Bellamy and Cardiff .... OVER

Same club, different boss – groundhog day

After all the rumours and counter rumours surrounding former Cardiff City loan signing Craig Bellamy he has decided to rejoin one of his former clubs - Liverpool. He left the Welsh training camp where he is preparing for Wales Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro to dart up to Liverpool for talks, which would mainly be about wages which were supposed to be a problem.

If they were a problem they have been sorted to a satisfactory conclusion to all involved now. Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez signed the Welshman in 2006/7.

Without Manchester City playing ball it was always going to be unlikely he would return to the Cardiff City Stadium, as a Cardiff playeranyway.

He did say at the end of last season, “They know I only want to play for them in the Premier League I don’t want to play for anyone else. 

“They are my club and if I can’t play for them I won’t play for anyone else apart from Cardiff.”

Some fans will knock him for making the above comment and ending up at Liverpool. At the end of the day, if the best situation of him is Liverpool it is his choice. He signed a two year deal and this Cardiff City wishes him all the best.

Bellamy to Celtic maybe



Looks like Craig Bellamy could be crossing the border again, but not the Welsh/English, but the Scottish/English border too Celtic.

The rumour today is that Manchester City are open to talks with Celtic over a deal with the blessing of City boss Roberto Mancini. It looks like they are talking about a season long loan deal with Celtic paying a size able percentage of his £90,000-a-week wages.

Mancini is eager by all accounts to see Bellamy go north of the border then to a Premier league club where there is a chance he could back and haunt him. Bellamy would then be a free agent at the end of next season, but I think is days of such high wages would have gone then.

Any hope of him coming back to Cardiff where he spent last season on loan look dead in the water. The only hope for his return to the Cardiff City Stadium would be if Manchester City bosses paid up the final year of his contract and let him go. Mancini said,

"It is possible there have been conversations about Craig Bellamy between us and Celtic.

"I met Craig two days ago at Carrington. He told me something I want to keep to myself. What I said two days ago was that if Celtic want Craig, he is a good player, and I think he can go."

Two lined up to sign tomorrow

CARDIFF City are hoping that the drawn out transfer of Scottish striker Kenny Miller will be over tomorrow as the Bluebirds wait for a piece of paper from Bursaspor to complete the deal. Also keyed up to sign tomorrow is Rudy Gestede the young striker who had a trial while Cardiff was on pre-season training in Spain.

The young Frenchman must have impressed the Cardiff manager Malky Mackay and his staff because they asked him to come back to Cardiff at the end of the Spain trip. However, the player decided to go back to France think things over. He was in Cardiff yesterday according to reports for a medical and will sign tomorrow. Mackay said about the youngest,

“He is joining us on a permanent basis. Rudy is 6ft 3ins tall, he has pace and has an aerial presence. It’s a learning process because he is, at 22, still young, but he has a lot of potential.”

As for the Miller deal, it was completed Thursday with an announcement expected on Friday, but without the necessary paperwork Cardiff were left in limbo until tomorrow anyway when it should all be finalised. City boss Malky Mackay said,

“We are just waiting for an international document – and that’s on the way.
“We have agreed the fee and personal terms, while Kenny has taken and passed his medical. He trained at the Vale of Glamorgan yesterday while we were at Bournemouth for our match.
"Then he went to bring his family down to South Wales.”

If they both sign they should play some part in the Yeovil friendly Tuesday night with only the Parma friendly on Saturday left before the new season kicks off for Cardiff the following Sunday. With the least signings were will that leave the proposed signing of Dundee United striker David Goodwillie. Cardiff are rumoured to have had an offer excepted for the striker and are waiting on the outcome of a court involved the striker.

Then there is Craig Bellamy who is looking for a permanent move with his preferred destination, Cardiff City. His wages are putting the frighteners on clubs interested in signing him and the fact Manchester City want a £4 million-transfer fee. There are not many options left for the Welshman if he stays with the premiership club it will be a season in City’s reserves or a new club. With a season left on his contract, he is hoping Manchester City will do some kind of deal, pay-off his wages, and tearing up what is left of his contract allowing him to move on.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said,

"To be honest, I don't want to go on loan again because where would I go after that?"
"A permanent move would be the best option for me.
"If not, I expect to stay the whole year at City.
"I'll obviously do very little. I won't be involved with the manager and the first-team."

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay as refuse to talk about Bellamy say he is a Manchester City player remained tight-lipped. It is not sure if Mackay wants Bellamy back. Will he fit into his game plan? One thing is for sure he will not be playing the Dave Jones way.

Bellamy in limbo

Craig Bellamy will stay with Manchester City if he cannot secure a deal to move away according to press reports. Clubs and fall over themselves to sign the Welshman to the miles of news print surrounding him. However, there is a major obstacle is his wages at £90,000-a-week wages beyond most clubs even those in the Premiership.

