How James became the 'main man' for Leeds and Wales

Dan James admits he is playing the most consistent football of his career in a year that could bring promotion to the Premier League and qualification for the World Cup

2026 World Cup qualifying: Wales v Kazakhstan

Venue: Cardiff City Stadium Date: Saturday, 22 March Kick-off: 19:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch on BBC One Wales, iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app, plus S4C via iPlayer. Text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app. Listen live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Sport Extra.

Eight games from winning promotion to the Premier League. Eight fixtures standing in-between Wales and the 2026 World Cup.

Leeds United's Dan James knows he could about to have the year of his life.

Fortunately for club and country, he is having the season of his life.

Once widely criticised for lacking end product, he is now on track for a career-best tally of goals and assists in a single campaign.

"Outstanding," Daniel Farke has said of someone who has become integral to Championship leaders Leeds' bid to return to the top-flight, a player happy to carry the weighty Elland Road expectations of success.

Craig Bellamy will be hoping for just as much attacking influence on the international stage as Wales plot their path to north America.

And James is not shying away from it.

"I'm not a young player anymore," he says. "I want to try and be that main man."

But, even for a player of electrifying pace, getting to that stage has taken some time.

'Too good for the Championship'

Maybe because he still appears somewhat fresh-faced, it is easy to forget how much 27-year-old James has already packed into his career.

From his acceleration onto the scene as a teenager at Swansea City, there have been two major finals, 55 caps, and two £20m-plus moves since.

But there have also been crushing disappointments to deal with. From losing his father Kevan just weeks before completing a dream move to Manchester United in 2019, to the missed penalty that denied Wales shoot-out qualification for Euro 2024.

There was even the fact Leeds – who he joined for £25m in 2021 - had seemingly washed their hands of him, sending him out on loan to Fulham a year later.

It added to questions as to whether the winger could cut it at the top level, something he was denied a chance to answer when – back at Leeds – he was part of a side that lost last year's play-off final to Southampton.

"It would have been quite easy for him to have come back and think he was not wanted, that his days were numbered, and it was all against him," says Jon Newsome, a title-winner at Leeds.

"But he got his head down and become a better player. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better performer for Leeds. He's too good for the Championship."

Ten goals and nine assists – already just one goal contribution shy of last year's total - suggests Newsome is right.

Flourishing in the "heavy" Leeds shirt

James' frightening speed has always made him a dangerous player.

Or "menacing" as Bellamy once described him, having been without him for the first four games of his unbeaten start to life as Wales manager in the successful Nations League campaign.

But there is more to James' game now. A hardened mindset has seemingly brought a sharper edge and - to use an adjective James repeatedly used about his improvements - a more "ruthless" player.

"As a winger I want to be as direct as possible, not turning things down," he says of what has changed, besides staying injury-free.

"Sometimes I look back at games and I've been quite safe. That might look good from the outside, keeping the ball, but ultimately I'm in the team to try and create things. That constant mindset of 'can I get a goal or an assist?' – and believing that.

"And when you do give the ball away, it's so important the reaction is to want it again.

"You might get tackled nine times out of ten but it's about that tenth time where something will happen, and I'm trying to keep that mindset."

It has been noticed. Leeds fans have found a new hero, James stepping into the space left when Crysencio Summerville moved to West Ham United last summer.

"There's definitely a difference this season," says Newsome, a co-commentator with BBC Radio Leeds.

"His final ball and end product is a lot better. He realises his assets - like that pace - and uses them to their best at every opportunity, but there's a maturity to his play.

"There's the responsibility of being an older player now, and suddenly the main man and coping with the expectation.

"The Leeds shirt can be heavy to wear at times, and it's too much for some. He's flourished."

An unlikely leader

That comfort in being the go-to attacking hope has seen James' confidence levels rocket, as well as new leadership qualities shine.

Farke says it is less about speeches but about work-rate, setting standards – music to the ears of Bellamy whose Wales team have similar pass, press and pace-filled principles.

"When you start the press off you can get the boys up for it on the pitch rather than off it," says James, who adds he is happy with the added responsibility at club and country.

"It doesn't add any pressure. There's games where things you try maybe don't go right, but you just continue to try and do the right stuff and keep trying to be that main man."

It is a trait James says he looked up to in Bellamy when the manager was himself an explosive attacker in the red of Wales.

Having only just shaken off a hamstring injury when he met up with the new-look Wales for the first time in November, James is eager to show he has soaked up the advice of an individual he takes inspiration from.

"He [Bellamy] had that work-rate and he always wanted the ball, demanded the ball," he says.

"He wants the same from us, but the biggest thing I've tried to take into my game is to always get at your man.

"It's easy to get the ball, pass backwards when things aren't going right - and much tougher when it hasn't gone right to have the mindset of going again.

"Sometimes there's a risk of players or the crowd getting on you – but not here and the manager has your back."

Dan James started his youth career at Hull City before joining Swansea City's academy

A manager and a player of 'ruthless mentality'

It all suggests Wales' adrenaline-fuelled style that saw them top their Nations League group is going to carry on into the World Cup campaign.

And with James ready to embody the ethos when the World Cup campaign kicks off against Kazakhstan in Cardiff – and prepared be the main man, just as Bellamy once was.

"Exactly, that was him as a player; he had that ruthless mentality, he believed he was going to win the game for the team," James says, perhaps conscious that Wales will be missing another key and in-form attacker in injured Harry Wilson.

"To have that person behind you, to put you in the situations to go and effect games and show your attributes, that's brilliant to know as a player."

And a knowledge that could see James' impressive improvements continue in what could be a memorable year for club and country.