WEST Ham manager Alan Curbishley implored striker Craig Bellamy not to play for Wales next week after a 20-minute cameo which clinched a flattering 4-1 victory over Blackburn at Upton Park.
Bellamy, who managed only a handful of appearances last season due to injury, missed the start of the current campaign with a hamstring problem.
And after the striker scored a late goal against his former club Rovers at Upton Park, Curbishley said: "No way is Craig fit for international football and I've told him and John Toshack (the Wales manager) exactly that, even though he's called him up."
He added: "He has just come back and 20 minutes was all he could do. Even then he kept asking me to wait and wait. It's a similar story with George McCartney, even though he was capable of 45 minutes after his injury.
"I hope common sense prevails and he won't be asked to play for Northern Ireland next week."
© Press Association 2008
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