Manchester City wanted £4m transfer deal and seem to be holding out for it and they do not want to be stuck paying some of his wages. Bellamy wants Cardiff, but he is miles out of reach of the club, e.g. wages. Cardiff Malaysians owners have stated they could only offer £30-a-week in the way of wages. Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay is keep very much tight lipped on the subject of Bellamy and Cardiff City. 

Bellamy faces a season in limbo with Manchester City, simply shown yesterday while City manager Roberto Mancini and his squad were on their pre-season tour of North America playing Mexican side Club America. Craig Bellamy was playing in a City XI team against non-league Altrincham, and when he was replaced early in the second half he left the field to a 'mixture of cheers and boos, ( Manchester Evening Post ) allow the Altrincham official match report said 'City faithful rapturously applauded their favourite as he left the pitch, having been City's best player to this point'. He was the most senior player on show was not made captain that honour went to an unknown 20-year-old.

At reserve level Manchester City are represented by the Elite Development Squad who play in the Premier Reserve League is that the future for Bellamy? With a year left on his contract worth, £4m + he would be crazy to jeopardize that kind of payday. It looks likely him will get his wages so the only way out really is to pay him off and let him find a club it is not as if they cannot afford it. Bellamy has never said he doesn't want to play for Man City it is the management at has frozen him out.

The mad,mad, mad world of Craig Bellamy



Things just get stranger and stranger in the rumours surrounding Craig Bellamy today he has been heavily link with Celtic who have come up with a plan according to newspaper reports.

To overcome Bellamy yearning for family life Celtic are suggesting he could train with Cardiff City and fly up to Scotland for games! That is if the Cardiff boss Malky Mackay does not mind. Another newspaper reported Cardiff were will to pay Manchester City £3 million for the Welshman, but could only afford to pay him £30,000 a-week. A nice chunk of cash, but Celtic are willing to pay up to 75% of his £90,000 a-week to take him on loan with the Manchester City making up the rest of his wages. There want a £4 million transfer fee for the striker and might not be will to loan him out.

Bellamy in the past has said he only wants to play for Cardiff City or Manchester City, but Cardiff City manager has remained tight lipped on the subject while the fans and press do all the talking. While at Manchester City he is one of the unclean and has been frozen out of pre-season along with a number other unwanted players. So is he on gardening duties or traning with the U10's.

Bellamy is not hard up for suitors many a clubs would like to sign him as well as Celtic. Another club in the press today was West Ham, their new boss Sam Allardyce is a long time admirer of the Welshman, but with them in the Championship he said before he would only drop out of the Premiership for Cardiff.

Bellamy and Welshness

The Sunday Mirror is suggesting that Cardiff City are willing to pay Manchester City £3 million for Craig Bellamy and would offer the Welsh striker a two year contract at £30,000 a week.

That would make the highest paid player at the club, but it would be a massive reduction in his reported £90,000 a week he his get at Manchester City. It could be the price he will have to pay for the family he was enjoying last season. If not, he will be moving not from Manchester anyway.

A host of clubs are interested in signing him, but I will mean live away from his Cardiff based family. Everton up to Celtic and some in-between are rumoured to be interested in signing him and will probably offer move in wages.

The end is nigh, wait a minute there is no little Welsh flag on the new Cardiff City shirt is the world coming to an end. In today's Sunday Mirror, the back page headline screams out 'Dragon Slayer' over the dropping of the symbol with a nice picture of TG and a nice front shot of the new shirt with the word Malaysia blazed across it.

The Mirror is using the dropping of the flag to show the club full under the control of the Malaysian owners and have some fans up in arms over the whole issue. Do you they think the players sit in the dressing room looking at the flag shout in 'for Wales'. There is very little Welshness in the sqaud anyway. One fans said,

"I think it's sad. We're the capital city of Wales and we should have a Welsh identity. I don't mind them having Malaysia on the shirt - if it helps to bring in extra revenue, that would be great. But don't try to throw away our Welshness"

I have a problem with unnamed Cardiff City fan how will losing a tiny Welsh flag be throwing away our Welshness? The whole flag thing come in after his Welshness Sam Hammam was going through is Cardiff City = Wales which was a joke and slapped that awful St David's badge on the shirt. Most Cardiff City fans and fans from other clubs will in the most put their club before country, I do.

See Link - Headline

Will Bellamy return

Manchester City has hired John Williams former supremo at Blackburn Rovers reported in the national press. Hired according to press to help clear out the unwanted high earners at City one of those being Craig Bellamy. They have a round a dozen players they want to clear of the wage bill on wages that could bale Greece out for their finance problems.

