Hughes hails Bellamy

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes has paid tribute to summer signing Craig Bellamy for helping him quietly mastermind a mini-revolution at Ewood Park, turning his relegation candidates into Champions League contenders.

Last season his team were rightly criticised for their over-physical approach but that was a time when necessity dictated their tactics and, ultimately, Hughes was vindicated as they avoided the drop by finishing 15th.

This term they have surprised many observers with a rise to fifth in the Barclays Premiership, capped by a 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Saturday which leapfrogged them above the Gunners.

Anyone who witnessed that match would vouch for the fact they are a totally different team to last season, with Hughes having successfully developed an effective rapier-style attack to their solid defence.

Bellamy, a £5m (€7.3m) buy from Newcastle, and the impressive displays of in-form goalscoring midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen have both caught the eye.

Few can match Bellamy’s blistering pace and Philippe Senderos was given a torrid time by the Wales international at Ewood Park.

He created the only goal by out-pacing the Arsenal defender down the right, producing a clever trick to knock it past his opponent and then shrugging off the half-hearted challenge of the Swiss to cross from the byline for the unmarked Pedersen to side-foot home from close range.

Hughes said: “He did fantastically on the line.

“Last year that is the position we suffered in. We didn’t have a player who could unpick the lock for us but Craig gives us that.

“I also think Flo (Florent Sinama-Pongolle, signed on loan from Liverpool) gives us that.

“Another guy who should have a mention is Andy Todd, who I thought was immense against Arsenal.

“He is really disciplined and really committed. He is a different class.”

Rovers are now within touching distance of the final Champions League qualification place and with a trip to current incumbents Tottenham on the horizon on Sunday the European dream is becoming more of a reality.

Hughes wants his team to push on for European qualification, but he is not yet thinking about facing the cream of Europe in the world’s premier club competition.

However, he is pleased his side is now being recognised for something more than the bully-boy tactics they were criticised for last season.

“We are just quietly going on with our business and trying to win Premier League games and we will try to keep it going,” he said.

“If we are going to be a top side we have to keep winning week in, week out. There are a lot of difficult games to come and we will have to be at our best at Tottenham.

“If we can rein Tottenham in we can all start getting excited but there is a long way to go.

“We have got real belief that we can actually do what we are trying to do and I am of the view we are one of the better sides in this league.

“We have got a real opportunity. We have just got to capitalise on it.”

The former Wales manager added: “Most people in football will understand we are a good side at this level.

“I think people have a certain view of us before they come up against us and we have had to combat that for a long time now.

“Hopefully now we are changing those opinions. We play good football and we are a difficult side to beat. We know we can cause good teams problems.”

One problem Hughes has is the loss of Pedersen for at least a fortnight after the midfielder pulled a hamstring in scoring on Saturday.

“We have lost him for a couple of weeks now with a hamstring injury,” said Hughes after Pedersen pulled out of Norway’s friendly with Senegal in Dakar on Wednesday.

“He is a fit lad and I don’t think he’s ever pulled a muscle in his life so he was a little bit shocked about that.

“Hopefully it is not too serious. The minimum he will be out for is two weeks but it is likely to be three.”