In his previous spell at Anfield, Craig Bellamy lasted only a year before leaving the club for West Ham. It was an abrupt departure, and a little surprising considering his (overall) good form. Now, the Wales International has provided some insight into his midset at the time, and possibly revealed one of the reasons why he decided to leave.
In a recent interview, Bellamy outlined his heartache at being dumped on the bench for the 2007 Champions League final with AC Milan:
“I was on the bench for the Champions League final for Liverpool in 2007. I didn’t get to appear. I was disappointed not to appear. I was at my wit’s end".
If Bellamy was at his 'wit's end' then it was hardly surprising that he left soon afterwards. He clearly deserved to feature in the game, and the gigantic snub handed out by Rafa Benitez was (and is) hard to understand.
What makes it worse is that inferior-quality players like Boudewijn Zenden and Jermain Pennant were given starting spots ahead of Bellamy (!), and (predictably) neither player made the slightest impact on the game.
If, for example, both Bellamy and Peter Crouch had started the game, I feel sure the result would've been different, but that's another article...
Jaimie Kanwar
Check out: The Craig Bellamy foundation
In a recent interview, Bellamy outlined his heartache at being dumped on the bench for the 2007 Champions League final with AC Milan:
“I was on the bench for the Champions League final for Liverpool in 2007. I didn’t get to appear. I was disappointed not to appear. I was at my wit’s end".
If Bellamy was at his 'wit's end' then it was hardly surprising that he left soon afterwards. He clearly deserved to feature in the game, and the gigantic snub handed out by Rafa Benitez was (and is) hard to understand.
What makes it worse is that inferior-quality players like Boudewijn Zenden and Jermain Pennant were given starting spots ahead of Bellamy (!), and (predictably) neither player made the slightest impact on the game.
If, for example, both Bellamy and Peter Crouch had started the game, I feel sure the result would've been different, but that's another article...
Jaimie Kanwar
Check out: The Craig Bellamy foundation
Whoooa!
ReplyDeleteJust waiting for the "rafa-lovers" to get a bite at you Jaime after this article :D.
Your posts used to be interesting Kanwar, now they are becoming predictable. The more I read your posts the more convinced I am that you are not actually a Liverpool supporter at all.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe you could rename your site Liverpool Kop It Once Again As Kanwar Finds Yet Another Negative. com
Jermaine Pennant was not a success at Anfield however the 2007 CL final was probably his best performance in a red shirt. It simply isn't true to say that he made not the 'slightest impact on the game.' That said Bellamy is twice the player Zenden is and was prematurely sold by Liverpool. In mitigation the 2007/8 season was the begining of the end for H&G so who knows what imperetives were competing in Rafa's transfer policy that year.
ReplyDelete[Agent Smith] It is...inevitable [/Agent Smith]
ReplyDeleteThis is a pseudo LFC Site....Mr Kanwar is a phoney LFC Fan....Like moths to a light bulb...
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nathan, Pennant was probably Man of the Match in CL 2007 final and I really think if bellamy had started the score would have been different.
ReplyDeleteI always find it hard to believe that bellamy stayed on the bench for that game when milan had a 35+ something maldini playing at the back. Could you imagine what he would have been thinking when he saw someone with bellamys pace about to come on?
ReplyDeleteClearly didn't watch or don't remember the game - with the exception of Gerrard, pennant was our best outfield player. We played one up front with Steve in the hole behind dirk. This constant sniping at Benitez is pathetic
ReplyDeleteIt's not sniping - Bellamy's comments are newsworthy whether you like it or not. I haven't insulted Benitez; I haven't said anything remotely negative about the man; I'm merely highlighting what one of our current players said.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like this site then don't visit. If you can't hack a different POV that's your problem, not mine.
Jaimie I think the reason people think these types of articles as sniping is because you only write these articles about Benitez. It's as though every player was over the moon with Hodgson
ReplyDeleteI also write positive articles about Benitez (look through the archive).
ReplyDeleteThere's no point writing about Hodgson; his reign was too short-lived, and the conditions under which he worked were intolerable. Plus, I'm writing a book about Hodgson, so everything I have to say about him will be in that.
I thought we played well in that game. Not every sub can come on.
ReplyDeleteBetween 2004 and 2007 Rafa managed his teams to 3 european finals winning 2 of them.Rafa is the worlds best tactician he knew against Milan we needed a well drilled well balanced experienced compact and well disciplined team to stand any chance at all.Zenden will follow instructions and not get overawed by the occassion.Bellamys strength is his pace but against the worlds best organised defenders pace can mean little,as Bellamy does have a habit of running offside and with chances being at a premium we couldnt afford to be wasteful.In the last Final Hernandez didnt get anything from an Ageing and slow but experienced Puyol.On Bellamy at his wits end thats just saying he was desperate to play as every player was,nothing against Rafa.In fact the only reason Bellamy was sold was because of the signings of Benayoun and Torres,Rafa would loved to have kept Bellamy as well but we all Know he wasnt given the luxury of being handed £130m like Dalglish is every 6 months and Rafa had to sell to buy.Also it was Rafas success in europe which generated funds to buy the likes of Torres,Benayoun Mascherrano and also the sales of Bellamy,Crouch ans Sissoko paid someway to getting Torres,Masch and Benayoun..Now we are not generating any money but Dalglish is being allowed to spend fortunes by great owners something Rafa never had under H and G
ReplyDeleteBellamy didn't deserve to feature after the golf club episode with Riise earlier on in the campaign, but he would have destroyed that Milan defence, I guess he may have regretted his actions while sitting on the bench, no surprise that he was kicked out / left afterwards. He was a little annoying git, maybe has finally matured now that he is 32 and realises how short a footballers career is
ReplyDeleteIt was Pennant's best game in a Liverpool shirt as far as I can remember, packed into some little pub in Liverpool
We deserved to win the 2007 final, were incredibly fortunate to win the 2005 one so overall probably fair??
Also, ask yourself why Zenden was even there. Because we were spending £11 million net a year under Rafa...........
Name: Craig Douglas Bellamy
ReplyDeletePlayer name: Craig Bellamy
Teams with Rafa BenÃtez: Liverpool F.C. Seasons 2006 - 2007Comments: "I
have gone on record recently and I will say it again now that I have
learnt more from Rafael Benitez than any other coach I have worked
with". "I am a much better player for the time I've spent
working with him and if I do go on to manage at some point in the future
he's the model I'll use in my career. I can't make my respect for him
any clearer than that".
Source: Rafa Benitez OFFICIAL website
http://www.rafabenitez.com/web/index.php?act=mostrarContenidos&idioma=in&ca=79
Rafa got us Number 5 and he gave us another final. It shows how far we came that in the second final we were better then Milan. As for Jaime Kanwar: Has Houllier, Hodgson or O'Neil ever got their teams to a CL final?
ReplyDeleteWhere were you when Hodgson came? I seem to remember you ran off! Everyone know Liverpool will not win the title of CL. If Benitez was here-it's be a different story!
What a great quote, way more "newsworthy" than this article. Please give me the seconds of my life I lost reading this...
ReplyDelete...ps pennant had a great game in the CL final
I happen to believe that Rafa is a better manager than Jaimie. He also had little choice than to drop him for the final after the golf club incident.
ReplyDeleteBellamy can't blame anyone than himself. Behave better and he would have played more at every club he played at. He is an excellent player but he also creates his own problems.
I agree that Pennant and Zenden were both not good enough to wear the red shirt. But the fact is that Pennant had probably his best game for the reds in Athens, he didn't score, but most of our good play went through him. I was there. If you're going to make a point, at least back it up with facts. Did you even watch the game??
ReplyDeleteResponse Jamie? Reina had some telling comments on Hodgson's tactics recently as has Agger. No article.
ReplyDeleteResponse Jamie? Bit of balance no? No comments on Hodgson's continued poor away record? Does this have any correlation with his cautious style of football at all? All these questions and you're still banging on about Benitez.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I have to write about Hodgson? He was only in the job for 6 months so there's no point. The comment highlighted above does not change the fact that Bellamy admitted to being 'at his wit's end', does it? If you want balance, go to the BBC website; I'm under no obligation to provide balance.
ReplyDeleteThe 2007 CL final was Pannant's finest hour in a red shirt. He was scintillating that night.
ReplyDeletei agree with that. but starting harry kewell was by far THE worst decision that game.
ReplyDeleteu suck.
ReplyDeleteThe Italian is desperate to salvage his Hoops career and has given his all
ReplyDeleteduring pre-season. He had a more than decent game yesterday and of course played
his part in the Moscow glory night.
As my first idea for a Wenger replacement, I would like to nominate Mr Ego
ReplyDeletehimself, the special guy, Mr Mourinho. Oh, wait! He just lost the other day and
his glorious Real Mad is 8 points behind the leaders. And would you like his ego
to land at the Arsenal grounds? I thought not.
Let’s get Rafa Benitez or Roy Hodgson. Let’s just take a shot and see what
ReplyDeletehappens since Liverpool had such a great experience with both of them. We’ll
first hire Rafa, when he drives the club to the edge of extinction, we’ll
replace him with Roy Boy to complete the job. No way!
the arsenal board will never give jose the job, he is to expensive and will
ReplyDeletespend all your money. why do you think your board love wenger so much even
though the trophies have dried up.
Jaimie, how many articles have written regarding Rafa Benitez? I am merely highlighting that fact that YOU seem to have a problem with the man. You seem like the kind of person who likes to stir the crap. Benitez had his faults so do you,please write something new Rafa`s well gone.
ReplyDeleteComplete coward Kanwar!
ReplyDeleteYou said yourself you were going to the Rafa evening, and you clearly didn't - firstly this was posted 10 mins before it started, and secondly, he said there why he went with Zenden. You're a liar and a coward.
Jamie tell every one that there's not much to write about Hodgson because only one word is enough to tell every you need to know about him....it is C.R.A.P.
ReplyDeleteEverything about Hodgson is pathetic ...how the hell did he come anywhere near jersey side never mind manage LIVERPOOL .???
Mersey side ...should say
ReplyDeletethe writer is a sad lonely person whose only purpose in life now is dedicated to undermining a proven winner. He's probably one of those who never got any playing time when he was younger cos he wasn't good enough and good bullied, and now armed with a keyboard he mistakenly thinks Rafa represents all these bullies. Give it a rest, and the rest of us, lets try to avoid this spiteful site. I just wish that this link doesn't appear on Newsnow so that I never see it, guess now I have to revert to stronger willpower. There are plenty of other avenues and forums out there, why do we (myself included) waste our time with this one?
ReplyDeleteI dont think harry kewel started the 2007 champs league did he? I thought he came on for zenden? He started 2005 champs league final.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with that. Pennant looked to me to easily be the best player on the pitch that night, but unfortunately while having an inform traditional winger we decided to stick with a 'modern' striker that refused to even approach the box from open play
ReplyDeletebenitez spent serious money on shit was too negative in his tactics and couldnt man manage to save his life
ReplyDeleteBut you do criticise fans for not showing balance when criticising Hodgson or Hicks and Gillett.
ReplyDeleteBut good to know that Roy Hodgson's reign was insignificant in your opinion. I suppose readers will take from that what they will about your credibility and intentions.
where does it say that bellamy was at his wits end with benitez? So the article is as most people have pointed out another attack on benitez.
ReplyDeleteand if you want to attack benitez thats up to you, but I think its wrong for you to imply that a player was unhappy with the manager when you can not prove it.
now if he said he was at his wits end due to the treatment dished out by benitez you would have a point, but in my opinion, you have not made a valid argument to support your artical
Read the article properly: Bellamy says he was at his wit's end because he was left on the bench for the 2007 CL final. Who chose the team? Benitez, ergo Benitez is responsible for Bellamy being 'at his wit's end'.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sick of people like you who can't hack fair evaluation of the Benitez era. You're head is so far in the sand that you can't even be fair enough to ascribe the proper meaning to comments that are extremely unambiguous.
If you want to worship at Benitez's altar then that's your choice, but if I want to highlight evaluate his reign, I will, and if you can't hack that, tough luck.
The title of the article is very misleading. You may have not slagged off Benitez directly in this article but the title insinuates that it was Benitez himself that made Bellamy feel at his 'wit's end'. It wasn't, it was because Bellamy was left on the bench.
ReplyDeleteRight. And who left Bellamy on the bench, Santa Claus? That decision just happened in a vacuum? Benitez made that decision; it is a direct causal link to Bellamy feeling at his wit's end, thus the post title is correct.
ReplyDeletef Rafa left Bellamy on the bench then its for a reason, one you don't care to investigate.
ReplyDeleteRafa gets us to Two Champions League finals in three years, and this crap is all you can bang on about ?
Pathetic !! Your vendetta against Benitez is sickening..
So tell us Jaimie, how are you enjoying your Champions League football since Benitez left ?
I miss those European nights... You obviously dont !!
In hindsight, playing Bellamy may have been a good idea. But only Rafa and his team would know why he wasn't selected. Many would have groaned when they saw Pennant on the team sheet. But he turned out to be a good choice. We can guess all we like but the manager has to make his choice and we sometimes fail to understand it.... and complain!
ReplyDeleteI guess that Rafa felt Zenden would have the better mentality and temperament in this match.
Not to point out the obvious or anything but, it was under Benitez that Liverpool fell out of the champions league in the first place, just to correct the implications of your rant.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you pen that Pennant made no impact in the game despite getting man of the match clearly shows you up as someone who doesn't actually follow LFC. Nothing else is worth writing about your drivel and I can't believe people take the time out to read your articles or even defend them!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you're still going on about Benitez Jamie. What a sad individual you are.
ReplyDeleteYou have a very selective memory...
ReplyDeleteBenitez was making good progress with Liverpool up until the two cowboys began suffocating the club with debt.
The decline occurred because Hicks and Gillette had no intention of keeping Liverpool competitive or funding a new stadium.
Benitez was drawn into a conflict with the owners, and as a result, our form suffered.
Kewell did not Start and Zenden was one of the better players in the games against PSV and Chelsea. I remember hoping he would be fit for the final such was his impact in the team leading up to the final
ReplyDeleteYou still harping utter shi*te articles about benitez soft lad, he left about 4 years ago, get over it, an what a mess we are in now he isn;t here.
ReplyDeletewho are you trying to kid jaimie? i remember your articles about 4/5 years back, rants an myths about benitez, get a life lad.
ReplyDeletebenitez spent roughly 70m net an averaged 11 m a season,, money on shi*? sissoko, alonso, reina, agger, skrtel mascherano, torres. garcia.. i see
ReplyDeletejaimee a fu**in bellend....
ReplyDelete