Cardiff close to sign Bellamy

Cardiff City are poised to re-sign Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy.

Cardiff have been chasing Bellamy's signature with Malky Mackay previously confirming his interest in bringing the forward back to the club.



It is understood Liverpool are reluctantly willing to let the Wales international leave Anfield for personal reasons.



Bellamy played for home-town club Cardiff on a season-long loan in 2010-11 after finding himself out of favour at Manchester City.

The 33-year-old joined Liverpool from City on a free transfer last summer and impressed during his second stint at Anfield.



Bellamy, who impressed for Team GB at the Olympics, has also attracted interest from Queens Park Rangers with Mark Hughes keen to be reunited with his compatriot.



However, QPR are facing a losing battle to land Bellamy as Liverpool are reluctant to let the forward leave to a Premier League rival and would prefer to see him move to Cardiff.



Liverpool are thought to be willing to let Bellamy return to Cardiff for free with the player keen to be closer to his family home.

Bellamy knows what a danger Suarez can be on wed

Craig Bellamy fears Team GB's bid for Olympic gold could be ruined by his Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez on Wednesday.

The hosts face Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff knowing that a draw would suffice to guarantee their place in the quarter-finals.



Uruguay lost to Senegal last time out but Bellamy knows Team GB must still be wary as Suarez is capable of turning a game in an instant.



"He is such a good player," said the Welsh striker ahead of the Group A clash. "The one thing about Luis is he can create something out of nothing.



"You may think he is going down a dead end and there is no way he can come out of it but he will chop it past something, put it through someone's legs and that makes him so dangerous.





"He is a wholehearted player, he will chase down and run. I have been fortunate to train with him day in day out, but also even more fortunate to play with the boy as well. He is a special talent."



Bellamy has played a key role for Team GB thus far, scoring in the opening draw against Senegal before providing two assists in the 3-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.



And the 33-year-old over-age pick is looking forward to keeping up his good form in his home town.



He added: "Cardiff is a place I know. It will be special. It will bring it home to me really where I have come from in my career.



"To me Cardiff is just a fitting place to play our last group game but hopefully it won't be the last."

Team GB's Craig Bellamy honoured by Old Trafford ovation

Standing ovations do not arise often for a Liverpool player, supporter and former Manchester City forward at Old Trafford but, to Craig Bellamy, his reception against Senegal was the moment that reinforced the unique "honour" of representing Team GB at the Olympic Games.

Premier League commitment to the Olympics was again questioned prior to Team GB's frustrating draw with the Senegalese on Thursday courtesy of Gareth Bale's ability to play for Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season friendly but not Stuart Pearce's team in a major tournament. No such doubts could be attached to Bellamy or any of Team GB on a bruising night at Old Trafford. For the Wales international, who heard the jeers for his Liverpool team-mate Luis Suárez during Uruguay's defeat of United Arab Emirates before Team GB's game, and who anticipated a similar response, the reaction to his 79th-minute substitution showed that, for all the cynicism, support for the British football team is genuine.



Bellamy said: "I was expecting what Luis got and was prepared for that. I was grateful Luis was playing first. I had prepared myself for that if I'm honest but, look, this is the Theatre of Dreams, I'm a Liverpool fan and Liverpool is my club but it's always an honour to play at Old Trafford. That's coming from a Liverpool fan. This is a truly remarkable place to play your football and to come here to represent Great Britain and to represent my own country, Wales, was special.



"I'm 33, you guys have seen me for a number of years now. Yeah, I can make mistakes but when I do play for your team I do work as hard as I can for your team and hopefully I got recognition for that. With the limited ability I have, I do have to make up for it with work ethic. I'm here because I want to be here and do as well as I can. It has been unbelievable so far. It's just everything around a tournament, I've never experienced. I'm just really grateful. We have a great group of boys, the manager has been brilliant as well. It's just been a special occasion. I'm just fortunate to be part of it."



London 2012 organisers have been forced to reprint the official match programmes for the football tournament after Swansea City's Welsh midfielder Joe Allen was listed as English in the original. Bellamy believes his compatriot has not taken offence, but is himself aggrieved at what he views as a lack of solidarity with Team GB from the host nations, Wales included.



"I think Joe knows he's Welsh, I'm sure he does. He speaks fluent Welsh," was Bellamy's fine response. "I don't think he's concerned about it because that's the type of guy he is. He loves his country as we all do. The English boys love their country. It's just great to be involved in this. We're representing four countries and it's a proud occasion. I'd like the media to be a little bit more behind it but of course with the Welsh that's sometimes not possible."



Bellamy and Allen are both doubtful for Team GB's next game in Group A, Sunday's encounter with UAE at Wembley, as a result of Senegal's robust approach at Old Trafford. The Wales veteran missed the opening ceremony in order to prepare for Wembley and said: "The tackle [from Saliou Ciss] just tweaked my medial ligament a little bit but I should be all right."

Hughes ends talk of Bellamy bid

Queens Park Rangers boss Mark Hughes has played down reports that he is planning to sign Craig Bellamy from Liverpool this summer.



It has been suggested that Rangers are lining up a move to lure Bellamy away from Anfield this summer.



Bellamy's future at Liverpool has been the subject of speculation all summer, with Cardiff declaring an interest in re-signing the forward.



Hughes, who worked with Bellamy with Wales and Manchester City, is a big admirer of the 33-year-old, but has cooled talk of an imminent move for the player.



"There has been a lot of speculation over Craig. Yes I know him very well. But at the moment it is all speculation," said Hughes.



Hughes has vowed Rangers will do better than last season after escaping relegation on the final day of the season.



"Now I have more time to prepare the side and get the quality players that were lacking before," added Hughes.



"I can say that QPR has a great future and obviously we will do better that last season. We are confident that we won't be struggling."

Rodgers rules out Bellamy exit

Brendan Rodgers has dismissed reports that Craig Bellamy could leave Liverpool this summer, by insisting that the Welshman is part of his plans.



The new Reds boss has spoken on the future of the Wales international, who has been linked with a move away from Anfield during the current transfer window. with a return to his hometown club Cardiff mooted.



However, Rodgers, who arrived from Swansea as Kenny Dalglish's successor earlier in the summer, insists that Bellamy's heart is still on Merseyside and he has no intentions of allowing the player to leave the club without a fight.



"I had a really positive chat with Craig on Monday," Rodgers told the Liverpool Echo.



"It was good to meet him and get his side of the Liverpool story. He's a big supporter of this club - he loves the club. He's a good guy.



"He has a real passion for Liverpool Football Club and that's the type of people I want here.



"I like his intensity, his work-rate and his passion so I would love him to be here.



"It would take a really special and unique opportunity for Craig to walk out of Liverpool and for us to go our separate ways.



"If anything changes on that from a personal perspective then him and I will talk about that."