Bellamy fears being rated a failure at Liverpool

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Bellamy fears being rated a failure at Liverpool

elymiles

17th July 2006

Craig Bellamy says he is nervous about playing for Liverpool because he fears being rated as an Anfield failure.

The Welsh international forward signed for his boyhood heroes in a £6mil transfer from Blackburn last month.

“I am nervous because I don’t want to come here and not be a success,” he told reporters on Friday.
“I don’t want to come here and say I had Liverpool on my CV and that’s it. I want to come here and be remembered as a big player for this club. That’s the drive I have in me. That’s the hunger I have that is driving me on.”

Bellamy is a controversial figure having been forced to leave Newcastle following a row with then manager Graeme Souness in 2004.

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After a short spell on loan at Celtic, he resurrected his career at Blackburn last season under the guidance of his former Welsh international manager Mark Hughes.

“I know Mark was disappointed that I left,” he added. “But he knows how I feel about Liverpool and knew it was inevitable I would come here when they came in for me.
“I have worked hard for this and have always believed an opportunity like this would come along for me.
“I have had five knee operations in my career and the belief that one day I would sign for a team like Liverpool helped me get through the dark days of rehab.”

Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez does not expect any problems from Bellamy despite his bad boy reputation.

“We know about his problems,” he said. “But he is more mature now and he knows how important it is to focus on his football.
“Sometimes you have to say we know about the past and the future is more important.
“This was a good opportunity for us because the price was good for the English market.”

Liverpool also unveiled Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez following his move to Anfield.

Gonzalez was finally awarded a work permit last month after being forced to play on loan at Real Sociedad in Spain for a season when his move to Liverpool was put on hold last summer.