Bellamy hits out at Coventry

Bellamy was Wales' best players against Ukraine

Craig Bellamy has severely criticised Coventry after being removed from Wales' World Cup squad - claiming he would have been treated differently if he was an English player.

The £6.5million striker was forced to leave the Wales squad earlier this week and will now miss Saturday's Group Five crunch match with Poland and against Ukraine next Wednesday.

A row over his fitness between club and country eventually left Wales without insurance cover for him and with no choice but to send him home.

People do not realise what it means to play for your country in the city you were born in

  Craig Bellamy

Coventry maintain that his Achilles injury requires surgery, while the Wales medical staff insist he is fit to play.

And the uproar is not going to die down now that Bellamy has revealed his fury at the way Coventry have treated him.

"I'm fit, have no doubt about it, and ready to play for Wales," said Bellamy.

"This is the down side of playing for Wales. It would certainly not happen if I was an English player.

"Clubs think they have the rule over Wales but playing for England is a different issue and that should not be the case at this level.

"The whole affair has hit me for six, it will take quite a while to get over this one."

Coventry chairman Brian Richardson refused to comment on the situation.

The club will surely not be impressed by Bellamy's outburst, but the fiery striker is clearly in no mood to keep his mouth shut.

I feel Coventry have created a problem that was not really there

  Wales manager Mark Hughes

Football Association of Wales secretary general David Collins tried to reach a compromise with Coventry, but to no avail.

"We insure all our players individually for the sum their clubs tell us," he said.

"The money is huge these days and without Coventry's co-operation we would not have been able to arrange cover, nobody would have ensured Bellamy in these circumstances so we just aren't able to play him."

Bellamy will watch the game on TV at his parents' Cardiff home.

He added: "I'm totally gutted.

"People do not realise what it means to play for your country in the city you were born in.

Hurt

"This issue has been dropped on me from a great height days before a massive game for Wales, but what can I do about it, my club hold all the cards.

"This has really hurt me because I was looking forward to the two games.

"It is not as if I'm not fit, I am and proved that to the Welsh camp.

"If for one minute I thought I would not do myself justice or could aggravate the problem, I would concede that, but it is not the issue here.

"The boss (Mark Hughes) has done everything possible to get permission for me to play."

Mark Hughes added: "I feel Coventry have created a problem that was not really there.

"Coventry and Wales both know Craig is fit to play."