Craig Bellamy is back in the good books of Wales manager John Toshack and that's good news for the papers, even if they might be reluctant to admit it.
Bellers gets plenty of stick in the media - Mirror columnist Oliver Holt apart - but he's a proper character they can write about. Even his choice of golf club can be a talking point.
So his recall after a three-match absence for the Welsh squad to tackle Croatia in a friendly this month holds the promise of lively copy from the outspoken patriot of a striker.
The Mail reports it: "Craig Bellamy appears to have patched up his differences with Wales boss John Toshack after being named in the squad to face Croatia a week on Sunday."
Both men can be stubborn and opiniated, and the Mirror calls it "a surprise inclusion" while declaring that Tosh wants Craig "to spearhead Wales' attempt to qualify for Euro 2012".
They explain: "Bellamy’s international future was the subject of speculation after he was axed for the friendly loss to Sweden in March. The 30-year-old had been fit but not recalled after missing the previous two fixtures due to injury.
"Bellamy is due to visit his charitable foundation in Sierra Leone next week, and he was not expected to feature against Croatia on May 23. But a statement from the FAW said Bellamy’s trip to Africa had been delayed “a few days”, allowing him to join up with the squad.
"Bellamy, who has scored 17 goals in 58 appearances for Wales, is vital to the country’s hopes of progressing from a European qualifying group that includes England, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro."
Elsewhere, with the FA Cup Final almost upon us, the Independent's Brian Viner delivers a fine piece on one of Wembley's greatest heroes. It opens: "Even if Michael Ballack should score a hat-trick tomorrow, his name will never be as synonymous with English football's end-of-season showpiece as that of another German, Bert Trautmann."
His warts-and-all angle on the legendary City keeper, headlined "In a league of his own", has been covered pretty well recently by the Express and the Observer, but Viner is a fine writer and it's a good read.
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