BELLAMY TURNED CLUB TOXIC
He didn’t even realise he was bullying boys, says Cardiff parent
THE father of a former Cardiff City youth player says Craig Bellamy did not even realise he was bullying boys and claims the atmosphere turned ‘ toxic’ after his arrival at the academy.
The player’s dad is willing to speak to those investigating bullying allegations made against the Under 18s coach, who has temporarily stepped down from his role.
He does not want to be named at this stage because his son has remained in the game, but he believes Bellamy should not be coaching academy players.
‘To scare and intimidate someone is bullying,’ he told Sportsmail, ‘but Craig Bellamy does not realise that. You are supposed to guide young players, mentor them and motivate them. Other coaches at the club managed to do that.
‘But when Bellamy arrived the whole thing turned toxic. I saw a change in my son’s attitude. He didn’t want to train with Bellamy.
‘I have spoken to my son again this week to go over this, and I am willing to speak to those heading the investigation.
‘My son has reiterated to me how Bellamy would join in training and would just get more aggressive and angry during the sessions. A couple of mistakes and he comes down on you, screaming and swearing at the players. Just because it’s football it doesn’t make that OK. It was intimidation, and he could get quite malicious with the boys. This man should not be around academyage players.’
The father accepts that his son was not going to progress to the next level at Cardiff and does not have an issue with that. However, he stresses that ability is irrelevant when it comes to the treatment of young players.
‘I knew that my son, like many of the squad, wasn’t going to progress further with Cardiff, we probably knew that for a while, that’s fine,’ he said. ‘But that is not the point. Let the boys who aren’t moving up to the next age group leave and find their level in the game, wherever that may be.
‘ Don’t kill their dreams by putting them off football altogether. That is what Bellamy was doing. My son wasn’t the only one who felt like this, the enjoyment went out of it for a lot of them.
‘They were scared of him, uncomfortable around him, never knowing when he would turn on them next. The players are often scared to talk to club officials about their problems as they are worried about keeping their place in the squad.’
The father concedes that he missed a lot of the signs of his son becoming more withdrawn, but on reflection says that was to be expected.
‘The boys are trying not to let their families down and keep a lot of this to themselves,’ he added.
‘It is that emotional damage you worry about as a parent. It was only when my son started opening up that I realised what was going on during the training sessions. I’ve since learned that he confided in his brother more.’
The father, like others we have spoken to, fears that Cardiff ’ s internal investigation will be favourable to Bellamy. Former police chief Rob Cronick — the club’s head of safeguarding — is central to the probe and he told Sportsmail yesterday that his work will be ‘ professional, effective and with integrity’.
But the father added: ‘I think Cardiff management gave Bellamy free rein at the club. A lot of people there are overawed by him.’
Meanwhile, we understand that Bellamy had been due to be a pundit during coverage of Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Liverpool on Thursday night, two of his former clubs. However, Sky Sports will not be using the 39- year- old during the investigation process.
Bellamy denies the allegations.