Who was Team GB’s best player? Was it new Liverpool signing Joe Allen, whose range of passing was on full display? Was it Aaron Ramsey who is tipped to be one of European football’s best young talents? Was it Ryan Giggs, one of football’s most lauded and rewarded players? No. It wasn’t any of these individuals. I think you know where I’m going. Team GB’s MVP was Welsh maestro Craig Bellamy.
The same Craig Bellamy, of whom it was this week announced that he’d be leaving Liverpool to join his home-town club Cardiff City. This led to some speculation: was he leaving because he thought he didn’t have a role in Brendan Rodger’s new look side, or was he just feeling homesick? According to this interview, he just wanted to head back to Wales:
“When Brendan got the job he phoned me straight away on his first day. I felt honoured that he did that and he told me that he wanted me as part of his team. But my mind was made up—I wanted to come home. He gave me time to change my mind but it wasn’t going to happen.”
He also admitted that moving on from Liverpool was a difficult thing to do. I can’t help but feel, however, that it’s the fans who will suffer most. Whilst it’s not as big a deal as, say, Steven Gerrard deciding to move on, Rodger’s phone-call does symbolize his level of importance to the team.
His pace (yes, even at his late age), his direct style of play and his general sense of endeavor helped to endear him quickly to Liverpool fans. He scored some important goals and was at the centre of some important moments, even as he found himself coming off the bench more often than he found himself in the starting line-up.
As players like Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll struggled, Craig looked like a consummate professional and often seemed to be the only Red capable of making anything happen. There have been complaints before about his attitude, but he got on fantastically with everybody at the club and was beloved by the Anfield faithful.
Of course, Liverpool will replace him and move on. They’ll be stronger next season and work towards success in the future. But that doesn’t stop the fact that they’ve lost a key asset and a talented individual. I wish him luck at Cardiff City, but I am sad to see him go.
What’s your take: is Craig Bellamy a big loss at Anfield?
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Bellamy is yesterday’s news as far as Liverpool FC are concerned. The best of luck to him for the future.
Out with the old in with the new! Bellamy wanted to move home and was great at the Olympics strange how he managed to play so many games in a few days! Kenny used him wrongly he should of played once a week in the league could of been the man who tooked the ball away in league games.