Bengaluru, January 2: Former Liverpool and Manchester City star Craig Bellamy has landed in a controversy after being accused of bullying and threatening a young English footballer with xenophobic behaviour when he was Cardiff City's Under 18s head coach.

The 39-year-old Wales forward Bellamy has been in the backroom staff since 2016 following his retirement, and has reportedly used anti-English remarks, gestures and slurs in the role for a quite some time.

As per reports, Bellamy has shown his anti-English gestures several times. During the club’s pre-season tour of Italy, he allegedly turned off the sound on the TV when England's national anthem was sung at the World Cup.

On another occasion, he is also indicted for saying that he hates fellow opponents, Bristol City more than rivals Swansea because 'they’re English’.

The Welshman took this to the next stage after he reportedly bullied one player - who is yet to turn 18. The player was intimidated and left the club to train with another club because he did not want to be coached by Bellamy any more.

The parents of a Cardiff City academy player removed their son from the club in 2017 because of alleged bullying by Craig Bellamy and say they called for the coach to be investigated.
-DailyMail

— Professional Foul (@ProFouled) January 2, 2019

It’s also alleged that other players and staff members also have concerns about Bellamy’s behaviour.

According to recent reports, an official complaint has been lodged with the Cardiff hierarchy and Chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo will now examine the details before deciding on a course of action.

However, nothing official has come out as yet, neither Bellamy nor the club has commented on the matter, but it is understood that the allegation has been seriously looked into by the Welsh club.

The allegations have come just days after fellow teammate John Arne Riise revealed details of Bellamy's golf club attack on him during his Liverpool days.

As per the Norway left-back, during a training camp in the Algarve, the pair argued over a karaoke machine, but things took a dramatic turn in the night when Bellamy woke him up with a golf club.

Bellamy played for a host of big clubs during his 18-year career and has had 78 Wales cap to his name, scoring 19 goals.