Craig Bellamy is expected to return for Cardiff v Leeds Utd
Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:27 am
Paul Abbandonato: Cardiff City success will help Craig Bellamy overcome frustration
By Paul Abbandonato Sep 8 2012
Craig Bellamy is expected to return for Cardiff against Leeds
SO, Chris Coleman has shared a cup of coffee with Craig Bellamy where he learned the 33-year-old Wales star is “low”, “frustrated because of injuries” and perhaps has been “thinking negatively.”
Which, no doubt, is why the recent speculation about his future began doing the rounds on Twitter, internet message boards and the football grapevine.
Because of his age-old knee problems, Bellamy has struggled to play two games in a week over the last few years.
Thus, I guess, the hectic summer Team GB schedule, where Bellamy led the Olympic charge literally as captain and metaphorically speaking too, has taken its toll on his 33-year-old body.
Team GB crammed in five high-profile matches in a short space of time and Bellamy, as one of the few senior menand a player still in his pomp, was central to everything Stuart Pearce planned.
His calf tear, which has ruled him out of Wales’ opening two World Cup qualifiers and recent Cardiff City matches, is clearly making Bellamy down in the dumps.
What has happened at an already pivotal stage of the season for club and country is deeply unfortunate. But Bellamy wouldn’t be the first footballer to believe the slings and arrows of the game are conspiring against him.
If he hasn’t completely snapped out of his downbeat mood just yet, he should. As Coleman also says, Welsh football needs him.
For the many travails that may be afflicting Bellamy right at this moment in time, he could actually be on the brink of the most rewarding eight months of his career.
It may be something of a pipe dream to expect Wales to reach the World Cup, but Coleman still hopes to have Bellamy back to boost that ambition in next month’s Group A games against Scotland and Croatia.
But at club level the dream really is on for Bellamy, who is capable of spearheading a Bluebirds push into the Premier League in 20012-13.
Bellamy coveted that ambition last time he was here under Dave Jones, of course, but you sensed that Bluebirds side was just too lopsided to deliver the goal.
Cardiff were often over-run in midfield and you sensed towards the end that if Bellamy didn’t fire, nor would the Bluebirds.
The moment he got injured early on in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals against Reading, it was game over. A scoreline of 3-0 to the Royals in the second leg against a Bellamy-less Cardiff certainly didn’t surprise me.
This time around, under Malky Mackay’s watch, it just seems different. More strength in depth, less square pegs in round holes, not such an over-reliance upon Bellamy to get the team going.
As we saw against Wolves, if he doesn’t do it this time around then perhaps Peter Whittingham or Craig Noone will step up to the plate instead.
If none of that trio fire, perhaps Nicky Maynard will come up with the goods in front of goal.
Kim Bo-Kyung, who is supposed to be the best thing out of South Korea since Park Ji-Sung, hasn’t even had a look-in yet. But he will. We’re told he’s class.
And I’ve yet to mention Tommy Smith and Joe Mason, two extremely gifted, natural and creative footballers who can also score lots of goals at Championship level.
There is better balance to this Bluebirds Class of 2012 and a sturdier looking defence, with Andrew Taylor a much better left-back than Lee Naylor, Mark Hudson appearing far more resolute these days and big Ben Turner the type of domineering centre-back colossus the team lacked under Mackay.
Bellamy must know promotion is a real prospect for Cardiff.
What aids their cause further is that this time around there aren’t teams as capable as Queens Park Rangers, Norwich and Swansea, who grabbed the top three spots in 2010-11.
Yes, Leicester, Blackpool, Bolton, Leeds and Wolves will be in the mix. But we’ve already seen what Cardiff did to Wolves – without Bellamy, too – and I’m far from convinced the other clubs have better quality in depth than Mackay’s Bluebirds.
I’ve followed Bellamy’s career more closely than most, but with the greatest of respect to the player himself he is not one of the most decorated footballers in Britain.
Someone of Bellamy’s talent should have won more gongs. He accepted that himself, saying the reason he joined Manchester City was to do just that.
His fall-out with Roberto Mancini put paid to that one, but Bellamy is potentially on the verge of the most tantalising carrot of the lot... spearheading the Premier League promotion charge of his hometown team.
We hear lots and lots of platitudes from top level footballers about wishing to play for their local clubs at the end of their playing days.
But the truth is it rarely materialise. And it pretty much never does when the hometown club is in a lower division and you are still good enough to ply your trade at the top end of the Premier League.
Bellamy chose to give up the glamour of Liverpool to help out Cardiff, whether for personal or professional reasons and drop down into the Championship.
As such, I genuinely believe he deserves to savour promotion with Cardiff.
The next time Bellamy gets low about injuries, he need just imagine the lap of honour at Cardiff City Stadium on the afternoon the Bluebirds have clinched their Premier League dream.
That moment, should it materialise, would surely make up for any barren years.
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z262sv7a92
By Paul Abbandonato Sep 8 2012
Craig Bellamy is expected to return for Cardiff against Leeds
SO, Chris Coleman has shared a cup of coffee with Craig Bellamy where he learned the 33-year-old Wales star is “low”, “frustrated because of injuries” and perhaps has been “thinking negatively.”
Which, no doubt, is why the recent speculation about his future began doing the rounds on Twitter, internet message boards and the football grapevine.
