Who Will Be First To Light Bellamy's Short Fuse?

He had a spat with Terry McDermott at Anfield earlier this season, and I thought he had every right. Mac blasted the player in the newspaper with an unbelievable article backing his old mate Graeme Souness, then afterterwards admitted he had never met Bellamy. But he did at Anfield!

Glenn Roeder: "Craig has proved throughout his career he is a very good striker. Any problems he had here were nothing to do with me because I was not at the club when he was here."

 

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says he has no concerns about selecting Bellamy, but I'm dying to see who is first in line to wind up the striker.

Bellamy can expect a hostile reception from the Geordie fans, and that goes without saying. But just as they booed Andy Cole on his return, I think we should think of what these two players did for our club.

Benitez: "I will decide what is my best team. And Craig Bellamy is ready, fit and mentally not a problem over this match.

"It will certainly be no problem for me to select him, no problem at all."

Bellamy: "I had some really good years up there and really enjoyed my football.

"I started off playing for Sir Bobby Robson in what was a really good team and, during my time there, we finished third, fourth and fifth.

"I learnt a lot about myself when I was a Newcastle player. I got involved in one or two things outside of football but I was lucky because the fans were always with me.

"They were so supportive of me as a player and I have a lot of respect for them for that. Even through my injury problems, I enjoyed it there. It's a special place for me.

"Of course, I'm not their player anymore and so I'll probably get a little bit of stick this weekend, but I can accept that.

"I get stick from a lot of fans and from a lot of people who don't know me, but I can take it from the Newcastle fans because they were so supportive towards me when I played for them.

"As soon as I stepped onto that pitch, they were always right behind me and that will stick in my mind more than any boos I might get this weekend."