GARY’S BOYS SAY GOODBYE
Bellamy joins sons of Welsh legend Speed
CRAIG BELLAMY provided a shoulder for Gary Speed’s sons to cry on last night. But he need not have bothered as they stood strong on an evening when Welsh football paid a fitting tribute to their father.
Liverpool striker Bellamy lined up alongside Ed and Tommy, who were mascots for the evening. All three kept their emotions in check as the country said farewell to one of the most popular figures in the game.
While Speed’s parents were overcome by emotion on the touchline before kick- off, the coach’s sons proved a chip off the old block, even delivering a post-match ‘Thank you’ to Chris Coleman’s players after Wales’s 1-0 defeat courtesy of Joel Campbell’s early goal.
Coleman was struggling to hold it together during the press conference after the final whistle as he praised his former colleague’s sons. ‘Ed is 14 years old,’ said the Wales coach, ‘and he came into the dressing-room afterwards. There wasn’t a tear in his eye. He was as strong as an ox and spoke to the players.
‘He stood there and said to them, “My dad always told me that if you do your best, then that’s enough. And I think you lot did your best tonight. That’s good enough”.
‘ What can you say when a lad who has just lost his dad says that to a bunch of professional footballers? That’s bravery, isn’t it? His boys were absolutely magnificent.’
Ed followed his address to the players with another to some 400 family, friends and invited guests — including Alan Shearer, David Moyes and Roberto Martinez.
It was emotional for everyone involved, but Speed’s father Roger voiced his own gratitude, adding: ‘ We have been honoured, overwhelmed and will be forever grateful for all the help and support given so spontaneously from so many people. It has helped beyond measure in coming to terms with our heartache.’
Coleman admitted he had struggled to deal with the enormity of the occasion. ‘I wasn’t looking forward to it,’ he said.
‘But how selfish do I sound saying that? What about Gary’s family and his boys?
‘But I can’t get my breath when I see people selling Gary Speed memorial scarves. It’s not right and it still doesn’t feel right.
‘It’s been difficult for all of us. An incredibly tough night. We don’t normally prepare for games like we did tonight, but it wasn’t about us tonight. It was surreal.
‘It was about the Speed family. They were here, along with his friends, and it was a great turn-out for him from the Welsh public, which is what he deserved.
‘They turned out — as did all the ex-players — not just because of what he was as a footballer.
‘I knew Speeds. I know he would want us to move on. I will. I have to because the players will be looking to me for guidance. I’ll be ready in another couple of months.
‘But I just don’t think we are ready at the moment.’