The three teenagers from Sierra Leone who have moved into Craig Bellamy’s house this week were thrilled at getting the chance to develop their football skills in the UK.
And to make sure they get every possible opportunity to better themselves, Bellamy is fully prepared to spend a year kicking his heels on the City sidelines.
The Welsh striker says he has pumped hundreds of thousands of pounds of his own money into the Craig Bellamy Foundation since setting it up in 2008.
He has made it plain that he wants to continue doing that, and it is the chief reason that he will not leave the Blues unless they pay up the final year of his £90,000-a-week contract in full.
Through the charity, Bellamy has set out to transform the lives of youngsters in Sierra Leone, a west African nation ravaged by poverty in the aftermath of an 11-year civil war.
Those commitments have already seen him set up the country’s first football academy and a network of junior leagues supported by Unicef, which run alongside education programmes and community projects.
This week, Bellamy took in a trio of youngsters from Sierra Leone who are getting a chance to develop their skills over here.
Mustapha Bundu, a 14-year-old centre-forward, midfielder Santigie Koroma, 15, and central defender Sulaiman Samura, 14, have just taken part in their first training session with Cardiff City’s Under-15 side.
They are staying at Bellamy’s family home, just outside Cardiff, while they spend six weeks training with the Bluebirds.
The trio are among a group of young footballers given five-year scholarships by Bellamy’s residential academy in Tombo, an hour-and-a-half from Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. They are the first to get the chance to develop their skills abroad.
Progress
Bellamy had a chance to catch up with their early progress in midweek as he returned from his Manchester base to Cardiff for Wales’ friendly against Australia.
Unless the striker gets a transfer sorted out quickly, Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat against the Socceroos will be his last senior outing until early next month, when Wales host Montenegro in a Euro 2012 qualifier.
Bellamy, who spent last season on loan in the Championship at Cardiff, knows he has no future in Manchester. Roberto Mancini made that obvious by leaving him out of the pre-season tour of North America.
When Mancini was asked last week if Bellamy was in his thoughts for the Community Shield, the answer was a short, sharp: “No.”
The 32-year-old also knows that, wherever he ends up next, he has no chance of matching the salary he earns at the Etihad Stadium. Sunderland can’t afford that kind of money, and Cardiff certainly can’t.
Bellamy, for his part, stated recently that walking away from his Blues contract early and taking a wage cut was not an option, because of his commitments to Sierra Leone.
“There’s no chance of me taking a reduction in money – that is impossible,” he said. “I have to take care of 13 children every day there.
“My wages are more important to them than they are for me. If City pay me the final year of my wages, then I can go where I want. In that case, my first option would be Cardiff.”
Cast out to the fringes at City, Bellamy’s attitude has been to knuckle down in training and get on with the job.
It was disorientating to see one of the Premier League’s biggest names mucking in with a group of youngsters during the Elite Development Squad’s first pre-season friendly at Altrincham last month.
Perhaps he was disorientated too, at first, but he didn’t show it, playing a part in the build-up to Joan Angel Roman’s equaliser as City won 2-1.
Since then, he has taken his talents to Stalybridge Celtic’s Bower Fold and Hyde’s Ewen Fields, scoring for the Blues’ EDS side against both.
By all accounts, he has been positive in training, even giving an inspiration speech to the club’s youngsters.
Those within the game who know Bellamy well are full of admiration for the sacrifice he is prepared to make for his charity.
But they all believe he should find himself another Premier League club as quickly as possible.
“I expect his situation will be resolved one way or another because he has too much to offer,” said Wales boss Gary Speed. “He is too good a player to not be playing in the Premier League.”
Lucas Neill, Bellamy’s former Blackburn and West Ham team-mate, is of the same view.
“He certainly has the qualities to justify being at Manchester City, but I’m sure if he leaves he will do very well for some other side,” said Neill, who was in the Australia side that beat Wales.
Sound words they may be from both men, but Bellamy has made a career – and a life – out of doing things his own way. He is not a man given to backing down.
And if he loses a year out of his own career to give a chance to those less fortunate, it is a price he appears willing to pay.
What should City do with Bellamy? Have your say.
Fringe benefits: Craig Bellamy prepared for life as Manchester City outcast
August 12, 2011
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i can't understand why Mankini isn't considering him at all, under Hughes - he was playing his best football, scored against the salford twice in that thrilling game - is a constant nuisance to defenders and knuckles down. I understand he can rub people up the wrong way sometimes, but the world isn't perfect and people are not going to get along with everybody. Just because Mankini didn't like how Bellamy spoke to him regarding his knee, Mankini banishes him and never spoke a word to him - what can of manager is that? To be honest he won us champions league & FA Cup - but I still don't rate him as a manager - his defensive tactics and use of some players (or non usage) eg Adam Johnson is disgraceful. Adam Johnson is a great attacking threat and sooner or later, I can see him getting frustrated and sold for peanuts because of idiotic man mangement - it'll cost the club dearly. If Bellamy's good enough which he clearly is - then he should be given a chance and Mankini should put personal issues to one side and play him!!
This seems ludicrous. I actually believe Bellamy's reasons for not taking a pay cut here and although it's not ideal another loan move seems to be the answer with City picking up the tab for a proportion of his wages.
Its great that Bellamy is putting something back into society with the charity work he does. All credit to him for that.
However, correct me if I'm wrong, but he set the charity work up before he signed for City. How then, does maintaining a wage from City affect whether the charity stands or falls? It sounds like a clever excuse to keep picking up the payday to be honest, cos its hard to criticise someone when they say 'they need the money for the charity work'.
My guess is that Bellamy is a millionaire many times over. But by playing the charity card in the press he comes out smelling of roses, and City will end up being painted as the bad guys.
What a waste. Why play an idiot like Balotteli on the left when we can play Bellers. What a shame.
