Bellamy dismisses strike claims

Manchester City new-boy Craig Bellamy admits he has made plenty of mistakes in his career – but has denied allegations he went on strike to engineer a move away from West Ham.

Bellamy is set to make his Blues debut against Newcastle tomorrow after completing a £10m switch from Upton Park early last week.

The 29-year-old’s exit from the Hammers was followed by claims he had stormed out of training and refused to play against Fulham earlier this month because club officials had refused to let him join Tottenham.

For a player whose past misdemeanours include a live TV rant at Graeme Souness when the pair were supposed to be working together at Newcastle, and suggestions he struck John Arne Riise with a golf club during a training break with Liverpool, such adverse publicity is nothing new.

But on this occasion the Wales captain insists the stories are wrong.

“I can’t for the life of me understand where it comes from,” said Bellamy.

“Maybe in the past I have gone down routes I shouldn’t have and maybe I deserve what happened. But while I don’t want to disappoint too many people, this completely did not happen.

“I had a great relationship with Zola and I left West Ham on probably the best terms I have ever done.

“We get on really well and I spoke to him after they beat Hartlepool on Saturday.

“I have so much respect for him as a person because he wanted to improve me and keep pushing me. I know West Ham put out a statement saying I didn’t go on strike but it just falls on deaf ears.”

West Ham refused to sell to Tottenham anyway, so Bellamy opted for a move back to the north-west where he was reunited with Mark Hughes for a third time having previously worked under the City chief with both Wales and Blackburn.

While Bellamy may be a complex character, he feels Hughes knows the magic formula to get the most from him.

“Mark was a big factor in my decision because he has always pushed me really hard,” said Bellamy.

“He knows how much I enjoy training and that I need to be tested at the highest level.”

Although he has been plagued by injury throughout his career, Bellamy believes he is currently at his peak.

While he has joined a club that currently sits in the bottom half of the Premier League, he sees no reason why a top-six spot cannot be attained.

“The project here is going to be phenomenal,” he said.

“We are going to be competing right at the top and I still think the top six is realistic this season.

“Throughout my whole career I have always been involved in the top six. That is what I am aiming for here.”