Because of his age-old knee problems, Bellamy has struggled to play two games in a week over the last few years.
Thus, I guess, the hectic summer Team GB schedule, where Bellamy led the Olympic charge literally as captain and metaphorically speaking too, has taken its toll on his 33-year-old body.
Team GB crammed in five high-profile matches in a short space of time and Bellamy, as one of the few senior menand a player still in his pomp, was central to everything Stuart Pearce planned.
His calf tear, which has ruled him out of Wales’ opening two World Cup qualifiers and recent Cardiff City matches, is clearly making Bellamy down in the dumps.
What has happened at an already pivotal stage of the season for club and country is deeply unfortunate. But Bellamy wouldn’t be the first footballer to believe the slings and arrows of the game are conspiring against him.
If he hasn’t completely snapped out of his downbeat mood just yet, he should. As Coleman also says, Welsh football needs him.
For the many travails that may be afflicting Bellamy right at this moment in time, he could actually be on the brink of the most rewarding eight months of his career.
It may be something of a pipe dream to expect Wales to reach the World Cup, but Coleman still hopes to have Bellamy back to boost that ambition in next month’s Group A games against Scotland and Croatia.
But at club level the dream really is on for Bellamy, who is capable of spearheading a Bluebirds push into the Premier League in 20012-13.
Bellamy coveted that ambition last time he was here under Dave Jones, of course, but you sensed that Bluebirds side was just too lopsided to deliver the goal.
Cardiff were often over-run in midfield and you sensed towards the end that if Bellamy didn’t fire, nor would the Bluebirds.
The moment he got injured early on in the first leg of the play-off semi-finals against Reading, it was game over. A scoreline of 3-0 to the Royals in the second leg against a Bellamy-less Cardiff certainly didn’t surprise me.
This time around, under Malky Mackay’s watch, it just seems different. More strength in depth, less square pegs in round holes, not such an over-reliance upon Bellamy to get the team going.
As we saw against Wolves, if he doesn’t do it this time around then perhaps Peter Whittingham or Craig Noone will step up to the plate instead.
If none of that trio fire, perhaps Nicky Maynard will come up with the goods in front of goal.
Kim Bo-Kyung, who is supposed to be the best thing out of South Korea since Park Ji-Sung, hasn’t even had a look-in yet. But he will. We’re told he’s class.
And I’ve yet to mention Tommy Smith and Joe Mason, two extremely gifted, natural and creative footballers who can also score lots of goals at Championship level.
There is better balance to this Bluebirds Class of 2012 and a sturdier looking defence, with Andrew Taylor a much better left-back than Lee Naylor, Mark Hudson appearing far more resolute these days and big Ben Turner the type of domineering centre-back colossus the team lacked under Mackay.
Bellamy must know promotion is a real prospect for Cardiff.
What aids their cause further is that this time around there aren’t teams as capable as Queens Park Rangers, Norwich and Swansea, who grabbed the top three spots in 2010-11.
Yes, Leicester, Blackpool, Bolton, Leeds and Wolves will be in the mix. But we’ve already seen what Cardiff did to Wolves – without Bellamy, too – and I’m far from convinced the other clubs have better quality in depth than Mackay’s Bluebirds.
I’ve followed Bellamy’s career more closely than most, but with the greatest of respect to the player himself he is not one of the most decorated footballers in Britain.
Someone of Bellamy’s talent should have won more gongs. He accepted that himself, saying the reason he joined Manchester City was to do just that.
His fall-out with Roberto Mancini put paid to that one, but Bellamy is potentially on the verge of the most tantalising carrot of the lot... spearheading the Premier League promotion charge of his hometown team.
We hear lots and lots of platitudes from top level footballers about wishing to play for their local clubs at the end of their playing days.
But the truth is it rarely materialise. And it pretty much never does when the hometown club is in a lower division and you are still good enough to ply your trade at the top end of the Premier League.
Bellamy chose to give up the glamour of Liverpool to help out Cardiff, whether for personal or professional reasons and drop down into the Championship.
As such, I genuinely believe he deserves to savour promotion with Cardiff.
The next time Bellamy gets low about injuries, he need just imagine the lap of honour at Cardiff City Stadium on the afternoon the Bluebirds have clinched their Premier League dream.
That moment, should it materialise, would surely make up for any barren years.
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z262sv7a92
Re: Craig Bellamy is expected to return for Cardiff v Leeds Utd
Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:14 am
anyone else think thats a bit out of date? 
Re: Craig Bellamy is expected to return for Cardiff v Leeds Utd
Mon Sep 10, 2012 9:00 am
getting craig back playing football is whats needed, some good performances will give him a lift and something to aim for..
as for leeds im hearing that jermaine jenas may be joining them on loan from spurs this week, i hope its after they play us!
as for leeds im hearing that jermaine jenas may be joining them on loan from spurs this week, i hope its after they play us!
Re: Craig Bellamy is expected to return for Cardiff v Leeds Utd
Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:49 pm
Bit of a pointless read, considering we know what's really going on with Craig at the moment.
I do hope he returns for the Leeds match. I'm sure he'll appreciate a round of applause from the fans.
I do hope he returns for the Leeds match. I'm sure he'll appreciate a round of applause from the fans.