As much as we are seen to be, City are not a charity and if we are indulging Craig in his hobby then it is clearly wrong. Sadly its the power players have these days but its not professional to sit it out nor in some cases to go on strike cos they dont get their own way.
Why doesnt he go to Cardiff on half the wages and negotiate with a proper charity (save the children or oxfam or even go to the UN) and make up the difference to fund what is needed?
I dont think it's healthy him being at city even if he does train hard....he is no doubt wealthy enough to continue funding it himself if he really is committed....go and live there if it is a passion....there are many alternatives but holding a gun to city's head is wrong.
what happens to the charity after he retires from football and he has to live off his savings? Come on Craig! Take you finger out, listen and resolve your problems with Mancini.
You can still have a part in the team's progress this season. It's up to you to ditch your ego and do something about it!
He really is becoming the "Smashy and Nicey" of Premiership football, it's all about the "Charidee" with him.
I've posted this before but if you persist in posting what amounts to pro Bellamy propaganda I'll have to keep re-posting it.
His work is admirable. It becomes less so and more about self-conceit when he keeps bringing it up and hiding behind it in contract related matters. Charity work, by it's very definition should be selfless. He's invested hundred's of thousands of pounds into this project, he earns c. £100k a week - £5m a year, leaving him £2.25m a year after tax and after provision for the youngsters. Were he to go elsewhere, on say £50k a week he'd still have c. £1.25m a year after tax. I'm ignoring his savings, investment portfolio, mortgage free lifestyle. It'll hardly leave him on the breadline.
I'm sure the usual suspects will be calling for his inclusion but he activley sought to undermine Mancini. Mancini therefore doesn't trust him. I can't say I blame him and his motivation for staying IS the money. Yes, some of it is going to a good cause, but this is ultimately the very definition of a mercinary decision.
Pretty bizarre situation all round. We have a stroppy and opinionated yet tremendously talented player on our books who is not getting within a mile of first team action. Why? No matter how strained the relationship between player and manager might be, this situation cries out for mediation and - in the interests of the club - some kind of reconciliation.
Bellamy is a polarising so-and-so too. Yes, his charity work is quite admirable, especially if he puts it before his career, but isn't this tugging at the heart strings a little theatrical from a man who has made his millions from football? Did he only sign for City to provide extra funding for his foundation? I really don't know what he deserves most, a slap on the back or kick up the backside.
All very noble Mr Bellamy but you are a footballer first and it does'nt seem quite right that you should sit on the sidelines whilst City pump 4.6 million into your charity albeit for a clearly beneficial cause.
So next season when he is not getting his 85,000 pw from City to pay for the development of Cardiff's youth team, it all stops Craig? A teeny bit devious this my friend. I do admire the work that you are doing for the kids in Sierra Leone and if you want to spend a year with the youth team and the rest then so be it. I do think it would be madness for City to ever subsidise loan players wages again. It makes us look a soft touch and really annoys other teams that are affected. The teams that Cardiff played last year were at a disadvantage when Bellemy was in the team and if I supported that team I would not be best pleased.
Bellers attitude in the reserve games has been exemplary . worked hard for the team , encouraging those around him , and signing all the kids autographs . Such a shame the hatchet cant be buried for one season for the benefit of the team .
I have an idea let MCFC pay for the 13 kids in Sierra Leone then Craig can pursue his Football career elsewhere and does not have to play the charity card. This makes financial sense for both parties.
I'm sorry but these are problems Mancini and Cook have brought on the club and that is inability to off load numerous players ie Santa Cruz,Bridge,Bellamy and Adebayor.
Part of a managers job is balancing the books or at least attempting to and created a sensible wage structure but it appears just on these two issues Mancini and Cook are failing misreably and eventually the players after months of sitting on the sidelines recieving astronomical wages they will be sold for peanuts and who knows leaving on free transfers.
I am pretty sure our owners wont like this at all and perhaps only a couple of trophies being put in the cabinet will give Mancini a reprieve because this is no way to run a buisness the way it is now and it is worrying.
However I do believe the club will eventually be prepared to write off these debts and get the unwanted players off the payroll but it will have damaging affects where the media will jump on it with more criticism towards us.Hardly good for our owners ambitions of global attraction one would think is it?
The bottom line is that there is now a concensus that Mancini is already under pressure!
At the end of the day he signed a contract with us.
We all slag off players when they want to leave half way through a contract totally disregarding everything stated within that contract, but now we are stuck with a player who won't be featuring and will be getting paid to play in reserve games.
We can't force him out otherwise that would be completely hypocritical!
Fair play to him for his charity work. Would love to see him terrorising defences again but he isn't in Bobby's plans.
At the end of the day there is nothing we/he can do apart from watch our beloved team rip apart the Premier League this season.
I think it very laudable that Craig is being so charitable, but realistically I thing a weeks wages would probably cover a couple of years commitment to his charity. What will he do next year? Effectively he is asking City to fund his charity (and line his pockets too!). A clever card to play, but not the whole story I feel!
Perhaps City could make a longer term (direct) commitment to Craig’s charity, thus freeing Craig to pursue options to play football for the remainder of his career?
Most on here ask questions where you wonder why the reporter didn't ask them direct to Bellamy.
- How much does it actually cost to take care in Africa?
- Is it not possible to do so with the wages you earn?
- So how will you cope when your contract expires next year?
And now this story appears again when Bellamy takes 3 children with him to England to try their luck at Cardiff City.
I'm all for charity, but this imo is simply a rubbish excuse by the player. I find it rahter obscene to bring charity into this.
If the owners are willing to give Mancini free rein to choose who he plays, despite who they have under contract, then that is their business? If Bellamy is willing to get paid to play with the EDS and see out his contract fair play to him?