Bellamy 'picks club over country'
Bellamy looks set to pick and choose future Wales games
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Manchester City's Welsh striker Craig Bellamy looks to have picked club over country after he flew out to Abu Dhabi for City's mid-season training break.
Bellamy previously angered the Wales camp in September when he failed to inform them of his withdrawal from the squad for the World Cup qualifier against Russia.
And he has now pulled out of the Wales squad for Saturday's friendly against Scotland due to a groin injury, adding to speculation that he'll opt to pick and choose his future Wales games.
The 30-year-old hinted last month that he could become an international part-timer and sacrifice playing for his country in friendly games to prolong his club career, and his club manager Mark Hughes believes that this could be the right decision for Bellamy.
"As time goes on, there could be that situation," Hughes explained.
"Craig knows his body better than anybody else and when he feels he needs a break or senses he could have an issue if he continues training or playing, he is quite clued in on that and he will pull himself out of things.
"I think that's how it will be in the future and it will be better for him and [Wales] because it will enable him to ensure that his career runs its course and is as long as it can be.
"Craig is a bit sore at the moment. We have to protect him and try not to play him in midweek games. We have to protect him because it is a long season and we want to get the best out of him."
Senior players such as Robinho, Pablo Zabaleta and Stephen Ireland have joined Bellamy in Abu Dhabi, where City will train at their Emirates Palace facility before facing the UAE national team on Thursday - a game Bellamy could yet feature in.