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Wales boss returns to Belgium for action admitting that the “challenging” Jeremy Doku made him a better coach at Anderlecht. Bellamy coached Doku during his time in Brussels before the player joined French club Rennes in a club-record 26 million euros move in October 2020 when just 18.

Doku went on sign for in a £55.4m deal in August 2023 and has made over 80 appearances, winning the and the FIFA Club World Cup in his first season at the Etihad Stadium.

“He’s a great kid and I played a small part, a tiny chink in his development,” Bellamy said ahead of Monday’s Group J qualifier in Brussels and a reunion with the Belgium winger. “You have to understand his background (from a tough Antwerp area), the culture those players are from.

“His drive was insane, which I loved. You cannot treat everyone the same. He’s different, but challenging different.

"He taught me more how to be a coach than a lot of players. He was special on and off the pitch.”

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City boss claimed earlier this season that Doku is the best player in the “in the first five metres”. Bellamy shares the same appreciation of the 23-year-old, saying: “He could lose you in a phone booth.

“I never had to apologise to so many under-21 coaches that a 17-year-old was playing – that’s how good he was. It’s like it wasn’t fair. We can all spot ability, but I like the person more. I loved him as a person and still do.

"He could test you as well, but I liked that. He’s a special kid.”

Bellamy enjoyed his coaching spell in Belgium between June 2019 and September 2021, first in the Anderlecht youth system and then as assistant to first-team boss Vincent Kompany.

He said: “I loved living in Brussels. It gave me a good step back, I was completely unrecognisable. No one had a clue who I was, which was nice. I enjoyed that peace.

“But it wasn’t really Belgium. It was more Vincent. That was where I really learned football.

“So my memories towards Belgium go towards Vincent. My education on playing this game and coaching on this game really accelerated.”

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