Craig Bellamy ready for reunion with 'testing' Belgium star - 'He was special'

Daily Mirror

15 hours ago

Craig Bellamy spent time in Brussels cutting his teeth as a coach at Belgian side Anderlecht, where he worked with Manchester City's £55m winger Jeremy Doku - now they face off in a World Cup qualifier on Monday
Wales boss Craig Bellamy returns to Belgium for World Cup action admitting that the 'challenging' Jeremy Doku made him a better coach at Anderlecht. Bellamy coached Doku during his time in Brussels before the player joined French club Rennes in a club-record 26 million euros move in October 2020 when just 18.
Doku went on sign for Manchester City in a £55.4m deal in August 2023 and has made over 80 appearances, winning the Premier League and the FIFA Club World Cup in his first season at the Etihad Stadium.
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'He's a great kid and I played a small part, a tiny chink in his development,' Bellamy said ahead of Monday's Group J qualifier in Brussels and a reunion with the Belgium winger. 'You have to understand his background (from a tough Antwerp area), the culture those players are from.
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'His drive was insane, which I loved. You cannot treat everyone the same. He's different, but challenging different.
"He taught me more how to be a coach than a lot of players. He was special on and off the pitch.'
City boss Pep Guardiola claimed earlier this season that Doku is the best player in the world 'in the first five metres'. Bellamy shares the same appreciation of the 23-year-old, saying: 'He could lose you in a phone booth.
'I never had to apologise to so many under-21 coaches that a 17-year-old was playing – that's how good he was. It's like it wasn't fair. We can all spot ability, but I like the person more. I loved him as a person and still do.
"He could test you as well, but I liked that. He's a special kid.'
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Bellamy enjoyed his coaching spell in Belgium between June 2019 and September 2021, first in the Anderlecht youth system and then as assistant to first-team boss Vincent Kompany.
He said: 'I loved living in Brussels. It gave me a good step back, I was completely unrecognisable. No one had a clue who I was, which was nice. I enjoyed that peace.
'But it wasn't really Belgium. It was more Vincent. That was where I really learned football.
'So my memories towards Belgium go towards Vincent. My education on playing this game and coaching on this game really accelerated.'
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