Newcastle and Wales threaten to sue over Bellamy

The increasingly bitter dispute between Wales and Newcastle United over the selection of Craig Bellamy for tomorrow's international may have to be settled in court with both sides threatening legal action.

The Newcastle striker trained last night without any apparent ill effects under the steel arches of San Siro, as if to emphasise before the massed banks of television cameras how anxious he is to defy his club and play.

The Football Association of Wales is already in receipt of a solicitor's letter from St James' Park, threatening them with claims for compensation should Bellamy, who has not played competitively since aggravating an old knee injury performing for Wales in Belgrade last month, suffer further injury.

For their part, the FAW is seriously considering whether to sue Newcastle for libel over comments posted on the club's website in which their chief operating officer, Russell Cushing, labelled their treatment of manager, Sir Bobby Robson, "disgraceful''. The association would be even more upset to learn that Cushing's comments were not prompted by a call from a journalist but were volunteered by the club. The Wales manager, Mark Hughes, would not directly address the allegation that he had been negligent in taking a player to Italy whom he knew to be unfit, but added darkly that he would "address the allegations on his return''.

Speaking before Newcastle sent their letter to Cardiff, Bellamy appeared to back Hughes fully against his club manager. "I explained the situation to the [Newcastle] physio and he said he did not see it as an issue. I've been training really hard, my knee is fine. I'm in the best shape I could possibly be.''

This is the third occasion in which Robson has been dragged into Bellamy's relationship with Wales. In November the Newcastle manager attracted hate mail from the Principality when he pulled the forward out of a qualifier in Azerbaijan. When the two teams met in Cardiff in March, Robson was confronted by a distraught Bellamy, who had driven through the night after being accused of racially aggravated behaviour at a Cardiff nightclub.

Bellamy said he was in the same condition as when he scored Newcastle's last-minute winner in their Champions' League encounter with Feyenoord, which took them into the second group phase.

"Then, I was not playing in matches but I was training. I am fit, I look after my body. I went into the Serbia game with knee problems but it is OK again and that gives me an extra 20 per cent straight away. I have spoken to Bobby Robson. I said I would be training and if I had a problem I would take myself off."

Newcastle's chief concern is that Wales lack the necessary insurance cover to make good any long-term damage to one of their principal assets. Bellamy's knee condition is not new and plagued him before his move to Tyneside. Without his pace to support Alan Shearer, Newcastle have slipped into the relegation zone, with one point from three games, and out ofthe Champions' League. Newcastle badly require his services at Goodison Park a week tomorrow.

The FAW remained unrepentant last night. Their secretary general, David Collins, said: "We liaised closely with Newcastle and at their behest sent Craig Bellamy for an intense medical assessment at a world renowned specialist. He has stated that Craig was fit to resume training with Wales and will play providing there is no reaction.''

* The Scotland captain, Paul Lambert, will wait until tomorrow before deciding whether to risk his injured ankle in the Euro 2004 Group Five qualifier against the Faroe Islands.