WALES coach Osian Roberts is keen for Craig Bellamy to extend his international career after the Liverpool striker was named in the squad for the Gary Speed Memorial match against Costa Rica, in what could be his last game for his country.

Bellamy is pivotal to Wales and arguably in the form of his career, but it is understood he was ready to quit international football after the John Toshack era. His close friend Speed persuaded him to play on but the former Man City and West Ham man was left devastated by Speed’s death.

New boss Chris Coleman, who won’t be in charge for the game with Costa Rica and will hand over the reins to Speed’s assistants Roberts and Raymond Verheijen, has always insisted he wants Bellamy to play on and help Wales on the road to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Bellamy has made clear he is considering his future and has admitted the game on Wednesday week could be his swansong, but Roberts is determined to convince him otherwise.

Roberts believes it is “imperative”, the former skipper continues to make himself available under Coleman’s watch.

“I hope it’s not his last game. There has been no indication that it will be. He has had good discussions with Chris, which hopefully is positive,” he explained.

“We have to manage his physical state with all the injuries he has had, but the form he has been in has been fantastic and it’s imperative that he is in the team and around the squad. He is extremely influential off the pitch and in the dressing room.”

Coleman, Roberts and Verheijen picked the squad, which contained few surprises, after recent success under Speed with Wales winning four of their last five competitive games to soar up the FIFA world rankings The only new face is a familiar one, Bolton full-back Sam Ricketts returning after a lengthy spell out with a knee ligament injury.

– The FAW have also revealed that a number of Welsh performers, including Super Furry Animals and Bryn Terfel, will perform prior to the match.

– Wales squad for the Gary Speed Memorial International v Costa Rica on 29 February 29 at Cardiff City Stadium: W Hennessey (Wolverhampton Wanderers), B Myhill (Birmingham City, loan), L Price (Crystal Palace), D Blake (Cardiff City), J Collins (Aston Villa), D Gabbidon (Queens Park Rangers), C Gunter (Nottingham Forest), A Matthews (Celtic), S Ricketts (Bolton Wanderers), N Taylor, A Williams, J Allen (all Swansea City), G Bale (Tottenham Hotspur), J Collison (West Ham United), A Crofts (Norwich City), D Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), J Ledley (Celtic), A Ramsey (Arsenal), H Robson-Kanu (Reading), D Vaughan (Sunderland), C Bellamy (Liverpool), R Earnshaw (Cardiff City), S Morison (Norwich City), S Vokes (Brighton & Hove Albion, loan)