Ashley Williams will captain Wales
Swansea City’s Ashley Williams will captain Wales against Bulgaria in their European Championship qualifying campaign on Friday.
Craig Bellamy was ruled out of the squad with an injury and Williams will take over the captaincy for the match. Williams has captained Wales three times before.
Bellamy did take part in Cardiff City’s 2-1 win against Barnsley and scored in the game, but the Welsh caretaker manager Brian Flynn was not disappointed that the Welsh striker could not join up with Wales.
“When I made the announcement that Craig wasn't in the squad, I was fully aware three weeks earlier that there was a possibility he could play against Barnsley, so it's not an issue for me," said Flynn.
Joe Allen, who may also miss the game through injury, plays alongside Williams at Swansea and said, "No one here knows Ashley better than me and I can't speak highly enough of him as a player and person."
"I came on alongside him as captain in the Scotland game and I think his leadership skills were evident in that game," added Allen.
Wales beat Scotland 3-0 in a friendly that day and that was the first time that the Swansea midfielder received the honour.
Williams has also led out Wales in their 2-0 defeat to Croatia in May.
The Welshman won 24 caps for Wales and has been one of the few players who performed under former manager John Toschack.
The 26-year-old was also voted Club Player of the Year in the Football Association of Wales awards.
Wales lost in their first game of the group against Montenegro 1-0, and after their game against Bulgaria they will face Switzerland away.
The Welsh side are six points behind England and Montenegro, who top the group.
The Welsh team will need Williams’s leadership skills if they are to take anything out at the qualifying campaign.
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