Ashley Williams and Alan Sheehan Join Wales Coaching Staff

Wales have appointed former national-team captain Ashley Williams and former Swansea City head coach Alan Sheehan as assistant coaches on Craig Bellamy's senior staff. BBC Sport reported the additions on Monday, with the changes taking effect before Wales begin their Nations League A campaign later in September.

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Williams, 42, won 86 caps for Wales and captained the country during its run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016. The former central defender holds a UEFA A Licence and has recently worked at several camps involving Wales age-group teams. This appointment is his first coaching position with the senior national side.

His move into Bellamy's group adds a figure with extensive experience inside the Wales setup as a player. Williams was a central part of the team that produced one of the country's most successful international tournament performances in 2016, and his recent age-group work gave him a route into coaching within the national structure.

Sheehan, 39, arrives after leaving Swansea, who dismissed him as head coach in November 2025. A former Republic of Ireland youth international, he had previously served as an assistant coach at Swansea, Southampton and Luton Town. His appointment brings recent club-management experience alongside earlier work in supporting roles.

The two appointments follow other changes to Bellamy's backroom team. James Rowberry stepped away from his Wales role because of his commitments with Championship club Stoke City. Dutch coach Piet Cremers also departed in July to become head coach of Club NXT, the youth academy side of Club Brugge.

Andrew Crofts, another former Wales international, remains an assistant coach despite his recent appointment at Tottenham Hotspur. Bellamy is scheduled to name his Wales squad on Tuesday, September 15. Wales then open their Nations League A schedule away to Portugal on Thursday, September 24, before playing Denmark in Copenhagen on Sunday, September 27.