Craig Bellamy
- This article is about the Welsh footballer. For the rugby league coach and former player, see Craig Bellamy (rugby league).
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Craig Douglas Bellamy | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Liverpool | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:08, 26 May 2007(UTC) | |||
Craig Douglas Bellamy (born July 13, 1979 in Canton, Cardiff) is a Welsh international football player. He currently plays for Liverpool F.C. in the English Premiership.
Early career
Bellamy came through the youth system of Norwich City after a short spell at Bradford Park Avenue. Played on trial at Bradford City FC, scoring 7 goals in three trial games. Was released as it was thought he would not make the grade as a professional soccer player. His first team debut for the "Canaries" came at Crystal Palace on 15 March 1997. Craig became a first team regular in the 1997-98 season, making 38 appearances with 13 goals. He missed the first two months of the 1998-99 season through injury after a clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Kevin Muscat, but still managed to have a successful season, amassing 17 goals in 38 appearances.
1999-00 again saw Bellamy miss a substantial amount of the season after sustaining a knee injury during a pre-season game against Southend United. He only returned to action in April 2000. The summer of 2000 saw much transfer speculation surrounding Bellamy with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Celtic and Wimbledon all reportedly interested. Bellamy eventually completed a move to Coventry City for a sum of £6.5 million (financed through the sale of Robbie Keane to Internazionale).
Coventry City
Bellamy had an unsuccessful start to his career with Coventry, scoring only three goals by December, two of which were penalties. This fueled rumours of a return to Norwich, but it never materialised. Coventry stood by their man despite them facing relegation and Bellamy stating that he would want to leave if they dropped down a division. This duly happened and despite his inability to find the net in a Sky Blue shirt, notching up 6 goals in 34 appearances, there was still demand for his services in amongst bigger teams.
Newcastle United
Bellamy's Newcastle career got off to a flying start as he scored on his debut in their 4-0 win over Belgian side Lokeren. Under manager Bobby Robson he formed a productive striking partnership with Alan Shearer, Bellamy's pace complementing the former England captain's guile. At the end of his first season, Bellamy was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year award, ahead of players such as Steven Gerrard.
During his second season at 'the toon' came probably his most important moment for the club as he scored two goals (including the winner) in the 3-2 win over Feyenoord which took Newcastle through to the second group stage of the UEFA Champions League. Unfortunately, in the next match (a 4-1 defeat to Inter Milan) he was sent off for kicking out at an Inter defender, which resulted in a three-match ban. In March 2004, he threw a chair at then-first-team coach John Carver.[1]
After Bobby Robson's departure in August 2004, Bellamy had a very public falling-out with his replacement as Newcastle manager, Graeme Souness. On 23 January 2005, Bellamy was omitted from the team for a Premiership match with Arsenal. Before the match, Souness said that Bellamy had a hamstring problem, but contradicted himself in a post-match interview, claiming that Bellamy was benched for being unwilling to play as a right-sided midfielder.
Minutes later, Bellamy gave an interview of his own saying that he was prepared to play in any position. He admitted that he had threatened to fake injury ahead of the Arsenal match, and in a later interview accused Souness of lying about him. Two days after the match, the club fined Bellamy two weeks' wages (about £80,000).[2] On January 31 2005 (transfer deadline day) Bellamy was sent on loan to Celtic of the Scottish Premier League for the remainder of the season. He shunned a move to Birmingham City, texting Souness and chairman Freddy Shepherd 'I am Craig Bellamy and I don't sign for shit football clubs.'[3]
Bellamy's feud with Newcastle United resurfaced in September 2006 following Liverpool's victory over the Magpies. Assistant Manager Terry McDermott branded Bellamy a "little upstart" after he was said to have interrupted a conversation McDermott was having with referee Mark Halsey after the match had finished.[4] McDermott earlier also revealed that Bellamy was hated at Newcastle.[5]
Celtic & Blackburn Rovers
He scored nine goals for Celtic in the remainder of the season. He was part of the squad that went onto win the Scottish Cup, his first career trophy. The club were keen to sign him permanently, but on 7 July 2005 it was announced that he was to return to the Premiership with Blackburn Rovers for a transfer fee rumoured to be between £2.5 million and £5 million. He signed a four year contract, and he was reunited with former Wales manager Mark Hughes, scoring seventeen goals for Blackburn (including two terrific efforts against Portsmouth) in a highly successful but injury-tempered season. Bellamy's rejuvenation sparked renewed interest in him from a handful of top clubs.
