Craig Bellamy is hunting for the next generation of Welsh goalkeepers — and his search has taken him all the way to the National League.

The Wales head coach included Joe Duncan in his squad for this month's UEFA Nations League fixtures against Norway and Portugal, making the 20-year-old Southend United loanee the only uncapped newcomer in the group. Duncan, on loan from Bristol City, earned two Wales under-21 caps after previously being involved with Jamaica's youth set-up.

A non-league education

Bellamy is a firm believer in the value of lower-league football for developing goalkeepers. He pointed to David Raya — who had a loan spell at Southport before winning the Premier League with Arsenal — and Jordan Pickford, who passed through Darlington and Alfreton Town on his way to two World Cup semi-finals and a European Championship final with England.

"You have to start somewhere as a goalkeeper, you have to learn your trade," Bellamy said. "I love goalkeepers playing lower leagues, especially development goalkeepers — the ones who are looking to push through, because they are going to bump you and ask questions of you."

"He's not someone who's always been on our radar because he hasn't been available to us. I have to be honest, everything I've seen with him at Southend, I really like," the Wales coach added.

The Dyer connection

Bellamy's interest in Duncan was sharpened by a trusted source: Kieron Dyer, Southend United's manager and one of Bellamy's closest friends from their time together at Newcastle United and West Ham United.

"Kieron loves him and I respect his view on football," Bellamy said. "His IQ on the game is one of the best I've been involved with."

Bellamy attended a Southend match to assess Duncan in person but kept a low profile to avoid putting undue pressure on the young keeper. He drew a lighthearted comparison to England manager Thomas Tuchel scouting Paris Saint-Germain's UEFA Champions League clash with Arsenal during the same week.

A thin pool of options

Wales' goalkeeping situation is the driving force behind Bellamy's wide-ranging search. During his squad announcement, the former Liverpool and Manchester City forward described first-team regulars Karl Darlow, 36, and Danny Ward, 33, as "old" — a playful remark with a pointed message about the country's lack of depth between the posts.

Everton's Tom King and Sheffield United's Adam Davies have typically served as third-choice options, but neither is currently playing regular club football, and both are in the later stages of their careers at 31 and 34 respectively.

Bellamy contrasted his predicament with Tuchel's enviable dilemma at England — choosing between Pickford and James Trafford of Leeds United, a 24-year-old who has already commanded nearly £100 million in transfer fees. Bellamy had a hand in one portion of that spending during his time as Vincent Kompany's assistant at Burnley.

"You've got to earn your stripes. I've seen it with Traffs, who had really good loans with Bolton before he came to us," Bellamy said. "We paid a lot of money for him but if we didn't do it then we were going to miss him."

Duncan will not be thrown straight into action against Erling Haaland and Norway in Oslo, but his call-up signals Bellamy's intent to build for the future — however unconventional the path may look.