Fans turn England into nervous wrecks claims Wales star Bellamy
Published 23:01 21/03/11 By Oliver Holt
Craig Bellamy last night mocked the expectations heaped on England players and blamed the pressure for their shambolic performances at the World Cup.
Wales striker Bellamy will try to inflict fresh humiliation on England in their Euro 2012 qualifying showdown at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday. And the on-loan Cardiff forward said he had seen the demands placed on England stars reduce some of them to nervous wrecks.
"I watched them in the World Cup last summer like everybody else, and I don't buy into the idea that England ain't good enough," Bellamy said.
"The other thing that people always say is that the England players don't want it enough, but that's rubbish, too.
"Before the tournament, there was so much optimism you had certain players being lined up to be knighted. England were going into it with the best centre-half in the world, the best centre-forward in the world, but tournaments don't work out like that.
"Germany were brilliant because they went with a group of players who were given freedom. Because so much was expected of them, England just looked tense, so tense.
"When I was playing at Liverpool, I know some of the England players were scared when they played for England. I remember Steven Gerrard, before playing Andorra, saying that for the first time he didn't want to risk giving the ball away because he was afraid of the boos.
"I remember looking at him and thinking: 'That's Steven Gerrard, one of the greatest players in the world over the last 10 years and he felt that'.
"Imagine the environment at that game. And you tell me players go there just for prestige? They are top, top players. They don't need that.
"Every tournament England go into, I actually think they can win it. Maybe that's me trying to convince myself, so I'm prepared just in case they do.
"For me, in the World Cup, England were just too rigid. I thought they got broken in between the lines. It just didn't look right."
Wales are pinning their hopes of causing a massive upset on former skipper Bellamy and Spurs' speedy wide-man Gareth Bale.
They have lost their first three Euro 2012 qualifiers, but will be roared on by a capacity crowd in Cardiff.
Bellamy believes that the appointment of Gary Speed as Wales boss could herald a brighter football future for the nation.
"It's an incredible game for us," he said, "and to play England is a special occasion for everyone.
"Wales are in a transitional period. We have a new manager who is going to take a couple of years to stamp his identity on us, but he is aware that we need to change.
"The only way we can achieve anything as a football nation is for people like me, and former players, to work within Welsh football and to do it for free - to give something back.
"Something needs to be done here. Swansea are setting the benchmark with their philosophies on how they want to play. Do I feel Cardiff need to get on board? Yeah, I do.
"I feel we have to start getting an identity as a nation, so we can say: 'This is how we play and these are the type of players we produce.'
"The Welsh FA have made a great choice in Gary, but is facing England in his second game great timing for him to show what he can do?
"I feel there will be a difference in how we play, and you will see that, but it's over two or three years that you'll see a real difference."
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