Bellamy: Nothing can stop City - Exclusive
Published 23:00 04/05/10 By Oliver Holt
Craig Bellamy has a message for the rest of the Premier League as Manchester City prepare to try to take a giant step towards the top four.
There is no Bellamy snarl to accompany it. No aggression underlying it. In fact, there’s something chilling about the way he relays it as a statement of fact.
Sure, it would be a disappointment if City failed to beat Spurs at Eastlands tonight, he said, and lost out in their bid to qualify for the Champions League.
But, in the long-term, it wouldn’t matter. It would just delay the inevitable march towards domestic and European domination.
The juggernaut would roll on regardless. If City didn’t make the top four this year, they’d just do it next year instead.
“If we finish fourth,” Bellamy said, “it allows us to drive forward a little bit quicker. But it’s not do or die for us.
“It’s not like, if we don’t get fourth this season, we’ll have blown our best chance at it and the opportunity might never come round again.
“If it’s not this season, then we’ll be back. We will be knocking on the door again straight away.
“We’re desperate to do it this season, obviously. It’s the goal we set ourselves before the very first game. It's what we expect of each other with the resources we have here.
“But financially, the situation at City won’t alter too much if we don’t make it this year. One way or another, this club is going to go on to much better things very soon.
“The top players, the players who can win you championships, you are more likely to get them to sign for you if you are in the Champions League.
“Being a Champions League club gives you extra power. Top players want to play Champions League football so if they start arriving, it will push us forward faster in the Premier League, too.
“When I arrived here midway through last season, we were talking about a five year programme to win the league and nothing has changed.”
Bellamy has had a brilliant season for City as the club has stayed in the reckoning for the top four.
The Welsh striker has continued to thrive despite the mid-season sacking of Mark Hughes and continued rumours about a strained relationship with new boss Roberto Mancini.
Bellamy insisted those rumours were unfounded and that he hopes City stick with Mancini next season.
“You would know about it if there were problems between me and Mancini, I promise you,” Bellamy said.
“I’m not the type of guy to hide it. And if I was having a series of rows with him, I wouldn’t be in the team. I don’t think he is the type of guy who would play me if things were bad between us.
“We both speak very bad English so we don’t talk a lot but there is not a problem. No problem at all.
“I think the club has to stick with the manager. We have brought him in. We shouldn’t be hiring and firing all the time. If we are going to be successful, we have to stick with the manager and he has to have full control.”
Bellamy is also relishing the increased competition for places that will come with another City summer spending spree.
He is not fretting about the prospect of a new batch of big names arriving. Instead, he said it was the best kind of motivation.
“Look,” he said, “Robinho arrived here as Britain’s record transfer fee. No disrespect to him because he was a great lad but he’s back in Brazil and I’m still here.
“I knew when I signed for City that I would have to graft and take myself to a level that I had not reached for a while.
“But that appeals to me and the thought of more players arriving this summer and fighting for my place with a new calibre of teammate appeals to me even more.
“It’s going to be incredible. Who would not want to be part of City at the moment?
“I have put myself through ridiculous torture in my rehab from injuries for these kinds of moments.
“To walk away from it now would be the opposite of what I have done in my career. From being a kid, I have always had to fight for my career and fight to establish myself and keep my place. I’m used to it. It’s a great incentive.”
Tevez: I want to stay at City By MARTIN BLACKBURN
Published: Today
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CARLOS TEVEZ has given his full backing to Roberto Mancini - and hopes they will still be working together at Manchester City next season.
The Italian boss could go a long way to securing his long-term future at Eastlands if his team can beat Tottenham in the fourth-placed showdown tonight.
The relationship between the City boss and his 29-goal superstar striker has come under the spotlight since Tevez apparently complained about the training regime last month.
But the former West Ham and Manchester United hero has been a mainstay of the starting line-up under Mancini and feels that is a big reason why he is in the form of his life right now.
Tevez, who has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, said: "Of course I would really like him to continue here.
"I would like all of us to stay and continue with this ambitious project which we have started.
"The manager has given me the continuity that every player needs to produce his best. He helped me recover my confidence.
"Thanks to the coach and my team-mates, things have worked well for me this season and it's the reason I have achieved such a high level."
Tevez, 26, would love to break through the 30-goal barrier tonight while pushing City into the top four going into the final match of the season.
He gave Mancini a scare in training yesterday when he walked off the pitch before the session was scheduled to end and was seen talking to the club doctor.
But City sources last night said his early finish was due to tiredness and insisted he would be fine to line up against Harry Redknapp's men.
Tevez added: "We are a team that is growing together. We are happy with what we've done so far but we know this is our greatest challenge.
"Now the last part comes, we know it will be tough but we'll try hard. We are very confident.
"Tottenham have a team which is no more or less than us. We are at the same level so the team that performs to their true potential will win this battle.
"We both need to win and time will decide who will be the winner."
City's wealthy Arab owners are determined to get into the Champions League quickly - but Tevez insists it would not be a disaster if they do not make it.
The Argentinian striker added: "The Champions League is one of the most beautiful tournaments in the world to play in, that is unquestionable.
"Of course there is the possibility we will not qualify because we are just making our first steps to becoming a great team.
"Everything will happen in due time. But I like to talk about realities and maybe next season City in the Champions League will be a reality."
Redknapp insists all the pressure will be on City due to their massive outlay - but Tevez says he will not be feeling it.
He said: "I never feel any pressure playing football.
"I have played since I was a kid and I play just for fun. I try to play with that in mind every game.
"Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. But I don't feel any pressure. I don't care if I'm playing a friendly game or a World Cup game.
"I have worked so hard to play at this high level, so now I feel no pressure at all. When I go to a team, I give all I have of myself. That's always my rule."
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