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Welsh international and Manchester City discard Craig Bellamy has agreed to go down a division by joining Championship side Cardiff City on a year-long loan until the end of the season. The temperamental Bellamy was left out of Manchester City’s 25-man Premier League squad at the start of the month and earlier reports from Eastlands suggested that the 31-year old would quit from football altogether if he is not able to play for City again this season. Yet the former Celtic, Newcastle and Liverpool man has decided to stay a bit closer to home by sacrificing his Premier League status and help Dave Jones’ Premier League aspirants gain promotion next season.
A statement on Manchester City’s website read: “Manchester City can confirm that Craig Bellamy has agreed to join Championship club Cardiff City on a season-long loan. He will be officially unveiled in South Wales later today, and subject to Premier League and Football League ratification will join up with Dave Jones’s side in time to make his debut at home to Doncaster Rovers at the weekend.”
Craig Bellamy: Time to bid goodbye
After it was confirmed that Bellamy is poised to leave the City of Manchester Stadium sooner rather than later, clubs such as Celtic, Sunderland and Tottenham jostled for the signature of the much travelled controversial striker. Yet, the former Coventry City man has chosen to play for his hometown club, a move well supported by City who did not wish to let go of the player to a Premier League rival. Other than Cardiff City, Tottenham Hotspur were the frontrunners to sign the player on a long term basis and manager Harry Redknapp did not hide his disappointment by suggesting that it would be a waste for Bellamy to play in England’s second tier or the Championship. According to the experienced Spurs manager, “Good luck to Cardiff but it would be a waste of an outstanding player. He should stay in the Premier League for sure. He is a Premier League player – a top Premier League player in my opinion.”
Craig Bellamy is considered to be a maverick in English football. He is not settled as his other 30-year old compatriots namely Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes. He is like a gypsy in English football, never ever surviving more than four years in one club. Bellamy has had an eventful playing career having scored 112 goals in 301 games but his exploits off the field are discussed more often than his goals at clubs such as Norwich City, Coventry City, Newcastle United, Celtic, Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool, West Ham United and Manchester City.
May be playing in the Championship is a demotion for Bellamy in terms of the quality of opposition but the Wales captain would always continue to score goals, play with passion and ofcourse get under the skin of opponents and critics alike. The Npower Championship is set to become a bit too spicy come August 21.
