Manchester City Football Club News

• Nickname:Sky Blues
• Founded:1887
• Manager:Roberto Mancini

• Ground:City of Manchester Stadium
• Capacity:48,000

Bellamy absence endorsed

11 Nov 2009 - 08:40:58

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Wales have endorsed Manchester City's decision to pull Craig Bellamy out of the international squad to face Scotland on Saturday.

The international captain will miss the game at the Millennium Stadium with a groin injury despite playing for City against Burnley on Saturday.

Reports had suggested that Wales boss John Toshack would not be happy after Bellamy jetted off to Abu Dhabi with City for a friendly against the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

However, Toshack claims he has no problem with the striker missing Saturday's game, even if he returns to club action the following weekend.

"We saw that after his last game for us when he came back he'd picked up an injury and missed the next Manchester City game," explained Toshack.

"Now he has played the full 90 minutes for City last Saturday and, after the match, their doctor was straight on the phone to our medical people saying that Craig had complained of a groin injury towards the end of the game.

"But the match was at such a point that he stayed on, finished the game and a decision was made that they'd have a look at him yesterday morning.

"Apparently their doctor has talked to our doc again, and they've both agreed he'd be very doubtful for this game with Scotland.

"It was better that he stayed with the Manchester City people to get his treatment and recover properly. Now he's gone off with City to Abu Dhabi, which makes sense if their medical people have also gone out there.

"He will get the necessary treatment while he is with them and there is not much we can do about that."