Bellamy the belligerant in no mood to be tamed

The forward was the centre of attention before kick-off after suggestions of a dressing-room bustup with his boss following last week's defeat by Manchester City. He compounded that by accusing Birmingham midfielder Mehdi Nafti of elbowing, winning a controversial penalty and then allegedly being involved in a fracas in the tunnel.

Scroll down to read more:

Curbishley denied any difficulties with the forward after the opening-day loss. "Craig's a better player than I thought," he said. "He's very professional and there hasn't been a minute's problem.

'I did ask when he signed, "Are you going to be remembered for your football?" And it's the same with Kieron Dyer. I told them both it was about time people started talking to them about their football and I hope they take the baton up.

"Craig accepted the point. I told him that if he came and did it for West Ham they'd carry him round the ground. He's got the opportunity for that to happen here. Hopefully, that's the spur for him."

Despite his baggage, most clubs outside the top six would like Bellamy — Birmingham boss Steve Bruce for one: he tried to sign Bellamy from Newcastle.

The striker does not try to hide that he lives life on the edge. "Personal criticism?" said the Wales skipper. "It's part and parcel of the game. If I let it get to me I'd have been out of this game a few years ago."

He was involved in the decisive penalty incident, being brought down by home keeper Colin Doyle 20 minutes from time. Mark Noble coolly converted to relieve the earlyseason pressure on Curbishley.

Bruce has problems. His squad are short on depth and quality. Whether it is would-be buyer Carson Yeung or the current regime footing the bill, the St Andrew's manager needs to spend more than the net £7m he has been given to sign 10 players.

A helping hand is the least the manager deserves, although he will need to rein in his criticism of the officials. His accusation that Birmingham were suffering from 'small club syndrome' after the penalty award, coming as it did four days after his outburst over Sunderland's last-minute equaliser, is beginning to sound like sour grapes.

"We're short in the centre of the park," said Bruce,

"I'd like to have freshened it up because three games in six days is a big ask given the intensity we need to play at to compete in the Premier League.

"We are light in that area. We need another striker. I was disappointed that Mido (who signed for Middlesbrough from Tottenham) got off the hook. That's one of those things. But we were blown away on the salary.

"We do need some help. My midfielders have run miles in the past week. This was one game too far for us."

BIRMINGHAM CITY: (4-4-2) Doyle 5, Parnaby 5, Jaidi 7, Ridgewell 6, Kelly 5; Larsson 8, Nafti 6, (Jerome 76min) Muamba 6, (Sadler 81) Kapo 4; O'Connor 6, Forssell 5. (McSheffrey 66, 6). Booked: Parnaby, Nafti, Ridgewell, Kapo.

WEST HAM UNITED: (4-4-2) Green 6, Spector 5, (Gabbidon 87) Ferdinand 6, Upson 7, McCartney 6; Dyer 5, Mullins 6, Noble 9, Etherington 7; Zamora 5, Bellamy 6. Booked: Mullins, McCartney. Man of the match: Mark Noble. Referee: Mark Halsey.