Piet Cremers has left his role as Wales men's assistant coach to become head coach of Club NXT, Club Brugge's youth academy side in the Belgian second tier. Craig Bellamy called him "everything", which gives the move a sharper edge than a routine staff reshuffle. Cremers was one of Bellamy's first appointments in August 2024, and the timing makes the departure stand out.
Bellamy's trust in Cremers
The scale of the loss is clear from how Bellamy spoke about him. Asked about Cremers, Bellamy's answer was simple: "Everything."
That is not the sort of line a manager uses lightly about a backroom appointment. The BBC also said Bellamy and Cremers analysed games in real time, watched replays and used data together during Wales matches, which helps explain why his exit matters inside the set-up.
Cremers had already built a strong coaching CV before Wales. He worked under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City as head of performance analysis and insights for four years, and he also worked with Bellamy under Vincent Kompany at Burnley. Wales are losing someone Bellamy clearly trusted on matchday, not just another pair of hands.
What Club NXT is getting
The move also marks a step up into a head coach role for Cremers. He is replacing Jonas de Roeck at Club NXT, and the job comes with a clear development remit.
Cremers said: "I am proud to be joining Club NXT. Club Brugge's clear soccer vision and focus on talent development align perfectly with my approach." He added: "I look forward to working with the staff to create an environment where players can develop to their full potential and be ready for the step up to the first team."
That is a sensible fit on paper. Club NXT is a youth development side, and Cremers has spent recent years in analysis-heavy environments where detail and player growth sit close together. For Wales, though, the loss lands at a time when Bellamy has leaned on coaching detail. Wales lost their last two World Cup matches 3-0 to England and 2-0 to Iran, after a 1-1 draw with USA. Losing an influential assistant inside that kind of setup is a real blow.
Cremers moves on to a bigger individual role. Wales lose one of Bellamy's most trusted staff members.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →