Craig Bellamy was, shall we say, a fiery character during his playing days. Off the field, there was a fight with John Carver at Newcastle International Airport in 2004 and an attack with John Arne Riise’s golf club when they were Liverpool team-mates.
I suspect, like many football supporters, I would pay good money to be a fly on the wall at any of these events.
Bellamy says the first row started when he pulled into Carver’s parking lot at the training ground; second, when he accused Riise of cheating on the golf course. Boys will be boys, eh, especially in the dog-eat-dog world of elite sport.
Bellamy’s two red cards in the 2002-03 Champions League campaign, each earning a three-match ban, were less entertaining. The first red headed “Dynamo” Kyiv defender in the main time; The next for throwing punches in the first minutes of the match against Milan Inter. The intended victim was notorious businessman Marco Materazzi, who knew Bellamy would always take the bait.
Having never visited Ukraine, I didn’t witness his Glasgow kiss with Tiberiu Ghioane, although I was at St James’ Park the night he damaged the team’s play-off prospects. Like almost the entire Toon Army, I was very disappointed but not too surprised by Bellamy’s behavior against Inter.
He had some credit in the bank. Only months ago, the Welshman scored the vital goals against Feyenoord in Rotterdam to secure United’s place in the second group stage of the Champions League.
One thing that can separate a great athlete from a good athlete is the ability to stay in control regardless of the circumstances. Lose yourself and you may lose the battle.
A favorite example of one player deceiving another player in a diversionary game is Shearer and Keane in 2001 when the one and only United were leading Salfords 4-3. Late in the second inning, the son of a metal worker from Gosforth was prevented from putting Keanon’s fastball into play. Words were exchanged, there was some hand-me-downs and the Irish midfielder was shown a yellow card. He lost it trying to punch our No.9. Yellow was renewed and Keane had to go on a walk of shame. “Shearer! Shearer!” Good days.
Fast forward (pardon the pun) and Bellamy is manager of the Wales national team, while Shearer makes his money as a pundit for any broadcaster willing to hire him.
It wasn’t something I expected either man to do after they stopped playing: Shearer wasn’t articulate in his twenties, while Bellamy was always ready to explode. We can say impossible management material.
Memories of the shifty and vertically challenged speedster came flooding back this week as he stood on the touchline for the UEFA Nations League clash between Wales and Norway. The fourth judge listened patiently as Bellamy argued one decision after another. Honestly, I still think he could have started an argument if he was sitting alone in a phone booth and the line went dead.
The match was more entertaining and exciting than anything England mustered in this interminable international break. Wales embraced the idea of passing the ball forward quickly to speedy teammates who ran into space. I’m sure it will never catch on. . .
After the 2:1 victory, the manager made interesting statements. Wales were on a six-match winless streak that began with a World Cup play-off defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina in March. He was under pressure.
Some Wales fans were not impressed when Craig Bellamy negotiated with Burnley in the summer. Although the hostility clearly got on his nerves, he ultimately decided to stay with the national team.
He said he felt the people in the postgame press conference “We could be kinder to each other” After revealing the negativity directed at him, it also affected his family.
“It’s not me, but I have children and a wife; it’s for them; they see it” he said.
“I’ve lived in that environment and I’ve had that as a player, but I think there are ways to talk to people and just because it’s a game we love doesn’t give us the right to think we can say whatever we want.
“Why can’t we have each other’s backs? Why don’t we look out for each other more? Maybe it’s me.
“I’m not saying that everyone is immune to criticism. But I think it’s too easy and we’re too quick.”
A thought for today from a former firefighter. It’s a funny old game, as Greavesie likes to say.
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