" No David Marshal and now No Craig Bellamy "

Paul Abbandonato: Cardiff City star Craig Bellamy's PFA snub beggars belief
2 May 2013

" No David Marshal and now No Craig Bellamy "


Head of sport Paul Abbandonato argues Craig Bellamy has been the driving force behind Cardiff City's success this season



Remember the Manchester United treble-winning Class of 1999? Peter Schmeichel, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs. World-class players who were absolutely pivotal to the club’s success.

Schemichel was the best goalkeeper in the world, Keane the driving force behind the side, Giggs the impish wing genius who scored that FA Cup semi-final goal against Arsenal.

It may surprise you then to learn that none of the trio were selected by their peers in the PFA team of the year.

Nigel Martyn (Leeds), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal) and David Ginola (Spurs) had better seasons, so their fellow professionals determined, than key figures behind United’s Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup dominance.

Crazy, I know.

Where am I going with this? Well for 1999, fast forward to the PFA’s Championship team of the year in 2013.

The runaway champions, another team playing superbly in red, have just two players deemed good enough by their peers to get in the select XI. Mark Hudson, splendid as skipper, and Peter Whittingham, majestic for the first five months, if not towards the end when he tailed off badly.

No David Marshall, ironically overlooked in favour of Schmeichel junior Kasper, a decision Malky Mackay reckons he cannot understand.

No Craig Bellamy, either, a decision I certainly cannot begin to fathom and one which has resonance with the Keane snub of 1999. Like Keane, it’s fair to say Bellamy has never been the type of individual to ingratiate himself with opposition players.

Fiery, snarly, in their faces, back-chatting away to the referee, the two men tended to adopt a win at any cost mentality.

Maybe that’s why Keane was overlooked back in ‘99 when, hindsight tells us, he was the single-most important factor on the field in driving United to their success.

Just as, in my opinion, Bellamy has been during 2012-13. Without him, I don’t believe Cardiff City would have won the league. With him, they did.

Marshall, Hudson, Ben Turner, Matt Connolly and Andrew Taylor are amongst those who have had superb campaigns and I’ve sung their plaudits as much as anyone.

But it’s easier to pick up a consistent, solid goalkeeper, centre-back or left-back at this level. Getting Premier League quality star-dust further forward, where it is far more difficult to make a mark against tight defences, is another matter entirely.

Mackay picked up that golden nugget in Bellamy. Wonderfully well though the others have played, he has been the key individual difference between the Bluebirds and their promotion rivals.

It’s too simplistic to look at Bellamy’s goal record, a paltry four and not a single one during 2013, and dismiss his season as an ordinary one.

It is the intangibles Bellamy brought to the party which counted most. Mackay knows what they are. He sees them day in, day out.

Leadership qualities, wonderful passing ability, a whole glut of goal assists for team-mates, an incredible work ethic, instilling belief that the team can do it, calmness under enormous pressure and scrutiny.

Coupled with, of course, a fear factor Bellamy’s very presence in the Cardiff team provided whenever he lined up against the opposition.

If Bellamy gave the Bluebirds confidence and put them on the front foot, the opposition had wariness and, frightened of his blistering speed, often sat deep and handed City the ascendancy.

For whatever reason, Bellamy’s Premier League peers have opted to overlook his many attributes in favour of the Crystal Palace duo of Glenn Murray and Yannick Bolasie and Watford hitman Matej Vydra.

I’m not disputing that trio have had excellent campaigns. Murray and Vydra have banged home 48 goals between them, an impressive tally.

Bolasie, next to the brilliant Wilfried Zaha, has provided the fancy footwork and tricks which have helped drive Palace.

But Bellamy, for me, has been the main man in the main team.

What he brought to the dressing room – determination, experience and a calm authority – cannot be over-stated.

It is no coincidence in my eyes that when Bellamy returned from a foot injury mid-November, the Bluebirds suddenly soared to the top of the table and never once looked back.

When the team were in trouble, they knew they could turn to Bellamy for inspiration. He helped ensure the team once dubbed chokers held their nerve to become champions.

Opposition defenders appeared genuinely fearful of Bellamy at times and were bewildered by the speed with which he hunted them down to force errors.

Classic defending from the front, a mantra, ironically, first introduced by Bellamy’s own footballing idol Ian Rush.

There were a number of key games where Bellamy made the difference, but the one I like to cite was the mouth-watering top-of-the-table Boxing Day showdown between the Bluebirds and Crystal Palace.

It was built up as Bellamy versus the mercurial Zaha, a dazzling individual duel within the main battle.

It proved to be master versus pupil as Bellamy cajoled his team-mates towards a 2-1 triumph, leaving Zaha, handed fearful stick that afternoon by the City fans, disconsolate, angry and having learned a valuable football lesson.

He will be better for the experience. He will look to take a leaf out of Bellamy’s book that day.

Football is a team game and Bellamy would have been nothing this season without the foundation provided by the magnificent Marshall, Hudson and co at the back.

But, with respect, it’s easier to play in defence than where Bellamy does, where you get kicked from pillar to post.

He has overcome physical and mental anguish this season to deliver the dream for his home-town club.

Not good enough, according to his peers? As I say, nor were Keane, Schmeichel or Giggs, either.

Sorry but Bellars was rightly omitted. On the field christmas aside he didnt set the league on fire at all.

Sorry but Bellars was rightly omitted. On the field christmas aside he didnt set the league on fire at all.

Agreed on that one Chief. But marshall is a mystery. But with our team there was no outstanding individuals just the whole team was very good. But TBF this award is a load of shit the rewards for our team is promotion and medals for winning the league.

I'm not sure that Bellamy deserves a place in the PFA Championship Team Of The Year but also I don't think Glenn Murray does either.

I know many will laugh at me saying that as he has scored 29 League goals this season, but 23 of those have come at home, and the 6 away goals came in 4 games with 2 penalties. Hardly a threat away from home was he

Compare that goalscoring record to that of Charlie Austin and Jordan Rhodes who have scored 24 and 25 goals respectively. In the case of Charlie Austin he scored 13 at home and 11 away, whilst Jordan Rhodes scored 13 at home and 12 away . Vydra in the same way scored 20 League goals with 10 at home and 10 away. Surely Austin and Rhodes have shown themselves to be a bigger threat overall than Murray.

To me leaving Marshall out in favour of Schmeichel is a bigger injustice because Marshall kept 4 more clean sheets and conceded 3 fewer goals with 45 games gone.

Both players got the biggest reward with the League title and promotion.

I'm not sure that Bellamy deserves a place in the PFA Championship Team Of The Year but also I don't think Glenn Murray does either.

I know many will laugh at me saying that as he has scored 29 League goals this season, but 23 of those have come at home, and the 6 away goals came in 4 games with 2 penalties. Hardly a threat away from home was he

Compare that goalscoring record to that of Charlie Austin and Jordan Rhodes who have scored 24 and 25 goals respectively. In the case of Charlie Austin he scored 13 at home and 11 away, whilst Jordan Rhodes scored 13 at home and 12 away . Vydra in the same way scored 20 League goals with 10 at home and 10 away. Surely Austin and Rhodes have shown themselves to be a bigger threat overall than Murray.

To me leaving Marshall out in favour of Schmeichel is a bigger injustice because Marshall kept 4 more clean sheets and conceded 3 fewer goals with 45 games gone.

Both players got the biggest reward with the League title and promotion.

good point about murray, i really dont reate him. As well as that home/away ratio, how many of his goals were penalties? no surprise he hasnt scored recently with the pens drying up.

When has bellers ever cared about what his peers think of him
played a massive part in driving us to promotion but agree his actual on field performnces dont quite merit a place,although even palace fans admit zaha and bolasie have been pretty ineffective since january aswell

Is it true that the team is voted for at Christmas?

Dont forget those 2 play for a Welsh team

What the f8ck has Craigs "influence" in the dressing got to do with his peers voting for the players of the season?

Get a grip Abbandanto you one eyed bull frog.

Sorry but Bellars was rightly omitted. On the field christmas aside he didnt set the league on fire at all.

Agreed on that one Chief. But marshall is a mystery. But with our team there was no outstanding individuals just the whole team was very good. But TBF this award is a load of shit the rewards for our team is promotion and medals for winning the league.

Agreed, he's been good but not good enough to make the team. It's crazy that Whitts got into the side as well, not played all too well last season compared to the heights he set last year. Marshall should have been there, your right when you say we haven't had stand out performers but he was most defintely one.

Jordan Rhodes is player of the year for me, absolutely superb and proved this season he is premier league quality.

There has been a lot of physical effort by Craig Bellamy but that extra bit of quality was missing all season. Let's be honest if your paying someone £36k p/w in the Championship then you expect something extra ordinary in quality in return.

It didn't happen and even though Bellers ran his heart out we could have got some on a third of his wages to do exactly the same.

This guy chose Bellamy as his No. 1 (above Hudson, Marshall, Taylor and Gunnarsson, all of whom have probably been the best City players this season) in his 'top 10 Cardiff City players of the season' recently, which just goes to show how much he bums him Bellamy

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he even has a daily tug over Bellamy!

Matt Holland was talking about players choices on talk sport earlier. He said most players don't even bother to vote, and of those that do, some will be swayed by personal motives - friends, players previously played with etc.

Says to me you take the whole thing with a huge 'pinch' of salt

There has been a lot of physical effort by Craig Bellamy but that extra bit of quality was missing all season. Let's be honest if your paying someone £36k p/w in the Championship then you expect something extra ordinary in quality in return.

It didn't happen and even though Bellers ran his heart out we could have got some on a third of his wages to do exactly the same.

yeah agree with what you say, hopefully he can work on his final ball in pre-season, as its been shocking lately.
but he is a good asset in the champ as his reputation puts defenders on the back foot.
How Marshall isnt in the team of the year ill never know! you could say the same for Taylor and Gunnerson too imo.

I Said back in Jan - we should have 4 players in that Championship team -

Marshall : Hudson : Whitts : Bellers