hi Cardiff fan here, but I used to live up your way and I know how passionate you can be about your footie. A couple of things about Craig Bellamy. I know he is like Marmite, you either love him or hate him but these are some facts. Ask the fans of any club he hasn't played for and you get the kind of reaction I've read here, ask the fans of any club he has played for and they adore him. his work ethic is untouchable, his effort for the team is total and he only gets upset with those he believes are not pulling their weight.
the reason he came to Cardiff last year was because after he fell out with the manager Man City refused to sell him to another Prem club and he refused to go on loan to any other club than Cardiff. We were just lucky. All the time he has been playing for other clubs his family has lived in Cardiff and that is where his home is. After his first game for us he was interviewed having scored the winning goal and he said his reception was wonderful, the goal was wonderful but the best part was that in 20 minutes he'd be home having Saturday tea with his wife and kids and he hadn't been able to do that for all his children's lives!
He is fed up of travelling all the time, of missing his children's birthdays and stuff like that.
Some of the reason he gets into bother is because you always get some nobber who wants to show off to his mates and 'prove' Bellamy isn't as hard as he thinks he is. And he doesn't sit still for it. What would you do?
why the high wages? A lot of people don't know this and it doesn't fit in with his 'bad ass' image but he uses his high wages to fund his own football academy for poor kids in the Ivory Coast. he has publicly stated that he has more than enough money to last him the rest of his life and he would play for nothing for any club which would fund the upkeep of his academy. But of course it wasn't widely reported because it isn't a story about how nasty he is.
Trust me, if you get him you will see one of the best players ever to pull on one of your shirts and you will love him.
I just hope he comes back home.
Good luck for the season!!