Craig Bellamy made himself further unwelcome at St James' Park when some abusive text messages were sent from his phone to club captain Alan Shearer after Newcastle's FA Cup semi-final defeat by Manchester United.[3] At the time, Shearer was with the Newcastle squad in Republic of Ireland for Jackie McNamara's testimonial golf day. Bellamy's agent has insisted his mobile had been lost at the time and he was not responsible for the texts. Kenneth Shepherd, son of Newcastle chairman Freddy, also received gloating text messages. Shearer is alleged to have threatened to "knock his block off" if Craig Bellamy returned to Newcastle United.[6]
Liverpool
On 20 June, 2006 he was the subject of a transfer bid from FA Cup winners Liverpool, rumoured to be in the region of £6.5 million. The offer triggered a clause in Bellamy's contract involving bids from clubs playing Champions League football, and Blackburn were obliged to allow him permission to talk to the club.
Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez subsequently stated that Bellamy "has the ability, the pace and the talent we've been looking for", and that he expected talks to go well, particularly as Bellamy is known to have supported Liverpool in his youth. [7] He signed for the club on 23 June 2006 and officially became a Liverpool player on July 1, 2006.[8]
Bellamy got off to a slow start for Liverpool. Despite an impressive pre-season and scoring on his debut against Maccabi Haifa, Bellamy struggled for Premiership goals, eventually scoring his first against former club Blackburn Rovers. Bellamy finally made an impact against Wigan Athletic, inspiring Liverpool to a 4-0 victory with two goals and one assist. It was his first game after being cleared of assaulting a woman in a Cardiff bar. He scored again two weeks later against Charlton Athletic and then got a fourth in four games against Watford on the 23 December, 2006. Followed by another goal on 13th of January against Watford to bring his season tally for Liverpool up to seven.
In February 2007 it was alleged that Bellamy attacked team mate John Arne Riise with a golf club during a team training session in Portugal.[9] Both players were fined two weeks pay by the team.[10] The incident earned him the nickname "The Nutter with the Putter". Manager Rafael Benítez has accepted the players' apology.[11] In the first match following the incident, away at Barcelona, Bellamy celebrated his 1-1 equalizer, after Deco had headed Barca into the lead, by emulating a golf stroke. What was even more remarkable is that he set up the winner in that match, assisting none other than John Arne Riise.
Bellamy announced to football results TV programme "Wales on Saturday" on the 28th of April 2007 that he will be leaving Liverpool FC come the summer transfer window. His given reasons were lack of communication with Liverpool FC manager Rafael Benítez and conflicting opinions on how Bellamy should be utilised in a match. [12]
The next day, Craig angrily dismissed this story on the club's official website, www.liverpoolfc.tv. He was dissapointed that he had to deal with this issue while preparing for such a big match as the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea. Bellamy reassured the fans that he is 100% committed to the club. He even stated that Rafa Benítez was the manager he has admired most during his career and wishes to emulate Rafa if he ever chooses to pursue a career in football management.
Liverpool went on to win the semi-final, and while at the sidelines, Craig could be seen talking to Benítez and the their relationship seemed to look fine. He was however, left on the bench as an unused substitute in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final as Liverpool lost 2-1 to A.C. Milan
He has been linked with a move to cash flush Aston Villa FC, AS Roma and West Ham United F.C. in the 2007 summer transfer window. Celtic F.C are keen on taking the player back to Parkhead, and although premiership interest may see the SPL champions miss out, a recent video of Bellamy singing Celtic songs has added credibility to this link. He is also being strongly linked with a return to his former club, Blackburn Rovers with fellow welshman Mark Hughes seen as an attractive option for the Welsh hitman. It has been reported on the 6th of July that West Ham had entered into negotiations to buy the striker, and that talks were at an advanced stage, with the possibility of Yossi Benayoun being included in the deal.
International career
Craig Bellamy made his international debut for Wales during the 1997-98 season, playing in a friendly game against Jamaica.
