Craig Bellamy back for Wales against Austria

Published on 01/02/2013 01:16

Wales manager Chris Coleman believes Craig Bellamy has rediscovered his love of football after restoring the striker to the national squad ahead of the friendly against Austria.

The 33-year-old Cardiff forward has missed the first four matches of the Dragons’ World Cup qualifying campaign due to injury, but was included in Coleman’s squad for next week’s Liberty Stadium encounter.

Bellamy has not played for his country since the 2-0 defeat by Bosnia-Herzegovina last August, and his absence fuelled speculation he was set to step down from international football after 70 caps and 19 goals.

But Coleman said: “I never thought Craig would knock it on the head. Craig had a few problems last year and it was difficult for him, but he has that spark in his eye for football.

“He has already played 70 times for Wales, so he has paid his dues and turned up for friendlies and end-of-season games. Not everyone does that but he has fallen in love with football again, Cardiff are getting the rewards of that and it will be nice to have him back in the squad.”

Squad: Price (Crystal Palace), Myhill (West Brom), O Fon Williams (Tranmere), A Williams (Swansea, captain), Richards (Swansea), Lynch (Huddersfield), Ricketts (Bolton), Gunter (Reading), Matthews (Celtic), B Davies (Swansea), Collison (West Ham), King (Leicester), Allen (Liverpool), Ramsey (Arsenal), Vaughan (Sunderland), Ledley (Celtic), Bale (Tottenham), Robson-Kanu (Reading), Vokes (Burnley), Church (Reading), Bellamy (Cardiff) C Davies (Bolton).