Bellamy gives strongest hint yet on future

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has given the strongest hint yet as to where his future lies.

Wide speculation has been that Bellamy will be the man to lead the Storm in 2022 but the master coach has refuted claims his future is set in stone.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Bellamy said he was worried he could burnout mid-way through next year.

“I’d rather pull up a year early than go a year late,” Bellamy said. “I’d hate to keep going and then be half-interested and not do my job properly.”

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 30: Craig Bellamy, Coach of the Storm talks during the post match press conference after the round four NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the Melbourne Storm at Southern Cross Group Stadium on March 30, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Bellamy says he is worried he won't be able to coach to his usually lofty standards should he lose his love of the game.

“I’d hate to keep going and then be half-interested and not do my job properly. That’s my main concern – I don’t want to go on when I can’t give it all I’ve got," he added.

“I expect everybody else to do their job properly — that works for us — and I’ve got to be doing that too. That’s the thing I don’t want to do.

“In the circumstance of letting people down or not letting people down, I’d rather pull up a year early than go a year late. That gets said a lot about players.

Bellamy does have options surrounding his future, he can stay on at the Storm as head coach, which is a real possibility, but may also choose to take on a position as coaching director.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Coach Craig Bellamy looks on during a Melbourne Storm NRL training session at Gosch's Paddock on September 17, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Then there are the director roles at Cronulla and Brisbane, with the Broncos very keen on the Bellamy and you would imagine the Sharks wouldn't be knocking back Bellamy in a hurry.

Bellamy paid tribute to players and staff at the club and said he owed them his full commitment.

“Everybody in our footy club works really hard and we expect them to do their job the best they can. I’ve got to do that as well.

“I don’t want to be going a year longer and not doing that. That’s my mentality when I’m thinking about if I’m going to go on and how long I’m going to go on.

“At the end of the day, I’ve got a role to play and I need to play that role. I don’t need to be in there not doing my job. I don’t want to get to that stage and let everybody else down.

“For me, if I’m going to do the job, I want to be passionate about it and I want to make sure I’m still up for that work ethic to get the job done.”

The Storm face South Sydney this weekend with Bellamy to face old rival and Souths counterpart, Wayne Bennett.

Bennett will depart the Rabbitohs at season's end, and should Bellamy leave the game as well it would be a big loss to the competition.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 30: Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett talks to media during a South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL training session at Redfern Oval on May 30, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Bellamy said the pride he takes in his job means he will always ensure he is willing and able to commit 100% of himself to the role.

“At the end of the day, it’s the one thing I have always prided myself on, that is making sure I do my job the best I can because that is what I expect of everybody else. I can’t expect that from others if I’m not doing that myself," he said.

“People see me as they see me and I can’t really control that. But, like I say, that’s not really the main point — it’s about the people I’m working with.”

Bellamy said that his passion wouldn't be the only determining factor in his decision saying there had been a few issues he labelled as "hiccups" along the journey.

Bellamy didn't want to go into detail on the hiccups he was referring to.