In October 2006, Bellamy was awarded the captain's armband by Welsh manager John Toshack when Ryan Giggs was unavailable through injury for the Euro 2008 qualifier against Slovakia. His captaincy got off to a poor start with a 5-1 defeat. However, in his second game as captain against Cyprus, Wales won 3-1. Bellamy was appointed captain of the Wales national football team following the retirement of Giggs on 2 June, 2007.
To date he has attained 45 caps, scoring 14 international goals.
Personal life
Craig’s father, Douglas, was the manager of the Allied steel and wire plant in Cardiff before being made redundant when the firm went bankrupt. Craig’s mother Angela was a care worker. Craig’s grandfather is ethnic Malteser. Craig has two brothers, one older one Paul (who works in a SWALEC call centre) and one younger brother named Matthew (who is an apprentice welder) and has recently revealed Dan Robinson (comedian) to be considered as a brother.
Craig attended Baden Powell School in the Splott area of Cardiff where he lived as a toddler. The Bellamy family then moved to the Trowbridge, Cardiff council estate where Craig attended Trowbridge Junior School and Rumney High School. Craigs father Dougie was the Manager of Caer Castell FC for whom Craig played at Junior level, before being spotted by a Norwich City FC scout. It was brother Paul who first informed his father that Craig had a real talent for football. Since then his supportive father drove Craig to football events all over the country.
Bellamy has a long term childhood sweetheart Claire Jansen, and the couple have two young boys, Ellis (b. 1997) and Cameron (b. 2001) and are expecting a third child to be born in a few months time. On 3 June, 2006 the couple married at their local St Bride's Church in St Brides-super-Ely, Vale of Glamorgan near Cardiff.[13] Bellamy hired a pink Rolls Royce for his bride, and drove himself to the ceremony in his Black Bentley.[14]
While Bellamy was on loan at Celtic, a Scottish newspaper published a kiss and tell story alleging that Bellamy cheated on partner Clare in a two-and-a half-year long affair with a 'busty' stripper named Mickela while at Newcastle United. [15]
Their honeymoon was interrupted as Bellamy was due back in Cardiff to answer to Magistrates over his bail extension, following an alleged assault on a 19-year-old girl in a Cardiff nightclub in March 2006, in which he allegedly grabbed the girl's throat,[16]; he was later acquitted.[17]
In June 2007 Bellamy was spotted in Freetown, Sierra Leone helping to build schools and helping local communities.
Honours
Celtic
- 2004–05 Scottish FA Cup
Liverpool
- 2006–07 Community Shield
Personal Awards
In 2002, Norwich fans voted Bellamy into the Norwich City F.C. Hall of Fame.
References
- ^ "Newcastle ready to offload Bellamy", The Guardian, 24 January 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Newcastle fine Bellamy after row", BBC Sport, 25 January 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ a b "Drunken Bellamy in Text Rant at Shearer", The Sunday Mirror, 24 April 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Craig Bellamy is branded a "little upstart" by Terry McDermott". 22 September 2006. Retrieved 24 September.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bellamy was hated, says McDermott", BBC Sport, 3 February 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "I'll knock your block off, Shearer warns Bellamy", Evening Standard, 27 April 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Rafa: Bellamy is a very good footballer". Liverpool FC Official Website. 20 June 2006. Retrieved 22 June.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Craig Bellamy: The first Liverpool interview". Liverpool FC Official Website. 22 June 2006. Retrieved 23 June.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ and was banned from going on away trips with the clubBellamy faces uncertain future as Liverpool reel from golf club attack", The Guardian, 19 February 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Bellamy fined £80,000 and facing axe over Riise bust-up", The Daily Mail, 19 February 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Benítez accepts players' apology", BBC Sport, 21 February 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Bellamy announces plans to leave Liverpool FC", Wales on Saturday, 28 April 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
- ^ "Bad Boy Bel weds". The Sunday Mirror. 4 June 2006. Retrieved 23 June.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Wedding bells for Bellers". Wales on Sunday. 4 June 2006. Retrieved 23 June.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4301907.stm.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Bellamy 'grabbed woman's throat'", BBC News, 23 November 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2007.
- ^ "Craig Bellamy cleared of assault", BBC News, 29 November 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2007.