Craig Bellamy 'will not lose any sleep' should Liverpool lose Carling Cup final

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy insists he is not driven by medals and will lose no sleep if they are defeated in this weekend's Carling Cup final.

The Reds face Bellamy's hometown club Cardiff, for whom he played last season, but it is not the dream encounter for the Wales international many would have expected.

And while the 32-year-old obviously wants to win his first trophy in England - a Community Shield success in 2006 excepted - he says he is experienced enough not to let it bother him.

"Honestly if I win I win, if I don't, I don't. I won't lose one second of sleep over it," he said.

"I've had a great career and enjoyed it but is it defined by trophies? No - and it never will be.

"I don't even know where my Scottish Cup medal (won in 2005 with Celtic) is.

"I try to win every game I can and I've achieved more than I could have ever set out to.

"I will carry on that same approach and if I win great but if I don't I can walk away knowing I've enjoyed it working as hard as I can and giving my all for the team."

Well-travelled Bellamy has a host of former clubs but facing Cardiff, the city of his birth, presents a different prospect.

"It is a strange situation and something I've really not looked forward to doing to be honest," he added.

"My father is a Cardiff fan, it is the club I used to go to when I was very young.

"I had an ambition in my life and that was to play for them and I was able to do that but it is funny how football works out.

"It is a great final. Football can sometimes be very unpredictable and I didn't really look at this and plan on playing a cup final against Cardiff or with them."

Asked what he would do should he score against the Bluebirds at Wembley he said: "I certainly wouldn't celebrate - but I tried not to against Manchester City (in the semi-final) but with the occasion and the moment you can get carried away."

PA