Wales boss Bellamy defends 'intelligent' Cullen

Wales boss Craig Bellamy has praised "intelligent footballer" Liam Cullen and says he is surprised by some of the criticism the Swansea City attacker attracts.

The 26-year-old from Kilgetty started Tuesday night's 7-1 demolition of North Macedonia in a World Cup qualifier in Cardiff, winning his 14th international cap.

While the likes of skipper Harry Wilson, who claimed a hat-trick, Brennan Johnson, David Brooks and Dan James earned the praise for goalscoring performances, Bellamy says it was the likes of Cullen who allowed that quartet to shine.

"The importance of players like Culls... I don't know, I keep hearing some nonsense about him that maybe he shouldn't be playing, and honestly I get really surprised by that because he's such an intelligent footballer," Bellamy told S4C.

"He allows them [to play] - Brooksy (David Brooks), and we've seen the importance of Harry, the creativity and to get a hat-trick as well as be captain, Brennan was outstanding, DJ (Dan James).

"But I thought we set it up well for them, and that's what good players are able to do, takes those chances, and [against North Macedonia] it was just that day."

Bellamy added: "Three 10s, just pulling them [out of position] and then just hitting runners, [and] the connection they were able to have with each other."

Cullen scored 14 goals in 55 appearances for club and country last season, although he has only found the net once in 15 games so far this campaign.

That situation has not been helped by Swansea's poor start in the Championship, a situation that saw Alan Sheehan sacked as head coach last week and the club yet to appoint a permanent successor.

Swansea return to league action on Saturday away to Bristol City (12:30 GMT).