Bellers on Hughes

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Bellers on Hughes

Postby Sister of fu » Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:00 pm

Bellamy grateful to City boss Hughes
Wales captain Craig Bellamy will lead his side out against Finland on Saturday thankful to Mark Hughes for the backing he has received. The 30-year-old has re-discovered his form and desire under Manchester City boss Hughes - Wales' manager before John Toshack took charge of the national team - as he competes with the legion of world stars City have amassed.
He will win his 58th cap on Saturday as Wales attempt to salvage third spot in Group Four after a draining campaign in a pool dominated by Germany and Russia, and heads into the match in confident mood.
"I am with familiar faces (Mark Hughes, Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki) - the people at City who have helped me when they were running Wales," he said.
"These are people you would give everything for, I would trust them with my life. When you are in that position and are comfortable around them, you would give everything for them.
"I have been involved with Mark Hughes since I was 16. If anyone knows me as a player, he does. It is as simple as that.
"I know where I am, he talks to me before a game and I understand him. I've had Bobby Robson who has also done that for me, sometimes some people around you know who you are and know how you like to do things.
"They take time to get the best out of each individual, some people don't do that. I respond when people understand me. I know what is expected of me.
"When you trust people with your life you will do anything for them. It just seems to come off."
The bitter contrast for Bellamy is that with City he is working with the very best, while with Wales it is a tough battle every inch of the way.
He said: "If Wales are to win this game against Finland, I will have to play a big part. I will have to do more sprints, cover more ground and run as much as I can.
"With luck then my ability might make a difference in the game. These days I am getting butterflies in my stomach before games. I know I am going to run myself into the ground and whatever happens then is a bonus.
"It is always tough for a nation like ours. We are small and do not have a vast amount of players. We feel injuries more than top nations."
Back in March, after Finland won a Group Four game in Cardiff that effectively ended Wales' hopes of qualification for South Africa next summer, Bellamy was scathing of the Finns and of Wales' predicament.
He said: "The defeat by Finland in March in Cardiff was the lowest point in this group, but not in my Wales career. What hurts me more is that we have sometimes not been able to compete.
"Not being able to offer competition is the most demoralising thing you can be involved in. We were just poor against Finland, and they won.
"After that game was not the greatest time for me to be talking, I was very emotional. I realised I was injured, I would miss the rest of the season and I had given everything to play in the game.
"It really hit home that I would be struggling, the defeat hit me a bit more."
Bellamy added: "If I look at the group, Russia and Germany have had it all their own way. You can't ignore that, the rest have been nowhere near these two teams. It is between them who wins the group and who goes into the play-offs.
"That has been disappointing for us, and I am sure for Finland, because we have not been able to take it to the last couple of games.
"Finland are more experienced. Sami Hyypia and Jari Litmanen, who has been an incredible player, have been outstanding for their clubs in the Champions League. But as a nation they have not produced a qualification, and that is the same as us.
"If we can finish third in this group, it would be a good achievement. We are not good enough to compete with Russia and Germany, Finland feel that too.
"But if we can finish third and make life easier in the next set of qualifiers, that is the aim."
And Bellamy insists he will not follow the trend of other Wales players recently by retiring from international football.
He said: "I will still be around. We don't know the future and my knee is good, and I don't see anything interrupting that.
"It has been a tough group for us, but it would have been nice to put a bit more pressure on. Halfway through we were out of it.
"I look at Scotland's group and I feel we would have been able to do something in that group, maybe first or second. It would have been tough as Scotland found, but maybe we would have had a better chance in their group."
Sister of fu
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