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John Arne Riise Lifts The Lid On That Bust Up With Craig Bellamy


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Former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise has lifted the lid on his infamous golf club bust-up with Craig Bellamy.

 

The pair clashed during a training camp in Portugal ahead of the Reds’ Champions League tie with Barcelona back in February 2007.

 

A team-bonding night out in the Algarve ended painfully for Riise, whose refusal to take part in the karaoke led to him being attacked in his hotel room with an eight iron.

 

The Norwegian says fears about the possible repercussions for his Liverpool career meant he didn’t seek to get his own back on Bellamy.

 

"We were allowed to go out on a team dinner on the last night and I remember Rafa Benitez told us we could have one beer.“Some had more than one.....,” Riise said.

 

“We had a private room in a karaoke bar. Bellamy kept saying: ‘Ginge is going up to sing’. I said: ‘No, I’m not singing. I can do a lot of things but singing is not one of them’.

 

“Bellamy wouldn’t leave it. I kept saying: ‘No, no, no’, but he kept on annoying me.

 

“When he grabbed the microphone and said again: ‘Ginge, is coming up to sing’, I went up to his face and told him clearly I wouldn’t be and to stop it.

 

I left and went back to my room. I was rooming with Daniel Agger.

 

“When I heard the key in the door I thought it was Dan coming back but then the lights went on.

 

“Next thing I saw was a golf club smashing me on my backside.

 

“I jumped out of bed and was stood in my underwear while Bellamy was there shouting. He just said: ‘9am tomorrow outside my room’. I got there for 8.45am and waited until 9.10am but there was no sign on him.

 

“At breakfast all the boys were laughing and when Bellamy walked in they were clapping. Of course I thought about reacting. But in the end I just left it.

 

“Why? I’m not a fighter. Also I was worried if I did react badly it could be the end of my Liverpool career.”

 

Instead it was Bellamy who was shown the door five months later when he was sold to West Ham for £7.5million.

 

In his autobiography the Welshman later described his own actions that night as “pathetic” and “stupidity of the highest level”.

 

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/john-arne-riise-lifts-lid-10789312#ICID=FB-Liv-lfc

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John Arne Riise has finally given his version of events regarding the infamous “golf club incident” in 2007.

 

Craig Bellamy attacked the Norwegian with a golf club as he lay in bed following a 'team bonding session' in Portugal ahead of a Champions League clash in Barcelona, an incident which the Welshman now regrets and described in his autobiography as “pathetic” and “stupidity of the highest level”.

 

Until now, Riise has kept his own council about it, but this week he opened up and explained what went down.

 

“We were allowed to go out on a team dinner on the last night and I remember Rafa Benitez told us we could have one beer. Some had more than one.....” he said.

 

“We had a private room in a karaoke bar. Bellamy kept saying: ‘Ginge is going up to sing’. I said: ‘No, I’m not singing. I can do a lot of things but singing is not one of them’. Bellamy wouldn’t leave it. I kept saying: ‘No, no, no’, but he kept on annoying me.

 

“When he grabbed the microphone and said again: ‘Ginge, is coming up to sing’, I went up to his face and told him clearly I wouldn’t be and to stop it. I left and went back to my room. I was rooming with Daniel Agger. When I heard the key in the door I thought it was Dan coming back but then the lights went on. Next thing I saw was a golf club smashing me on my backside.

 

“I jumped out of bed and was stood in my underwear while Bellamy was there shouting. He just said: ‘9am tomorrow outside my room’. I got there for 8.45am and waited until 9.10am but there was no sign of him.

 

“At breakfast all the boys were laughing and when Bellamy walked in they were clapping. Of course I thought about reacting. But in the end I just left it. Why? I’m not a fighter. Also I was worried if I did react badly it could be the end of my Liverpool career.”

 

The story had a happy ending though as, incredibly, both players got on the scoresheet as the Reds won in Camp Nou, with Bellamy celebrating his goal by swinging an imaginary golf club.

 

Perhaps Kloppo should order Christian Benteke to take a six iron to Alberto Moreno ahead of tonight's semi final with Stoke?

 

 

 

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I'd have fancied Riise to twat the little urchin all over the shop.

Riise said he's not a fighter, I reckon Bellamy would of twatted him, Riise story doesn't add up anyway why does he say he was waiting for a straightner with him but say he didn't want any trouble at the same time?

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I'm not a local so I don't mind if people view this as an epiphany that no 'real' Liverpool supporter would experience. With that in mind . . .  this incident was the first time that I was able to imagine a life without Liverpool FC. Not the incident itself, which just made me roll my eyes at how juvenile it all was. It was in the match that followed against Barcelona, when Bellamy celebrated his equaliser by imitating a golf swing. I should have been overjoyed but instead I was enraged by this colossal prick thinking the whole thing was a joke. What  the fuck was I doing, putting so much of my mental well-being in the hands of these revolting men-children who didn't give a shit if I lived or died? The moment passed, but the memory remained. I don't know where my limit for the shitness of modern football lies - but I know I have a limit.

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Fight fight fight

 

Maybe we should be getti g one of the lads to start swinging clubs now. Didn't seem to do the form any harm. Having said that make sure its not Sturridge swing the club,the fucker would get tennis elbow and miss the next two years

 

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I'm not a local so I don't mind if people view this as an epiphany that no 'real' Liverpool supporter would experience. With that in mind . . .  this incident was the first time that I was able to imagine a life without Liverpool FC. Not the incident itself, which just made me roll my eyes at how juvenile it all was. It was in the match that followed against Barcelona, when Bellamy celebrated his equaliser by imitating a golf swing. I should have been overjoyed but instead I was enraged by this colossal prick thinking the whole thing was a joke. What  the fuck was I doing, putting so much of my mental well-being in the hands of these revolting men-children who didn't give a shit if I lived or died? The moment passed, but the memory remained. I don't know where my limit for the shitness of modern football lies - but I know I have a limit.

 

that's an excellent post.

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I'm not a local so I don't mind if people view this as an epiphany that no 'real' Liverpool supporter would experience. With that in mind . . . this incident was the first time that I was able to imagine a life without Liverpool FC. Not the incident itself, which just made me roll my eyes at how juvenile it all was. It was in the match that followed against Barcelona, when Bellamy celebrated his equaliser by imitating a golf swing. I should have been overjoyed but instead I was enraged by this colossal prick thinking the whole thing was a joke. What the fuck was I doing, putting so much of my mental well-being in the hands of these revolting men-children who didn't give a shit if I lived or died? The moment passed, but the memory remained. I don't know where my limit for the shitness of modern football lies - but I know I have a limit.

Good post! When we try to understand why the atmosphere at Anfield is mostly gone, I think this may be one more factor.

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  • 4 months later...

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