Softly softly approach to title bid

Last updated : 03 February 2003 By Martyn Elliott

The Welshman has claimed that the number one objective is still to qualify for the Champions League, but that any title bid will be mounted on the quiet anyhow.

"You won't find us shouting about how we're going to win the title. We might be thinking we've got a chance, but we will just get on with it quietly," Bellamy told the Journal.

"That is what we've done all season. We're quite happy for people to keep on about Arsenal and Manchester United. We're in third place in the table and we've got there virtually unnoticed. Our main aim at the start of the season was to make sure we got Champions League football again and that remains our main objective now.

"A club the size of Newcastle needs to be in the Champions League.

"We are in the title race, but we're just focusing on getting the points to make sure we finish in the top four.

"All we know is that we're in a great position in the league going into February and we will have a big bearing on where the title goes."

Somehow it is difficult to imagine Bellamy doing anything on the quiet.