Bellamy injury baffles Bobby

Last updated : 17 October 2003 By Martyn Elliott

Freddy Shepherd was furious that Bellamy reported back from international duty with yet another injury, but the club have accepted the FAW’s claim that the striker did not sustain the problem while in their care.

The injury looks set to keep Bellamy out of action for sometime even though a scan revealed no new damage, and the suspicion is that the problem is partly psychological with the player understandably lacking confidence in his own fitness after a series of operations.

"We are thoroughly investigating that particular injury. I spoke to Mark Hughes this morning and we have no argument with the Welsh FA,” said Sir Bobby.


"The Welsh FA have a very competent medical team, who serve all the Welsh players when they report in their very best interests, and I'm very happy and I'm very sure about that. There's no question of any doubt about that from my point of view.


"They're just astounded that Craig Bellamy reported on Monday injured. He didn't miss any training all the week he was there, he played in the match, he didn't complain, he finished the game, wasn't substituted.

"They were asked after the match were there any knocks? Were there any injuries? Were there any bruises? Did anybody want to report anything? He didn't.


"I've explained that to Craig and Craig says 'Yes, I know, but I still have a bad knee'. We're investigating that, we have to look after the player, we have to investigate the injury.


"We'll get Craig the best of treatments. He's already had two scans and the scans show there is no deterioration or worsening of the knee from how it was weeks ago.

"We've just got to get on top of the situation and do what we have to do for Craig."


The club have already spent a small fortune on sending the Welshman to world-renowned surgeon Dr Richard Steadman in an attempt to cure his tendonitis problem and will no doubt continue to search for the best treatment available.

However the team needs the problem to be sorted out quickly because Bellamy is one of our most important players and the form he has shown since being hampered by his knee injury this season just hasn’t been good enough for us to repeat the finishes of the last two seasons.