Bellamy insists he has no regrets over outburst

CRAIG BELLAMY insists he has no regrets over the outburst that shocked Welsh football and the national captain dished out more home truths yesterday ahead of tonight’s showdown with Germany.

Bellamy produced a savage condemnation of the current Wales squad and their prospects for the future after the shocking display in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Finland.

But as the Manchester City striker prepares to lead out his country again at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium, it was clear he is still an angry young man.

Bellamy said: “I stand by what I said. Maybe I could have chosen my words differently, but I still believe in what I said. “We must do a lot better now than we did against Finland, and that was the motivation for what I said.”

And although Bellamy says he would not like to play in the style Northern Ireland used to beat Poland on Saturday, he would love to play for Wales in the same volatile atmosphere that is found in Belfast.

He said: “We need an atmosphere and we haven’t got that (at the Millennium). And we are certainly not generating anything, how am I supposed to play in that?

“Teams like coming here. It is too nice for them. It is a very good stadium with empty seats and no pressure, no atmosphere.”

And Bellamy showed his continued support for manager John Toshack, saying: “I am very much behind him and the way he does things.”

Germany coach Joachim Low has likened Wales to “a wounded fighter who wants to retaliate” ahead of tonight’s big game.

Low said: “To me they are like a boxer who has been knocked down. A wounded fighter who now wants to retaliate.

“They will be highly motivated because of the defeat by Finland, and because they are now playing Germany there will be 20% more effort.”

Low has a slight doubt over midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who picked up a calf injury in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Liechtenstein, but the Bayern Munich man is expected to be fit. Low will keep faith with misfiring striker Mario Gomez, who was booed off by Germany fans after Saturday’s match after missing a string of chances.

Wales boss Toshack will make changes in the fall-out from the weekend World Cup disaster.

Toshack seems likely to recall defender Sam Ricketts after suspension, with Swansea’s Ashley Williams expected to be back in a three-man central defence.

In midfield Simon Davies and Jason Koumas, who has been troubled by a hip problem, could both make way.