Craig Bellamy speaks for the first time about failed Burnley move

Craig Bellamy has hit back at the “narrative” that his proposed summer move to Burnley broke down.

The Wales boss appeared close to returning to Turf Moor at the end of June to succeed Scott Parker as the Clarets’ new boss.

Multiple sources reported that an agreement had been reached and a compensation package had been settled between Burnley and the Welsh FA.

But the appointment of Vincent Kompany’s former assistant fell through, leaving the Clarets back at square one.

No official reason was given for the breakdown, although some reports suggested there was an issue over Bellamy’s prospective backroom staff.

Speaking for the first time about the saga ahead of Wales’ upcoming Nations League fixtures, Bellamy took a number of questions on the failed move.

“There's really nothing to explain,” he said. “Like, I am always in conversation with the club I worked with and I worked two years with them. I have a good relationship with them.

“For them to progress conversation and speak to me even further, they had to do what Wales did with them. When Wales wanted to speak to me when I was working with Burnley, you had to get permission and then we can have a conversation.

“Burnley got into the conversation with Wales. Because you have to do it right, you know.

“I'm always trying to be up front. If anyone contacts me, I speak to Wales straight away.

“I'm transparent in everything we do and then I had a decision to make and I made that decision. It's as simple as that.

“I saw what went on, it's not for me to talk. This is the first time I'm talking about it and I made the decision to stay. Because this is the right place for me.

“It was as simple as that. I can't control the narrative and what goes on after that. Nor do I ever want to get involved in trying to control it.

“Let it be. When I have a chance to talk, then I'll talk and this is it.”

When asked to explain what that narrative was, Bellamy added: “You know, [the fact that] it broke down? It didn't break down. I said no, it's not for me. That’s it.

“There was no walk away from discussions. It just wasn't for me.

“That was a conversation I had and it was that simple. What came out 20 minutes later was different. But let it be. Let it be.

“People will talk, let them talk. I can't control that. But that was it.”

Given Burnley’s disastrous start to the season under Nicky Hayen, many Wales fans are already speculating that Bellamy could once again be linked to the Turf Moor hotseat.

When asked if he can guarantee he will see out his contract, Bellamy continued: “I could get sacked.

“Do you want to speak to the Welsh FA and ask: ‘can you give me reassurance that we're staying here for two years?’

“We don't work that way and I don't think anyone does in any walk of life.

“We can't look into the future that much, as much as we'd like to and much as we'd like to reassure people.

“I would love to sit here and say: ‘yeah…’, but is it really realistic for the environment that I'm in? I'm not sure.

“I mean that because it's such a volatile position to be in, in management. There's no proof that anyone is assured of anything in this game, and that's how we like it as well, and that's how I like it, and that's what I stepped into, because otherwise I could have just kept being a coach.

“I knew what I was stepping into and I knew the uncertainty of this world of what you're stepping into.”