Bellamy to depart?

Craig Bellamy is again in the headlines today with Ian Ladyman in the Mail reporting that Bellamy could be on the verge of leaving the club in the summer should Roberto Mancini remain in the charge:

The situation between Bellamy and his Italian manager is now so uneasy that the Wales forward has privately expressed a wish to leave Eastlands this summer if Mancini remains in charge.

Although Bellamy - one of City's best players this season - is an emotional character prone to explosive outbursts of frustration that he often reconsiders, it is understood that his frustration with life under Mancini is now pretty much constant.

The Independent also ran with the story suggesting that Craig Bellamy could be considering his future and this comes hot on the heels of the NOTW reporting a pre-match bust up between the Welshman and Brian Marwood.

It appears that the initial starting point for the latest stories stems from both Bellamy's contention over Mancini's training methods and also the controversy regarding the comments Bellamy was alledged to have made in the wake of the Everton defeat.

By his own admission, Bellamy moved to the club primarily as it was his last shot of playing in the Champions League given a history of injury troubles and a less than certain future in terms of longevity for his playing career - he has conceded he has possibly two or three seasons remaining. There has also been no suggestion that Bellamy has been anything other than committed to the cause since Mark Hughes (whom he was so close to) was sacked at the end of 2009 and despite initial reports appears as though he had bought in to the ‘Mancini way'. And whilst Bellamy has featured prominently under Mancini - being a key figure in the attack - there remains the underlying feeling that both Bellamy and Mancini may prefer a parting of the ways in the summer depending upon who may arrive in at the club.

Still, to effectively walk away would be a big decision for Bellamy to take and whilst Tottenham were very much interested in him when we signed him from West Ham, would Bellamy at this stage really be able to make a move to a side playing in (or even contesting for) the Champions League?