III
Foreword
If I had to pick out one reason why I always loved having Craig Bellamy in my football teams, it is the intensity he brings. It’s his desire to affect the game every single time he plays. He has a strong will and I like that about him.
Some people thought he was trouble without ever really getting to know him. Some of the things he does can be misinterpreted and maybe there were some who did not like his intensity. Maybe some of them were unsettled by it or worried about the reputation he earned in his younger days.
Sure, there were numerous occasions when he played for me for Wales, Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City when he looked like he was going to combust on the pitch. I didn’t have any dramatic remedy for that. There was no particular secret. I just gave him a smile and a knowing look and he tended to calm down fairly quickly.
He was always a great asset to me. He is the type of player the fans love because they know he is giving it everything he has. He inspires players around him, too.
It has never really occurred to me that he is difficult to manage. I actually always found him very rewarding to manage. If you understand him and support him, he will play his heart out for you.
I played with him for Wales when he was younger and, yes, he could be quite volatile but a lot of people have also been surprised by how professional he is.
Like most of us, he has changed as he has grown older. He had some injuries and the fear of losing a career that was precious to him turned him into someone who is utterly dedicated to the game.
He doesn’t take any prisoners. He says it as he sees it. He is honest and up front and he expects people to be the same with him.
He has got a lot of strengths. Diplomacy isn’t one of them.
Mark Hughes, 2013