Craig Bellamy: Wales boss 'Mr Calm' in Kazakhstan win - Ben Davies - Voice of Asia

Wales captain Ben Davies described head coach Craig Bellamy as "Mr. Cool" after the team's hard-fought victory over Kazakhstan. The match was Wales' first in the World Cup qualifiers, and although they ultimately won 3-1, the process was not easy.

Despite Wales not performing at their best, they still managed to defeat Kazakhstan, ranked 110th in the world, in Cardiff. Bellamy, who played for clubs such as Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Manchester City, was known for his fiery personality and controversial career.

However, since taking over as coach of Wales last year, the former Wales captain has shown a more mature and thoughtful side. "They (Kazakhstan) made it difficult for us, they were very compact," Davies said in an interview with Match of the Day Wales. "You could see in the first half we were forcing passes unnecessarily." Davies scored Wales' second goal.

Davies added: "In the second half we were more disciplined and got the job done, which is the most important thing. My goal came at a good time, if it had stayed at 1-1 the game would have become tense. We've all been in games like that, as favorites you expect to beat your opponents easily, but it's not always the case. They are a proud nation and they worked hard on the pitch to win the game."

Davies continued: "The players were most frustrated at half-time, and Bellamy came in like 'Mr. Cool', he came with a plan, clearly communicated his message, and what he expected in the second half, he just asked for more energy and to stick to what we were doing."

Wales' next match is away against North Macedonia on Tuesday, who got off to a flying start with a 3-0 win over Group J minnows Liechtenstein. This is North Macedonia's sixth consecutive win. While Wales may be considered slight favorites in Skopje, they will need to improve on their performance against Kazakhstan to achieve two consecutive wins.

Belgium is the top seed in Group J and has yet to start playing. Wales is the second seed, North Macedonia is the third seed, and Kazakhstan and Liechtenstein are ranked lower. Only the top team in the group will qualify directly for the World Cup, and the second-place team will participate in the playoffs. Wales has almost secured a playoff spot by winning their Nations League group. If they beat North Macedonia, it will greatly improve their chances of direct qualification.

Bellamy said: "They are a good team. We have to be at our best. Will I lose sleep over it? No. There are more important things. I love the challenge of preparing a team to go to a place like North Macedonia. I want the opportunity to prepare a team to go to Brazil. I want to improve, and I want the players to improve. I don't see everything as a crisis. It's a challenge you have to embrace and be excited about. There's a lot to look forward to in North Macedonia."