THE SUNDAY MAIL'S OLIVER HOLT ON THE CRAIG BELLAMY SITUATION

Have we got to the stage where Craig Bellamy could be forced out of his job at Cardiff for turning down the sound on God Save the Queen?
By Oliver Holt for The Mail on Sunday


Sunday 6th January 2018


Should Craig Bellamy be forced to walk for turning down God Save the Queen?

It seems like that would do a disservice to people who are battling issues in sport

He has stepped down as Cardiff U18s coach amid investigation of bullying claims

Bellamy is demanding and uncompromising, but that doesn't make him a bully

A wider issue is that someone always has to take blame if a player doesn't make it


At a time when football is still reeling from abuse scandals that sickened the game, it is right and commendable that there should be a greater concentration on the welfare of youth players in the academy systems and heightened sensitivity about the bullying of vulnerable teenagers trying to make it in English football.

It is right and commendable, too, that parents should be especially watchful about their children when they are away from home and struggling with the pressures of trying to earn a professional contract in a tough, unforgiving environment where there is intense competition for places at clubs that offer a shot at fame and great wealth.

But if you think that Craig Bellamy turning the sound down on the television when God Save the Queen was playing before England's World Cup semi-final with Croatia fits into the category of things we need to worry about, you are doing a disservice to people who are battling serious issues in the sport and to children who are being systematically bullied.


Bellamy upset a lad in the Cardiff City set-up because he said he didn't like Bristol City as well, apparently. Look, no one's pretending Bellamy is going to be a candidate for the Diplomatic Service any time soon but have we really got to a point where saying that is deemed worthy of serious complaint and forcing a coach to walk away from his job?

I am wary of the 'it was only banter' defence because that is often a facile response that can be used to cover up a multitude of sins but if the lad in question was upset by Bellamy's stance, it would presumably have come as a shock to him to know that the rivalry between the fans of Cardiff and Bristol City sometimes oversteps the bounds of gentlemanly respect.


There is a wider issue here, which is that the rewards of becoming a professional footballer are so great and the ambitions of parents for their children are so heightened that, when a kid is simply not good enough to make it as a professional, there has to be someone else to blame. In this case, the someone else is Bellamy.

The crisis that has enveloped him, the threat to a promising coaching career that has barely started, has struck a chord with other coaches around the country in the last seven days. Another youth coach at a Championship club told me he has grown weary of the work because the players in his charge and their parents, are so sensitive to criticism that he feels it is harder and harder to improve them.


Another coach spoke of being the subject of an official complaint from a parent because he had shouted at an Under-18 player who had jumped out of a tackle. Another mentioned an official complaint from the parent of a kid at a younger age group on the basis that his boy was not being played in centre midfield — in a six-a-side team. Coaches are in a position of power and there are some who abuse that power. But there is a flip-side, too. When they release a player at youth level because they are not good enough, they are vulnerable to the parents of those players complaining that they have been victimised.


I don't believe Bellamy, who has stepped down as Cardiff's U18s head coach while claims against him are being investigated, is a bully. I also accept that I'm biased because I know him, I ghosted his autobiography and I consider him a friend of mine. There's a danger that means I only see one side of the conflagration that is engulfing Cardiff City.


I'm not about to defend bullying. I hate bullying and I hate bullies. It's a curse in many walks of life and there is no doubt that it has blighted the lives of many who seek to pursue sport as a career. It can ruin lives. In the most tragic cases, it can end lives.

I know that it exists in football, too. It is an evil that we are beginning to treat more seriously at last. Nor am I about to beatify Bellamy. He did a lot of stupid things as a player. He was rash and he was hot-headed. He could be aggressive and rude. And he could be violent.


His notorious golf club attack on John Arne Riise when the two men were Liverpool players under Rafa Benitez was revisited when Riise's book was published last month and it made Bellamy look ugly and thuggish.

But I also believe that Bellamy the coach is totally different to Bellamy the player. His attitude towards the game had begun to change before his playing career ended. He became a consummate professional, dedicated to training and fanatical about his fitness. He demanded his team-mates show the same dedication and will to win as he did.


That is what he has taken with him into coaching. Since his retirement as a player, he has quickly built a reputation as a fine coach. He came close to beating Ryan Giggs to the Wales job after producing a presentation that impressed the Welsh FA. A few months ago, he told me that, when he took over as the U18s boss at Cardiff City, he made it clear to his charges that he intended to set new standards for excellence in his team. He gathered the boys around and told them he was going to ask a lot of them in training, more than had been asked of them before.

He told them that some of them would find the requirement to give their all in training day after day hard to cope with. He asked them to try to stick with it because they would reap the rewards if they did. But he was honest, too. He said some of them would fall by the wayside. Football is a brutal industry like that. Not many kids make it.


So is Bellamy rigorous as a coach? Yes. Is he demanding? Yes. Is he uncompromising? Yes. Does he sometimes have to tell boys and their parents that, sadly, in his opinion, they are not going to be good enough to earn a professional contract at Cardiff City? Yes. Does any of that make him a bully? I don't believe so.


