Colwill taking Wales boss Bellamy's advice to 'reach potential'

Rubin Colwill did not kick a ball in anger during the international window, but he is ready to take on board all he learned from manager Craig Bellamy while on Wales duty.

The Cardiff City forward is hoping the lessons he learned from a man who coached him as a teenager will help him belatedly kick-start the Bluebirds’ Championship campaign.

Colwill, 22, was a late call into Bellamy’s squad for the Nations League games against Turkey and Montenegro, after being promoted from the Under-21s.

Though he did not get the chance to add to his nine senior caps, the Neath-born attacker learned plenty from the Wales boss who first coached him in the Cardiff City academy.

Colwill said: “I saw him a couple of weeks ago at the Vale Hotel and it was nice to catch up with him then. But to be in the camp with him again, it was a throwback to the (Cardiff) under-18s, I really enjoyed it.

“There was a lot of new tactical information about the game which were new to me or new at the time. I just tried to learn and enjoyed it. The results were positive and good, it was a good camp.

“We had loads of good conversations, he gave me a lot of information on the pitch about things he wants me to do to get better at. We had a good few conversations in the week about the things he wants me to do to reach my potential, it was a positive week.”

Colwill’s elevation from Wales U21s came after Bellamy witnessed a stunning individual goal in Cardiff's Carabao Cup defeat to Southampton – which also brought praise from Saints boss Russell Martin.

Asked about Colwill before the Turkey game, Bellamy said: “I have known Rubin since he was 11 or 12. There is still a long way to go.

"He is an outstanding player and has a very good attitude but there is still a lot of work to be done for him to hit the heights we all believe he is capable of.”

Underlining, Bellamy’s comments on his attitude, Colwill is happy to accept the observation and act upon it.

“Everybody has opinions about my game, it's all about taking them on board and trying to learn and improve. I was more than happy to listen to what he had to say," Colwill said.

Clearly Colwill’s Welsh prospects would be helped if he could nail down a starting position in Erol Bulut’s Cardiff side. In two League Cup starts he has scored on both occasions, but has yet to begin a Championship game.

“I think everybody wants a run in the team, a run of games, you have to earn that. You put yourself in a good position to play," Colwill said.

“I have worked really hard, I have tried to put myself in that position where I am capable and available to start the game and if I am selected I will try my best and hopefully have a run in the team.”

Bulut has promised to make changes for Saturday’s Championship game at Derby County and the absence of Aaron Ramsey through injury could provide Colwill with a vacancy he would dearly like to fill.

Cardiff are bottom of the Championship with just one point from their four games to date, but Colwill insists morale in the dressing room is good – and there is a conviction they can turn around their fortunes.

He said: “It would be easy for us to have our heads down and be negative but I think we are all pretty positive, we know the quality in the squad, the strengths we have. We are capable of a lot more than we have shown so far.

“I think we are all knuckling down, working really hard and trying to put ourselves in the best position for Saturday and try to pick up some points.

“Obviously we are not super positive because we have not got the results we wanted but we are not in a negative down place. We are in a place where we can get things clicked and then kick on.”