Oxford United are set to appoint former Welsh international striker and captain Craig Bellamy as their new manager, according to The Sun. The 38-year-old has been holding discussions with the hierarchy at the Kassam Stadium for a couple of weeks now, and is ready to commit his future to the U’s.
Bellamy has been coaching within the Cardiff City Academy since 2014, and is now set for his first managerial job at first-team level. Oxford have been searching for a permanent replacement for ex-Leeds United and Swansea City assistant Pep Clotet, who was sacked in January.
It remains to be seen if any official appointment or announcement of any kind will be made in time for this weekend, allowing Bellamy to step into the dugout. Oxford will make the trip to Northampton Town on Saturday afternoon, with the club just five points above the relegation places and eleven behind the final play-off position.
It is believed that Derek Fazackerley, the current caretaker boss, will remain on the coaching staff to assist Bellamy for his first managerial gig.
Bellamy represented several major clubs in his playing career, which was mostly spent in the Premier League. He would also appear in the Champions League with both Newcastle United and Liverpool. He would end his career in May 2014, after ending a loan spell with his hometown club Cardiff. Also, he made 78 appearances for the Welsh national team, making his debut in March 1998 in a friendly versus Jamaica at Ninian Park, the home of Cardiff City at the time. He is now focusing on the future, and it looks as though Oxford United will form a huge part of that.
