Bellamy to spend week with FA Cup finalists (From Echo)

Bellamy to spend week with FA Cup finalists

1:19pm Friday 9th May 2008 in

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WEST Ham forward Craig Bellamy will spent next week training with FA Cup finalists Cardiff City.

The Wales captain, who arrived at Upton Park from Liverpool for £7.5million last summer, has been restricted to just eight appearances by a series of abdominal and groin injuries.

But Bellamy, who has not played since the 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic on February 2, is finally back in full training.

And Irons manager Alan Curbishley said the 28-year-old would spend the week with the Championship side in a bid to regain full fitness ahead of pre-season training.

"Craig Bellamy is in full training and has been doing everything. We're going to hopefully continue that," said Curbishley.

"Obviously we finish at the weekend but kindly (Cardiff manager) Dave Jones has allowed Craig to train with them for a week as they prepare for the cup game.

"So, he can get another week's football in and we can see where we are after that."

While Bellamy is finally approaching a first team comeback, Curbishley admitted he was unsure when a number of other important players would be back in action.

"It's a bit difficult because the return dates on some of them because the return dates on some of them are not set," he added.

"Julien Faubert could probably, at a push, be fit for Sunday but it's the last game and I'd prefer to have a clean bill of health with him.

"Kieron Dyer was running fully and doing really well and he had a little irritation, but he's had that sorted out and we're very confident he'll be okay.

"Ferdinand's back in training, Upson isn't far away and nor is Spector.

"So I know a lot of that squad will be available in the summer and I'm waiting for that to happen before I decide where we need to go.

"I've got four-or-five players who I've not seen too much of so I couldn't tell you what my best team is until I get them all fit.

"We're all hoping for better things next year. We invested heavily in the summer and a lot of those players haven't been around so it'll be nice when there are."