Sport

Ashley Williams and Alan Sheehan join Wales coaching staff

07 Sep 2026 2 minute read

Alan Sheehan (L) and Ashley William Photo ©Huw Evans Picture Agency

Nation.Cymru staff

Former Wales captain Ashley Williams and former Swansea City boss Alan Sheehan have joined Craig Bellamy’s coaching staff ahead of the Nations League campaign.

Williams, who won 86 caps and captained Wales during their run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, has been appointed as an assistant coach alongside Sheehan.

The former defender has worked as a pundit since retiring from playing in 2021 and has also been involved in several Wales age-group coaching camps.

Sheehan, a UEFA Pro Licence holder, was Swansea City head coach in 2025 after two previous spells in interim charge.

He has also worked as an assistant coach at Swansea, Southampton and Luton Town.

As a player, Sheehan made more than 400 appearances in the English Football League and won five Republic of Ireland Under-21 caps.

The appointments follow changes to Bellamy’s backroom team since Wales’ last game in June, a 2-1 friendly defeat to Romania in Bucharest.

James Rowberry has stepped down because of work commitments, while Piet Cremers has taken charge of Club Brugge’s second team, Club NXT.

Andrew Crofts will remain in his role as assistant coach despite recently joining Tottenham Hotspur as assistant head coach to Roberto De Zerbi.

Wales begin their League A Nations League campaign away to Portugal and Denmark later this month.

They then host Norway at Cardiff City Stadium on Thursday, October 1, before facing Denmark at the same venue on Sunday, October 4.

Bellamy is due to name his squad for the four matches on Tuesday, September 15.

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