Moving Bellamy on may be a tough call Mancini has to make

When you look back on the season which finished with a draw at Upton Park last week, most of the highlights will inevitably involve two of our attackers - Carlos Tevez, who almost bagged himself thirty goals, and Craig Bellamy - a minstrel who had for a short while appeared to have found his spiritual home.

Since joining from West Ham sixteen months ago, a move which at the time was seen as a desperate one by former boss Mark Hughes, Craig has almost certainly enjoyed his best spell as a Premier League player. Notoriously injury-prone, his body has held up quite well, and overall he's matured from an inconsistent but lively striker into a lethal play-making wideman.

Away from the pitch he had been having a quiet time of it, too. Few headlines, charming and honest on camera, never seeming less than 100% gracious to be here, and with his good work in Sierra Leone paying dividends. Indeed, it's been difficult to understand why his reputation throughout football has grown into one of a widely-derided pantomime villain.

As fans, we don't really know what goes on behind the scenes. Information is so instant nowadays that any falsity can reach a significant audience in seconds, and though most know not to trust what they read in the tabloids or on forums, some shit will always stick. How good or bad the relationship between Bellamy and Roberto Mancini is really isn't known, but you get the impression the situation is at least uneasy.

The issue of extra training being a problem for some of the senior players was an odd one. One of Mark Hughes' stronger points was allegedly his and his team's expertise in terms of fitness, and he often spoke about improving facilities, the overall shape of the squad and working hard on the more physical aspects being the scenes to see results on the pitch. As much as someone like Bellamy may need nursing through the latter stages of an injury-hit career, a monthly double-shift surely isn't that much of a manager to ask?

As well as the player's beef at having to spend a couple more hours around Carrington - a problem other squad members had, it must be said - there have been other examples of his change in mood since the managerial switch. David Moyes was said to have earned Craig's backing during the ridiculous events late on in the defeat by Everton. I've no idea whether that happened or not, but it strikes you as the sort of thing a younger, more mischievous Bellamy might get up to.

After the deflating defeat by Spurs, the fixture that ultimately cost us our Champions League hopes, there was the curious sight of a beaming Bellamy almost knocking the opposition manager out with the shine from his pearly whites after losing what would have to be classed as one of the biggest games of his career. That may have simply been honourable sportsmanship, but coming from a player hardly known for that sort of thing there have to be doubts.

The biggest signals that Craig's honeymoon period at City is over, though, have been his overall body language coupled with a decline in form. I guess you could argue that since Mancini's been in charge, and the football hasn't really flown, few have performed consistently, but i don't accept that the former Inter boss is negative, nor that his style of play isn't suited to getting the most from the likes of our number thirty-nine.

Towards the business end of the season there were several games i came away from disappointed with the Welshman's contribution. Again, he wasn't alone, but the Bellamy we saw against Spurs, Arsenal, United, Everton, to me looked one well short on he who dragged the whole side kicking and screaming earlier, and the fire in the belly isn't as apparent as it once was.

Not that the lad needs writing off. We've a squad assembled at vast wealth, and over the season he more than pulled his weight, but inconsistency does begin to make you wonder if, as a whole, given how hugely important next season is, whether Bellamy's presence around the squad makes complete sense for a manager yet to win over his troops.

At the start of this season just gone, Hughes talked to the press about establishing his "power base" at the club. During his tenure, he was allowed to be judged on his own players, prematurely, admittedly, but there were senior figures amongst the playing staff whose presence at the club undermined his position. The most obvious of those was Elano - a hugely talented mard-arse who most fans would admit we've missed this year, on the field at least.

In fairness, Roberto has been quick to play down the heat between the pair, but i have my doubts as to whether he's the sort of personality who knows when to use the carrot and when the stick with sort of livewire Bellamy certainly is. If we're to make further strides next season the squad will have to be tighter than ever, and if Craig insists on playing the naughty schoolboy then it's probably best all round if we move him on sooner rather than later. It'll be a sad day, but a move that's perhaps best all round.