With a year left on his Manchester City contract worth nearly £4 million to the Bellamy that the moment he will be sitting out next season in the reserve if he can get a game. They would like a £4 million transfer fee for their striker with Celtic, Stoke and Everton are rumoured to be interested in signing him.

Bellamy enjoyed his time on loan at Cardiff last season was well as the football it also brought him some quality family life. He was not happy about the outcome at the end and has stated on numerous occasion his wish to return to Cardiff for next season. He is due to return for Sierra Leone where he has been working with the youngest at his Craig Bellamy Foundation. Next week he plans to meet with officials from Manchester City to discuss his future where he will ask to be allowed to walk away free. He would probably have to some kind of deal with his wages if they were agreeable with that.

It would be down to manager Malky Mackay if he was to return to Cardiff and he would have to take a massive cut in wages to rejoin the club. Even if he were, will to take the cut in wages, would he fit into Mackay’s plans?

Bellamy after free transfer

Cardiff bound for another
season?

Craig Bellamy wants Manchester City to grant him a free transfer so he could rejoin Cardiff City. The Manchester club wanting a £4 million transfer fee for the Welshman perhaps out of the reach of Cardiff City to pay from one player.

A number of Premiership clubs have expressed an interest in signing Bellamy in the past he is only interested in playing for Manchester City or Cardiff City. Is options with the Premier League club is well and truly dead and he will not be part of 25 squad Manchester City have to name before the start of the new season if he was to stay. His only other option is to move away and he wants to come to Cardiff.

The new Cardiff City boss Malky Mackey will have to wait and see what happens as Bellamy is still under contract to Manchester City and just cannot talk to him and must wait and see how the story unfolds. Does Mackey want him? He talked about is passion and desire so it will be a case of wait and see. There is of course his wages, which would be an obstacle to any interested teams.

Bothroyd and Whittingham rumour

Sunday rumours involving Cardiff City have the rumour mill turning a bit faster. In the News of the world they have Jay Bothroyd on the verge of signing for Everton while in the Sunday Mirror he has agreed terms. It would be a good move for the striker if the story is true better than Celtic who ex-City star Joe Ledley has been plugging in the press.

Everton boss David Moyes is reported to be his offer in first with Sunderland, Fulham and Celtic in the wings also interested if paper reports are to believe. With a small transfer budget the Everton can snap up the 28-year-old striker on a free transfer after he failed to agree a new contract with Cardiff.

While Bothroyd who is an ex-Cardiff player is constantly in the rumour mill today there is a report that newly promoted Norwich are interested in Cardiff's midfielder Peter Whittingham. The Sunday People are suggesting they are set to make a £1 million bid for the player. Whittingham is a stalwart of the Cardiff City midfield signed a two-year contract extension in the summer of 2010 keeping him with the Bluebirds until summer of 2013.

After loosing out on receiving transfer fees for Ledley, Bothroyd, Matthews and Burke would the club be tempted to sell and actually bank some money.

Norwich's local rivals Ipswich Town were linked with Michael Chopra only yesterday and in the Metro they had Tottenham interested in Craig Bellamy.

Bellamy playing for free??

Big Cardiff City story in the South Wales Echo today gives it away in the front-page headlines

'GRAIG READY TO PLAY FOR FREE NEXT SEASON'

There is no official word from the play himself, but a confidant and sources. He is according to the paper desperate to help Cardiff into the Premier league and wants to stay at the Cardiff City Stadium. It's well-known he has enjoy family life since joining Cardiff and is on record as only interested in playing for his present club Manchester City or Cardiff City where he spent last season on loan.

If he was to forgo his wages that would possible be a first for a footballer, at present he receives £90,000 a-week, £360,000 a-month and a massive £4,320,000 a year who would chuck that kind of money away. He might have a health bank balance, but with a reported two years left on his Manchester City contract that's £8,640,000.

Best option would be all parties to do some kind of a deal with Manchester City on his wages and take a massive cut to play for Cardiff it would be an option. He has no future with the Manchester club and with him adamant he will play nowhere else it's a deal that could be done. They should be more on the story later in the day.

Sunderland chase two ex-Cardiff players

It's the turn of Sunderland manager Steve Bruce to express an interest in soon to be next Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd. Bruce is also interested in Craig Bellamy both were main assets for Cardiff City last season.

Bothroyd already is rumoured to have a number club waiting to open talks with him about his future. With no transfer fee to worry about clubs have only his wages to consider with Steve Bruce rumour to be offering around £30,000 pre-week to the striker, a considerable increase on his wage packet with Cardiff.

Everton, Fulham or Celtic are looking for a striker to boost their attacking options for next season.

