Manchester City put Craig Bellamy up for sale

[Guy Debord]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... ester-city



Manchester City have decided Craig Bellamy can be sold after completing the £25m transfer of David Silva to fill his position on the left side of attack.

Bellamy was one of City's more impressive players last season but has not convinced Roberto Mancini that he merits a place in a team that aspires to be regarded as authentic title challengers, and his inability to get on with the former Internazionale manager has counted against him.

The two men clashed on several occasions after Mancini's appointment last December, and the club held an internal investigation after Bellamy was overheard allegedly saying something detrimental about the Italian after the 2-0 home defeat against Everton in March. Nothing was proven but their relationship has been fractious, at best, and potential buyers will not be discouraged from bidding now that Silva is officially a City player. The Spain international passed his medical examination after flying into Manchester today.

That leaves Bellamy facing a decision about whether to stay and fight for his place, having effectively won a similar battle with Robinho, or leave a club where he is not expected to feature prominently.

If the latter is the case, he might also have to consider taking a pay cut to help engineer a move. Bellamy, who turned 31 this week, earns £95,000 a week and when the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, was asked about his admiration for the Wales international he suggested it would be out of the London club's price range. "City bought him for £12m and the player must be on considerably high wages," he said. "I just don't see it happening."

City have also signed Jérôme Boateng and Yaya Touré and are trying to put in place deals for Aston Villa's James Milner and two more attackers, Mario Balotelli of Internazionale and Edin Dzeko of Wolfsburg.

Roque Santa Cruz, the injury-plagued Paraguayan, does not feature in Mancini's plans, while Robinho and Stephen Ireland have both asked to leave and the club will also listen to offers for Nedum Onuoha.

However, City have no intention of selling Micah Richards, rumoured to be a target for Liverpool's new manager, Roy Hodgson, and are not looking to move on Shaun Wright-Phillips despite his erratic form during an unresolved contract dispute last season.

[Beeks]

Pure fucking speculation

[paulh]

hope this is not true. if we are to take all cups serious we are going to need a big squad and fighters like bellers

[BobbyJ1956]

If this is true it's Mancini's biggest mistake. Bellamy runs at defenders, he runs past them, he frightens them. He cuts in and makes space for himself just outside the box, then he shoots and scores. City would miss his fire & energy and if he goes to Spurs they suddenly have a better chance of winning that opening game which City need to win to lay down a marker for the season. Sell RSC, sell SWP even, but don't sell Craig Bellamy.

[Blue in the face]

I fuckin love Bellers and his fighting spirit. I hope he stays.

[Mark (Blue Army)]

Pure fucking speculation

This

[Dazzacity]

Good player, but hes 31 !!! I wont be losing any sleep over it.

[french_tony]

Good player, but hes 31 !!! I wont be losing any sleep over it.

Agree. Love Bellers and his attitude and he had a fantastic six months. But lets be honest, hes getting on and his knees will pack up eventually. His main attribute is his pace and acceleration and once thats gone he'll be a lower prem standard player at best.

If we want to move on and win things we need to upgrade to a better younger model and IMO Silva is that. I love ya Bellers and I loved watching you tear defenders a new one last year (especially Wio) but I won't be devastated if you leave.

[Goataldo]

ahggghghgh

needs qualifying before i believe it

[Beeks]

Good player, but hes 31 !!! I wont be losing any sleep over it.

Agree. Love Bellers and his attitude and he had a fantastic six months. But lets be honest, hes getting on and his knees will pack up eventually. His main attribute is his pace and acceleration and once thats gone he'll be a lower prem standard player at best.

If we want to move on and win things we need to upgrade to a better younger model and IMO Silva is that. I love ya Bellers and I loved watching you tear defenders a new one last year (especially Wio) but I won't be devastated if you leave.

WTF

Bellers has at least another season maybe two..he hasn't just deteriated over the summer ffs

he if all people knows he won't start every game but with all these so called superstars in our team we need the likes of him more than ever..don't underestimate this..he would be a MASSIVE loss for us..I've nothing more to say than don't do it Bobby

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Good player, but hes 31 !!! I wont be losing any sleep over it.

I agree with this. I'd rather he stay but if he goes then I can understand Mancini. Bellamy is only good for maybe 20 to 25 games a season even if he is not injured. Lot of people also seem to forget that he was quite poor for last about 10 games of the season.

Good player but there are even better out there and can't be overreliant on him.

[Ted Hughes]

Be one of the stupidest moves in the history of the club. Don't believe it will happen.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Good player, but hes 31 !!! I wont be losing any sleep over it.

I agree with this. I'd rather he stay but if he goes then I can understand Mancini. Bellamy is only good for maybe 20 to 25 games a season even if he is not injured. Lot of people also seem to forget that he was quite poor for last about 10 games of the season.

Good player but there are even better out there and can't be overreliant on him.

I'd broadly agree with this. There were a lot of games he didn't turn up for later in the season. And there is no doubt that he does cause friction. I like his honesty, but it can lead to problems.

[Burt]

Be one of the stupidest moves in the history of the club. Don't believe it will happen.

As bad as selling Franny Lee or Gio Kinkladze or Gary Flitcroft?

[BobKowalski]

My preference is that he stays but I am not going to get worked up about it if he goes.

However the decision does seem to rest with Bellamy and contrary to the thread title City have not put Bellamy up for sale. Personally I think he will stay and as it will be his decision he can't moan about it later on which I suspect may be the best way to ensure that Bellamy is firmly 'on-side' this season.

[john@staustell]

Pure fucking speculation

This

What they said.

[Ted Hughes]

Be one of the stupidest moves in the history of the club. Don't believe it will happen.

As bad as selling Franny Lee or Gio Kinkladze or Gary Flitcroft?

I could see the exact thing happening as when we sold Lee, Bellamy scoring against us & finishing above us.

[Ted Hughes]

My preference is that he stays but I am not going to get worked up about it if he goes.

However the decision does seem to rest with Bellamy and contrary to the thread title City have not put Bellamy up for sale. Personally I think he will stay and as it will be his decision he can't moan about it later on which I suspect may be the best way to ensure that Bellamy is firmly 'on-side' this season.

They should just tell him he's staying & that's that. If he doesn't like it he can play in the reserves, we don't owe him any favours.

I recon he'll bust his balls trying to win us trophies & if his knees hold out, he'll be good for next season too. If not then apparently we won't miss him anyway. What the fuck could we possibly gain by selling him? All we can do is lose. Sign Vieira & sell Bellamy? Do me a fucking favour.

[john@staustell]

All this is based on alleged fallouts. The man himself actually said if he were to move again it would be to Cardiff and it would be his last - and that wouldn't be yet. Lazy, lazy journo drunken hacks.

[CitizenYank]

Yeah he's a loudmouth and a pain sometimes, but he busts his ass and competes, bad knees and all.

Keep him and ship Jo and his cuntryman, Robinho out for a pack of loose balls.

Even if we only get half the going rate. We'll be better off.