I know from speaking to him in the past how seriously he takes the welfare of his players. He has not forgotten the hardships he suffered when he was an apprentice. He is aware of how tough and how lonely it can be trying to make it. But he can be a hard taskmaster, too. The two things should not be mutually exclusive.

When Bellamy was a kid in the youth system at Norwich City, he was so homesick that he used to call his parents from a telephone box near his digs and stay in there weeping when the call had ended. Football is a hard business. It is a meritocracy. It does not make allowances for sentiment.


So where do we draw the line? Is talking harshly to a teenage boy bullying? Is telling him that he is not working hard enough bullying? Is telling him that he needs to improve bullying? Is telling him that he is not good enough bullying? If so, then Bellamy is guilty. If not, then maybe we should let a good, conscientious, dedicated coach get on with his job.


When the list of prices charged by clubs for kids to be mascots was published last week, the least surprising finding of a survey that illustrated the greed of Premier League clubs was that West Ham were right near the top with a tariff of £700.

If ever a hierarchy of a club summed up the old saying about people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing, it is the wrecking crew in charge at the arena we are now obliged to call the London Stadium.


One day, maybe, they will work out that they need to give something back to their supporters if they are to be regarded with anything other than derision.

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I like Oliver Holt; particularly on The Sunday Supplement. His opinions are balanced and he doesn't do knee-jerk journalism to appease the feeding frenzy masses

Here he gives his opinion on the Craig Bellamy situation and I think he's hit the proverbial nail on its head!

It all sounds of sour grapes, Bellars probably trying to get the team mindset together, and someone takes offence. I hope he doesn't become the victim in this.

Olly talking sense as usual.

The fact that the player in question is now on a football scholarship in the US says that he didn’t have what it takes to make it here ,
Sounds like sour grapes to me especially as it happened two years ago , why is it only coming to light now , which begs the question how would the player know about the turning of the tv down for GSTQ when that happened last summer during the World Cup

His dad used to be a player - his son is not good enough and the dad cannot handle the fact.

Some great responses above and it seems increasingly clear that Dave Madden (maybe not the boy himself) has made the situation very personal through his own vitriolic attack on Craig Bellamy via TalkSport and other media outlets but it seems to be imploding on him right now due to an apparent lack of substance and/or supporting evidence. Certainly, Madden's responses to questioning on the alleged transgressions that I heard on TalkSport were weak at best and the presenters appeared to pick up on that

It is noted that whilst a number of other media sources (clearly Media Wales have a valid 'local interest' in the story) have reported the accusations, none have gone much beyond that; a modern sign that they see this as a bit of a non-story in real terms

The greater picture here maybe one that should be more highlighted in the media and by footballing authorities themselves, i.e. the amount of abuse and/or potentially harmful accusations made towards coaches, match officials and other associated people on the back of a player/parent/guardian either not accepting a decision or taking (even mild) criticism or admonishment too personally; and that is at all levels in all sports

Far too easy to cast aspersions but not so easy to shake them off...even if proven false!

Let’s not forget though, Holt co write Bellamy’s book and is apparently a close friend.

Well written article. Makes some good points I hadn't thought of.

Maybe the kid should join the Army... the Snowflake!

Hard to know what's going on without being there but facts don't lie.

He's got the 18s up a level better than anyone else has managed.

They're Top of their league and have come on leaps and bounds from last season. + he has 3 players who have big potential to be first team players in a couple of years.

Let’s not forget though, Holt co write Bellamy’s book and is apparently a close friend.

That point was clearly pointed out in the article; if of course, you read it

Let’s not forget though, Holt co write Bellamy’s book and is apparently a close friend.

That point was clearly pointed out in the article; if of course, you read it

Yep, he (Holt) was clear on that

Funnily enough, I did read it before I made the post but not everyone will have read it and perhaps not everyone, has read Bellamy’s book.

Funnily enough, I did read it before I made the post but not everyone will have read it and perhaps not everyone, has read Bellamy’s book.

Lies

No one seems to grasp the point here.
I've pointed out lots and lots of times that the merits of the particular case are irrelevant. The problem is that he's caused a fuss again and in these politically correct days you just can't do that. I don't like it anymore than anyone else but you cannot afford to be accused of any trendy ism and imagine you'll find a way back.

Let me put it crudely, unfortunately Craig is a shit magnet and that's very unlikely indeed to change.

No one seems to grasp the point here.
I've pointed out lots and lots of times that the merits of the particular case are irrelevant. The problem is that he's caused a fuss again and in these politically correct days you just can't do that. I don't like it anymore than anyone else but you cannot afford to be accused of any trendy ism and imagine you'll find a way back.

Let me put it crudely, unfortunately Craig is a shit magnet and that's very unlikely indeed to change.

Point is firmly grasped but don't expect you to hold anything other than the opposing view, as you have an agenda

This particular case is hugely relevant (it's current) and I ask how has Craig himself "caused a fuss again"?

