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  • 3 months ago
Wales and Northern Ireland shared a 1-1 friendly draw at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday as they tried to get World Cup heartbreak out of their systems. Here's what Craig Bellamy had to say after the match.
Transcript
00:00It was the first time, half-time, I've had to go in and really go.
00:06We cannot be that.
00:08We cannot be that.
00:09Now, don't get confused about passing the ball and keeping the ball.
00:13We love teams that are able to win second balls, win your duels, come out of it.
00:17And I have to be honest, this team has always been brilliant at that.
00:22And to me, I have to look at, did I get them ready enough?
00:27Because I thought I did before it, in the messaging of, listen, we can't waste games.
00:37And average teams have excuses.
00:44I don't believe we're an average team, but our behaviour was.
00:50And that can't be right.
00:51Second half was a lot better.
00:54One or two profiles then come in, started to break lines and started to progress the ball forward.
00:59Because we need to commit.
01:00Northern Ireland are not going to commit you.
01:03They're not going to pressurise you.
01:05There's no evidence over the last number of years that they do that.
01:08So you have to commit them.
01:10And they're a top team, by the way, with a top manager and what they do.
01:15But it was like, we'll let you play this way then.
01:19You can take 35 seconds for a set play.
01:21Because we know that's what they average.
01:24We'll let you get back into shape.
01:27We'll let you go side to side.
01:30They must have thought, this is easy.
01:35So, yeah.
01:36So disappointed in the first half.
01:39But second half a lot better.
01:41Your mind goes into overdrive.
01:43You work on the opposition.
01:44Because we could get Northern Ireland in a group stage.
01:47Another stage.
01:48So you prepare as well as you can.
01:51And like I said, when I see the first half like we were, it's down to me.
01:59Maybe I didn't motivate you well enough.
02:02The importance of today's game.
02:04Like every game is.
02:06Because every game, you cannot waste international football matches.
02:12We wasted a half there.
02:14But another positive side, then you'll look at it again.
02:18Where you have to learn.
02:19That can't happen.
02:21I don't care for excuses.
02:23I don't care everyone's emotional or everyone's down.
02:27And that's for other people.
02:29That's not for us.
02:31It's not for us.
02:32And I thought they were, credit to Northern Ireland and what they do, they do it really, really well.
02:39And I like their manager loads as well, as a person as well.
02:42The Euros is a little bit different.
02:44We know two teams go automatic.
02:47We should be in that.
02:49If you're third, it's a different type of playoff.
02:52Do you understand what I mean?
02:53The quality in those teams and those playoffs, I would definitely expect us to get through.
02:59And then, let's do it.
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