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Bellamy credits Dalglish for Liverpool return

Craig Bellamy spent last season on loan at Cardiff but is confident he can still play at the highest level © PA Photos

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Craig Bellamy says the presence of Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool manager was a major factor in his decision to return to Anfield, four years after his first spell at the club ended.

Dalglish swooped for Bellamy on deadline day to bolster his attacking options, with the Welshman now fighting Luis Suarez, Andy Carroll and Dirk Kuyt for a place in the Reds' forward line.

Bellamy, 32, last played for Liverpool in the 2006-07 season, but was sold to West Ham after falling out with then boss Rafael Benitez.

But the former Newcastle striker is back at Anfield after signing on a free transfer from Manchester City, and has revealed that playing under Dalglish was the main attraction.

"I've grown up with Kenny Dalglish, now to be signed by him is a massive honour," Bellamy told Liverpoolfc.tv. "This is an exciting time. When Kenny took over, watching as a fan last season I got the buzz as well and it was great to see Liverpool end the season well.

"For me, the players they've signed this summer, there has been a lot of British which takes me back to when I started watching Liverpool. It looks so familiar to me and to be part of it is such a huge honour.

"To every Liverpool fan, Kenny is probably the best player ever to pull on the red shirt so that speaks for itself. He was the first player-manager to do the double and just how he conducted himself really. I know we've had bits of success since then but the club hasn't been the same since he left, so to come back in and be a part of this with the players who are here - it's a good time.

"The Liverpool team when I first signed is a lot different to the Liverpool side of the last couple of years so we need to get back into the Champions League and look to push the club on from there again."

Bellamy played for hometown club Cardiff City in the Championship last season and after being frozen out by City boss Roberto Mancini, the pacy Wales forward is desperate to play regular, top-flight football again.

"I get this opportunity again for Liverpool fans to hopefully see a real good side of me on a playing level," Bellamy said. "I know what I have to do to play in this team, so this should be a good time. I can play on either wing as well, like I did at Manchester City.

"I'm very happy. It's been a long couple of months, I had to be patient and believe something like this could happen. It has so I am over the moon. I am coming into a club not just with Kenny, but with Clarkey (Steve Clarke) and Kevin Keen, people who I have worked with really closely and who know me inside out. I'm coming to a Liverpool where the people here know what I need to do to play in this team."

Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli was delighted to welcome Bellamy back to the club, saying: "What we really liked is the fact he is so versatile. He can play wide, he can play up front, he can play off the target man, so he is an ideal complement to the squad we have built during the summer.

"In the cases of Jose Enrique, Jordan [Henderson] and Stewart [Downing], they are all very quick, and it's something we wanted to emphasise because we felt last season we were lacking a bit of pace.

'We knew we had to let some players go, some players wanted minutes they weren't getting here, and for several weeks we had first team players training with the reserves because the squad was so big here at Melwood. We [have] reduced the number dramatically and we feel we added quality as well."

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