How Craig Bellamy has proven me wrong

There are very few occasions when I can accept being proved wrong. It's admittedly a character flaw of mine but it's true nevertheless. It's even more rare that I positively enjoy being proved wrong. However, witnessing Craig Bellamy prove me emphatically wrong this campaign has been delightful.

When the Welsh winger rejoined the Reds on last summer's transfer deadline day, scepticism was my initial reaction, and that remained the case for a little while. His fiery personality, questionable attitude and tendency to cause dressing room disruption by falling out with managers led me to believe that his presence in the Liverpool squad would merely cause disharmony and division, which would offset any potential benefit derived from his performances on the playing surface.

In reality, though, so far Bellamy has behaved himself off the field and been arguably one of our best players on it.

This is in contrast with his first spell at the club, which was markedly less successful, much more controversial and lasted only a single season. In 2006/2007 Bellamy signed for Rafael Benitez's Liverpool from Blackburn Rovers for a reported fee of £6 million. He failed to make a significant impact until he scored twice and provided an assist for another goal in the Reds' 4-0 victory at Wigan's JJB Stadium at the start of December.

However, the fact that it was his first outing since being cleared of assaulting a woman demonstrated his controversial character, despite being cleared of all charges. His reputation worsened further when he attacked fans' favourite John Arne Riise with a golf club before a big Champions League match in Barcelona. Bellamy then scored in the match (celebrating, of course, with a golf swing) at the Camp Nou and also, ironically, set up Riise's winner, which, in my eyes at least, failed to compensate for attacking Riise and creating division among teammates before such a big game.

The controversy Bellamy courted and the fact that he disagreed with boss at the time Benitez regarding his most productive role in the team, led Rafa the gaffer to sell the striker to West Ham United in the summer of 2007 for a small profit that helped to finance the purchase of Fernando Torres.

After notching 7 goals in 24 appearances for the Hammers he moved to Manchester City, where his explosive talent began to shine through. A particular example that sticks out in my mind is when he scored twice in City's 4-3 Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford in September 2009. His first on that occasion was an unbelievably good strike from range that was crowned Goal of the Month.



However, his relationship with Roberto Mancini soured and he was sent out on loan to his boyhood heroes, Championship club Cardiff City. While back in Wales he clearly relished the experience and undoubtedly impressed, scoring 11 times in 35 appearances. Nevertheless, he couldn't resist another shot at being successful at Anfield, leaping at the chance to move to Merseyside on a free transfer at the start of this season.

Bellamy has since been one of the Reds' outstanding performers. Not only does he possess a formidable goalscoring record (he is Liverpool's top scorer with nine, the same total he achieved in the whole of his first season at Anfield), he also adds indispensable guile, creativity and invention to our attack.

The number 39 terrifies defenders when he cuts in from the wing and his conscientious approach has won him the instant backing of the Kop, whose love for him is apparent. Although he has mainly been used as a substitute due to niggling injuries, his arrival always lifts the atmosphere at Anfield and he tends to have an impact on games almost immediately.

Dalglish's evident man-management skills and his willingness to allow Bellamy licence and freedom up front have also undeniably suited the former Celtic player and brought out the best in him. Finally, it looks like Bellamy has a manager that he respects and wants to perform consistently well for.

At 32, Bellamy isn't a long-term solution to Liverpool's measly chance conversion rate of 9%, the lowest in the League. However, so far he has seemingly been given a new lease of life since returning to Anfield and has won over the critics, including myself.

When you compare the impact he has had for free with the admittedly improving but still lacking form of Andy Carroll, who cost the club a massive £35 million, there is no doubt that Bellamy has been an exceptional bargain buy. If King Kenny can make a similar signing in the summer it'll go a long way to solving our striking problem.

Moreover, off the field Bellamy appears a reformed character as well. Instead of fights in bars, he is now in the news for his generous charity work in Sierra Leone, which he deserves plenty of credit and praise for.

All in all, Bellamy has been a brilliant signing and I am glad that he has proven me wrong!

YNWA