Ligue 1 special: Girondins de Bordeaux striker David Bellion – a promise that was never fulfilled
Almost ten years ago, a 19-years-old youngster was signed by English Premier League side Sunderland in the summer of 2001. During his youth, this talented youngster won the 60 metres in the 2001 National Indoor Youth Championships. The feat suggested that
the youngster would go on for bigger things in the future even though he had decided to take up football rather than track and field as his career.
This kid was http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/David-Bellion-c10434, one of many French youngsters who left their country for abroad and failed to develop further. Now at FC Girondins de Bordeaux, the striker can be sure of playing a peripheral role in the side following his return from a six-month
loan spell at http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/OGC-Nice-c40111.
The French-Senegalese seems to be at an impasse and his career is becoming more and more of a bird that knew how to fly but was never able to flutter its wings.
A graduate of the excellent AS Cannes youth academy, Bellion chose to seek his fortune in the high-profile English Premier League to join Sunderland. At the end of his second season at the English side, the Black Cats were relegated.
However, Sunderland’s relegation did not prove to be a backward step in his young career as Manchester United manager Sir http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alex-c4752 Ferguson saw talent in the speedy striker and signed him in 2003 for a fee of 2 million £.
At that point of his career, Bellion was set to have a distinguished career at one of the biggest clubs in Europe. The youngster was expected to play a leading role for the French national side in the future following his move to Old Trafford.
It was not to be as the striker never managed to realise his potential that prompted Sir Alex to sign him up. During his three seasons with the Red Devils, