching staff and players, we demand a good performance as well.

“When you don’t score the second or third goal, it becomes a bit more difficult. Players start wanting to force things a bit more.

He added: “But after the match, we were calm, we were happy with the three points and we know that we can move on now to the next match.”