Has for Craig Bellamy he has made plenty of noise about wanting to stay at Cardiff, but can the club afford him? Last week there was talk of a player/coach role being offered to Bellamy, but with a transfer fee plus his wages to find it could be a case of 'a bridge too far' for the Bluebirds. Bolton are said to want him and today Sunderland are ready to enter any race if he becomes available.

His career is over at Manchester City and they are reported to want £4 million for him when they paid £14 million in January 2009

Player/Coach role for Bellamy?

So Craig Bellamy player/coach with or without present boss Dave Jones there are a lot of opinions out there in the press and among the fans, but my first thoughts are simply, interesting. If he does take the role he would be a ticking bomb just over the shoulder of manager Dave Jones or any new manager as a new boss in waiting.

The striker has stated he is only interested in playing for two team Manchester City and Cardiff City with the latter reported to have opened provisional talks with the Premiership club. They look set to grant his wish and let him go, but it could cost the Bluebirds around £4 million in a transfer fee according to the South Wales Echo. It would have to be a transfer? Can you have a player on loan and having him has a coach as well?

The major stumbling block over any move would be is wages at Manchester City he is on £90,000-per-week of which they were paying a reported £70,000 of his wages during his loan spell at Cardiff. He still has two years left with the Premiership club worth over £9 million in wages to the player.

Another season for Bellamy

Earlier in the week there was a rumour that Manchester City were considering using Craig Bellamy along with Dedryck Boyata plus cash in a deal to sign defender Gary Cahill. Other rumours have Everton and Stoke City also interested in the striker all rumours and there with probably a few more will pop up.

Bellamy himself has been taking about his future and expressed his willingness to stay with Cardiff City promotion or not. It is great news if it was to happen, but it will be down to Manchester City where he will end up they have been very quiet on his future. He has said he does not want to play for another club in the Premier League or fact move to a European club. However, his wages at £90.000 per-week are way out of the reach of Cardiff even if they do reach the Premier League and would Manchester City be will to still fund his wages. The Malaysians have helped fund part of Bellamy's loan deal wages, but without the Premiership club help could it be something they could take on.

To-date Bellamy has no talks over his and Manchester City plans for the rest of his contract, which has two years left to run. The only Premiership club he would consider playing for is Manchester City, but how likely is that with manager Roberto Mancini in change. There is plenty of talk about the owners bring in a new manager just have to wait until the end of their season.

Bellamy doubtful?

Cardiff City flew into Preston yesterday for today's all important game after Cardiff backer billionaire backer Vincent Tan loan the players his private plane. It's a must win to keep the pressure on second place Norwich for an automatic promotion spot while hoping Derby show the same form that saw them beat Leeds and draw with QPR. On the weekend they failed to carry on their winning ways losing 4-2 to play-off chasing Burnley.

It's believed Cardiff boss Dave Jones as one small problem over who will be in the starting the game?. Will he rest Captain Craig Bellamy who has played three games in just over a week? Bellamy's personal trainer tweeted moments ago,

"Later this morning decision whether CB will play with Cardiff vs Preston. From physical point of view it's a no go. But it's crunch time...."

following by

"Interesting dilemma. Automatic promotion to Premier League is on the line. Will manager risk player & maybe lose him for possible play-offs?"

Raymond Verheije twitter

You call bet boss Dave Jones will not be unhappy over this rumour coming from someone so close to the player. Will he keep to the eleven that started against QPR on Saturday are we he make changes with Michael Chopra and Mark Hudson both on the bench against the Londoners.

Preston have a lot to fight for like Championship survival, they could even be relegated today if results go wrong for them.

Not good viewing if you are a Preston fan

Bellamy arrested on suspicion of assault

'Chippy Lane'

News is breaking at Cardiff City striker Craig Bellamy has been arrested over the incident outside a night club ‘Eden Lounge’ early Sunday morning.

A South Wales Police spokesman said:

"A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and has been bailed pending further inquiries."

The facts of exactly what happen during the incident are sketchy but two men, aged 20 and 26, sustained facial injuries in the fracas.

A club spokesman said:

"We are aware of the reported incident involving one of our players last weekend and feel it would be inappropriate to comment while an ongoing police investigation is under way.

He is expected to be in the squad for the game at Norwich City on Saturday if he is consider to be fit enough

Bellamy attacked

According to the Sun newspaper, Cardiff City player Craig Bellamy with attack outside a nightclub early Sunday morning while out with friends.

It is known why the player was attack but an onlooker said he was asked for an autograph then challenged to a bizarre sprint race?

The paper is suggesting he was ambushed by five man on leave the club after trading blows he managed to jump into a near by taxi. A source at Cardiff City confirmed Bellamy was hit in the fracas and is sporting bruising on his forehead.

Friends of Bellamy became involved has they were leaving the nightclub with Police confirming two men were injured Police have appealed for witnesses.

Link ....... The Sun