Football Food For Thought / Paul Moon / 12 September 2008 / 1

Pablo Luna - Moonlighting for Betfair. Pablo looks at the incident-filled career of Wales and West Ham star Craig Bellamy and wonders what he could achieve if he stayed fit and out of trouble.

Craig Bellamy is the epitome of the lack of class of some young modern day footballers! This malcontent is one of those players that have me foolishly shouting at my television screen in despair. I am not sure what angers me most - his personality or his under achievement!

From spats with team-mates to public wrangling with coaches and trainers, Bellamy has never been far from the spotlight. Whether he is faking an injury or unwilling to play in a certain, position he is a manager's nightmare!

His appalling attitude is worse when you consider his ability. He foolishly revels in his bad boy image! Most of his actions are premeditated and idiotic with violent undertones, which makes it worse. He's had huge bust-ups with every single manager he played for.

He found fame when he formed a productive and real striking partnership at Newcastle with Alan Shearer in 2001/02. At the end of the season he was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year and a glorious career beckoned.

In his second season he experienced his most important football moment for the club as he scored two goals (including the winner) in the 3-2 win over Feyenoord. This took Newcastle through to the second group stage of the UEFA Champions League.

But then true to form, in the next match he was sent off for kicking out at Inter defender Marco Materazzi, which resulted in a three-match ban. The Welshman had already served a three- match European ban that season for head-butting the Dynamo Kiev defender Tiberiu Ghioane. This set the tone for the rest of his career so far.

The fiery striker has cost £31m in transfer fees, playing for seven clubs, proof that managers acknowledge his potential on the pitch, despite his baggage off it. I struggle to recognise that. Apart from the brief honeymoon period for Newcastle, he has not been a net contributor to any of them and he always leaves a bad taste after his departure.

In 12 years he has started in only 224 games. True, he has scored 96 goals in that period but nullifies his worth by consistently getting booked and suspended. For example, last season he played just 12 times for West Ham and scored six goals whilst getting booked 3 times - a very good reflection of what Bellamy is all about. I wonder if his catalogue of injuries is due to a lack of professionalism thus adding to his down time. He is yet to play a full 90 minutes this season for West Ham (£7.5m and a club-record signing).

So what does Toshack (Wales Manager) do with this troublemaker? Yes of course, make him captain of his country. What a mistake that was, how can he be captain material and what positives could he bring to the team? Perhaps it would be best to keep the threshold of expectation low? I would just ask him to get and keep fit, score goals, and not get booked.

His scoring record for Wales is quite impressive with 15 goals in 49 performances. He is a key player when fit and playing with a balanced mind but how does his manager facilitate that? How does he stop his loutish behaviour or his gratuitous profanities on and off the pitch? How does he convince him he is not bigger than the team? I do not know the answer.

West Ham United travel to The Hawthorns on Saturday 13 September 2008. Latest Betfair odds show: West Brom [2.52] West Ham [3.2] Draw [3.35]. The new appointment of Gianfranco Zola and all the excitement that goes with it now makes this a tough match to call and I make the draw favourite.

I commend Bellamy's efforts to help children in Sierra Leone, the country at the bottom of the United Nations Human Development Index. If only he showed that maturity whilst playing football.

See: https://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article11031.ece

'.$sign_up['title'].'

'; } } ?>

(1)

1. jessi stamp | 04 April 2009

   Harsh, but fair. Countless incidents have surrounded bellamy throughout his career, and pretty much all of them down to himself. A good player at best, his 'big time' attitude is that he thinks he's a great player. Man City with all that money, spend a hefty chunk on him. Do not understand. His recent comments about his own countries failing performances are really not what you expect from your captain. I like to hear from footballers with opinions, rather than the predictable cliches that their taught. But he's way too outspoken and his comments could end up damaging the squad. Keep your mouth shut, keep fit and score goals.

:

:

:

?

: