Liverpool FC have confirmed this afternoon that Welsh international Craig Bellamy has agreed a four-year deal with Liverpool. The deals takes effect officially on July 1st, and a delighted Liverpool-supporting Bellamy went back to his wife and kids on holiday in Greece a very happy man.
Before he left though the newlywed spoke to Liverpool FC’s official website to tell them just how happy and proud he was: “To get the transfer completed today was an unbelievable moment for me. I just got married last month and that was obviously one of the highlights of my life but this is on par with that – I know the missus might not be happy with me saying that but it’s true! It’s a dream come true to sign for the club I supported as a boy and to actually play for Liverpool will be an enormous honour. I’m a very proud person at the moment.”
On Rafa, Bellamy said: “As a fan, he’s impressed me ever since he arrived at Anfield. What he has achieved as a manager, both at Anfield and before that in Spain, tells you everything you need to know about the man and I didn’t need to meet him to know that he was taking the club in the right direction. But as a player, meeting him, what he was saying made so much sense and I just hope I can play a part in this already brilliant football team and hopefully make this great club even more successful. Being a Liverpool supporter myself, at the start of every season it’s the league title that you’re looking to win. Being top of this league is something that Liverpool grew used to in the 70s and 80s but it hasn’t happened for a while, and that has to change. Even from the outside looking in, you could tell that things were heading in the right direction under Mr Benitez and if we can improve on what we did last year and move two steps on, hopefully we can win the title.”
Bellamy knows his reputation off the field goes before him, but he’s determined to prove that there’s no need to worry about that. Liverpool are his idols and he’s not going to mess them about: “I want to say this – it’s hard work coming here but it’s going to be even harder to be a really big hit here – that’s the way I’m looking at it. It’s going to take a lot of hard work, a lot of focus, a lot of discipline – everything – to make it at a club like this. Because I want to be a hit. I don’t want to just be remembered as a Liverpool player, I want to be remembered as a good Liverpool player. That’s my motivation. Obviously I hope to score plenty of goals, I hope to make a lot of goals for my teammates and just to be another attacking option and a threat. I think I suit the way the team plays and the way the team plays is perfect for me. I just feel I can really excel at this club and hopefully that will be the case.”
For now though Bellamy wants to try and come to terms with what he sees as the move of a lifetime: “To be honest, it hasn’t sunk in yet but it’s getting there! I think when I go back on my holiday and sit down with my missus and my two boys and the phone calls start, it’ll really start registering just what has happened. I want to say this though – it’s hard enough to come to a club like Liverpool, because it’s such a special club and these opportunities arrive once in a lifetime, but I’m going to have to work even harder to make a good name for myself here. It’s hard work coming here but it’s going to be even harder to be a really big hit here – that’s the way I’m looking at it. It’s going to take a lot of work, a lot of focus, a lot of discipline – everything – to make it at a club like this. Because I want to be a hit. I don’t want to just be remembered as a Liverpool player, I want to be remembered as a good Liverpool player. That’s my motivation.”
Asked if he had a message for the Liverpool supporters, he said he’ll wait until he’s wearing the Red shirt: “Not really. I just hope to send out a message to them when I play on the pitch. I’ve got to win them over as well. I’ve got to start off well – and that’s not usually the case for me to be honest, it usually takes me one or two game – but I’m sure the fans will see what I’m about as soon as I start playing for this great club.”