Bellamy and Collins give Wales Boost

March 9, 2009

Wales have a double header coming up at the end of March and beginning of April that could make or break their chances of qualification for the 2010 World Cup and they are going to have two of their most influential players back in the side.

Craig Bellamy who has been out of action with a knee injury and West Ham defender James Collins who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury are both expected to be fit for the two matches.

Jack Collison is still a doubt with a knee injury, although it is not as bad as first feared.

The 20-year-old landed awkwardly in West Ham’s 1-0 win at Wigan last week and was stretchered off with suspected knee ligament damage

Collison needed oxygen and underwent scans on the affected knee on Thursday but West Ham’s medical team wanted a second opinion so he returned for more scans on Friday.

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes initially said the “best case scenario” was that Bellamy, who tore fibres in a patella tendon, would be out for three weeks following the 1 March game.

But the Welsh FA are confident Bellamy, the man boss John Toshack hails as his attacking talisman, will be available.

On-form Bellamy has scored four times for new club Manchester City since his January move from West Ham and gives Wales an added attacking dimension.

While Toshack considers 25-year-old Collins as part of his defensive “nerve-centre.”

Both Bellamy and Collins have a proven history of returning to fitness for Wales duty despite not featuring for their club.

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