He has denied the accusation and he wasn't the one who brought it up or went to the media more than a year after the alleged occurrence; or are you saying he was?

Thankfully, guilty or not, most will wait and see what the evidence brings forth...

No one seems to grasp the point here.
I've pointed out lots and lots of times that the merits of the particular case are irrelevant. The problem is that he's caused a fuss again and in these politically correct days you just can't do that. I don't like it anymore than anyone else but you cannot afford to be accused of any trendy ism and imagine you'll find a way back.

Let me put it crudely, unfortunately Craig is a shit magnet and that's very unlikely indeed to change.

Point is firmly grasped but don't expect you to hold anything other than the opposing view, as you have an agenda

This particular case is hugely relevant (it's current) and I ask how has Craig himself "caused a fuss again"?

He has denied the accusation and he wasn't the one who brought it up or went to the media more than a year after the alleged occurrence; or are you saying he was?

Thankfully, guilty or not, most will wait and see what the evidence brings forth...

PS: What exactly can you not do in these 'politically correct' days?

Call people a (quote) "Shit magnet!" for example?

Let’s not forget though, Holt co write Bellamy’s book and is apparently a close friend.

and he made that admission so not sure what your point is.

I may be "old Skool" but god help the kid if he had taken up boxing or joined the forces. We're living in a fragile world if shit like this (allegedly) makes the news, never mind putting someone's job in jeopardy

No one seems to grasp the point here.
I've pointed out lots and lots of times that the merits of the particular case are irrelevant. The problem is that he's caused a fuss again and in these politically correct days you just can't do that. I don't like it anymore than anyone else but you cannot afford to be accused of any trendy ism and imagine you'll find a way back.

Let me put it crudely, unfortunately Craig is a shit magnet and that's very unlikely indeed to change.

Point is firmly grasped but don't expect you to hold anything other than the opposing view, as you have an agenda

This particular case is hugely relevant (it's current) and I ask how has Craig himself "caused a fuss again"?

He has denied the accusation and he wasn't the one who brought it up or went to the media more than a year after the alleged occurrence; or are you saying he was?

Thankfully, guilty or not, most will wait and see what the evidence brings forth...

PS: What exactly can you not do in these 'politically correct' days?

Call people a (quote) "Shit magnet!" for example?

Out of all that, the thing I find most wrong is that I've got an agenda - presumably an anti Bellamy one. Well that's not true. In fact I sincerely wish he could be part of the club and take on a senior role in the future because I do not forget his loyalty and commitment in the past.

It gives me no pleasure whatever to point out his shortcomings ,but we can't ignore the problems they can cause the club or the likelihood that he'll keep on repeating his unfortunate tendency to spark trouble. He's had lots of breaks at this stage and it's obvious that he can't change. I'm honestly very very sorry to be pointing this out but the club just can't afford these constant shennanigans from Craig because the unity,dignity and reputation of the Club at a managerial level is too important.

In answer to your question about political correctness , well I could write a book on that, but ignoring the causes of the malady,
few can have failed to notice that certain issues invoke an hysterical reaction on the part of the establishment and it's media echo chamber. One might refer to these as the "isms", ( many Jewish people call them " the deceptions "), but the practical consideration for the purpose of this conversation is this. An allegation of an "ism", ( and we can regard bullying as a borderline ism , undoubtedly associated vaguely in the peasant mind with child abuse), is irreversible. Once uttered , it is similar in nature to crying "witch!!!" in past times, and the facts and evidence are insufficient to resist it.

Do I approve of this ? No. Does it deeply offend my sense of logic and morality ? Oh yes it most certainly does . However , we must often adapt to unpleasant and tyrannical circumstances as human beings if we intend to survive them and keep the hope of change alive. The stark reality therefore is that we must be careful of our words today, just as people had to be in Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. We can foster the hope of a return to ideas of justice, free speech and equality, but no one can openly confront or challenge the dogma of the State or the collective hysterical rage which that State has created in the minds of the stupid people as a safeguard against the resurgence of such individualistic thoughts.

Bottom line then, I shall just repeat my original advice, but in light of the above - we must take care what we say iand do in public these days and much as I love Craig Bellamy, he can't manage that, and that's why we can't afford him at the club

No idea how that little picture of popcorn happened in the middle there

Dear Danny Says, at no point in this thread, does it mention that Oliver Holt helped CB with his book and is a friend, I just feel fans, should know this, so they can decide if Holt is the right person to defend CB or maybe is slightly biased.
Contrary to what LAN Blue says, I did read the article and think it’s a very good article written with a balanced view and I hope CB is totally exonerated as I think he’s got a lot to offer CC and football in general. CB maybe guilty of saying or doing something, without thinking of the consequences, which I imagine most of us on here, may have been guilty of aswell in the past. I hope this allegation doesn’t reduce his passion for football, which along which his many other attributes, got him to the very top of his profession.