West Ham United Football Club News

• Nickname:Hammers
• Founded:1895
• Manager:Sam Allardyce

• Ground:Upton Park
• Capacity:35,595

Bellamy to be rested

30 Oct 2007 - 07:42:12

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West Ham United manager Alan Curbishley is hoping Craig Bellamy can finally shake off his injury problems in next month's international break.

The Wales international has struggled with an abdominal injury since his summer switch from Liverpool and had to be substituted at half-time in the weekend draw at Portsmouth.

Bellamy is likely to miss to Tuesday's Carling Cup fourth-round tie against Coventry and Curbishley said: "Craig's been playing in a lot of discomfort.

"He's able to play, but his game is restricted.

"It looks like we're going to have to close him down again - we can use the international break. It'll give him a decent chance of clearing it up.

"He has an abdominal strain, and it's been creating problems in other areas.

"The groin area was sorted out with an operation in Germany, but the abdominal strain has come back.

"I've never known so many new signings get injured. It's the same with Scott Parker and some of the others.

"They've come here desperate to do well and they can't get going. We started the season with Bobby (Zamora) and Craig (Bellamy) up front and now they're both out injured.

"It's been the forwards who've taken the brunt of it. It's mostly impact injuries though - it's nothing to do with training - and you just can't legislate for that."