What you find is that some teams are difficult,” and “Teams that aren’t winning for a starter — that’s the same at every level — and teams who aren’t used to losing, the frustration level is higher for them.”He added: “But one player, it would be Bellamy. I watched him for two or three years — I’m a Newcastle fan and you wanted him in your team because he was a winner.
But he was a nightmare to referee because he would argue about everything. If you told him it was black, he’d tell you it was white.”Webb, a former Premier League referee and current head of the PGMOL, shared similar thoughts when asked the same question. He said that the former Liverpool striker was quick to voice his opinion without considering the official’s perspective. “The player that gave me the most grief would have to be Craig Bellamy,” Webb told Mirror Football in 2016, discussing some of the fans, players, and managers who had given him a particularly hard time during his tenure. “I struggled to build any kind of rapport with Craig. “He might have been a great footballer and a lovely lad off the pitch, but on it, he was quick to share his views and didn’t really listen to yours. There were other players you might think would fall into a similar category — like Joey Barton or Robbie Savage — who would share their opinion but actually engage in some dialogue with you.”Bellamy stopped tormenting referees in 2014 when he retired from playing. He transitioned to coaching with Belgian team Anderlecht alongside former teammate Vincent Kompany and continues to work with the Manchester City legend at Burnley today.
Premier League referee Michael Oliver and former official Howard Webb both agree that Craig Bellamy was the most challenging player to referee. Despite having a successful career with top clubs like Manchester City, Newcastle, and Liverpool, Bellamy was known for being difficult on the pitch. Oliver shared his experiences with The Athletic in 2021, saying: “Craig Bellamy was incredibly difficult.
