FORMER Celtic loan star Craig Bellamy has revealed he turned down the offer to become manager of Cardiff City.
The ex-Welsh international striker admitted he was asked to take over after Ole Gunner Solskjaer was sacked in September 2014 following only eight months in charge.
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Bellamy, 36, said: “It was temporary at the time and I am sure there was no long-term planning involved.
“I was offered it, but I wasn’t ready at that time.
“Cardiff being the club that I had grown up with deserved better at that time than I could offer.
“For the club to have any chance of returning to the Premier League, I certainly wasn’t that option.”
The Championship outfit appointed Leyton Orient boss Russell Slade to the role a month after Solskjaer’s dismissal.
Now working with the Cardiff academy, Bellamy, who had four months at the Hoops in 2005 after falling out with Graeme Souness at Newcastle, admitted that management is where his future lies, but he is waiting until the time is right.
He added: “I am working towards July, as that will be two years from when I retired. I have been working with all age groups to get experience.
“I have had a managerial offer and several coaching offers. If I could learn from being an assistant before going into management, I’d be happy to do that.”
