Craig Bellamy says he accepts that questions will be asked about Wales' form as they prepare for Thursday's Nations League game against Norway in Cardiff. Wales are bottom of League A Group 4 following opening defeats in Portugal and Denmark. It is now three successive losses in total for Wales - and six games without a win - since they thumped North Macedonia in World Cup qualifying last November.
Bellamy's side will complete what has so far proved a challenging international window by hosting Norway and then Denmark on Sunday. When asked whether it would be unfair to suggest Wales are under pressure to deliver results in those games given the calibre of opposition, Bellamy said: "No, I don't see it [as] unfair. I see it [as being] as it should be.
"You don't win and you lose a few games in a row, you should be asked questions. "You'll get some people who maybe will see it and understand a bit, but I don't want anyone to understand. We should always demand and...
I'm no different." Live on BBC iPlayer, BBC Two Wales, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and 5 Live, BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary. This is comfortably the most difficult spell of Bellamy's reign, which began with a nine-game unbeaten run and promotion from Nations League B. Wales then finished second behind Belgium in World Cup qualifying, but lost at the play-off semi-final stage to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
That was the start of the winless sequence which Wales will attempt to end against Norway at Cardiff City Stadium. "I knew what I was coming into and I said when I was nine, 10 games unbeaten, there will be moments [like this] - it's inevitable," Bellamy added. "Now in the moments, you'll see a bit more of me because I think you all thought I'd go crazy but no, I want us as a team to improve and I want to improve as a coach." Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks, who began the 1-0 loss in Portugal last Thursday, missed Sunday's 2-0 defeat in Denmark and will again be absent through injury against Norway.
Wales were already without a number of players including first-choice goalkeeper Karl Darlow, centre-backs Joe Rodon and Dylan Lawlor and key forward Harry Wilson. As his side look for inspiration, Bellamy has pointed to his spell as assistant to Vincent Kompany at Burnley as a reason for optimism. "You never truly get beaten and I'm sorry, it's a cliche saying it, but it's what you learn... how can you improve?" he said.
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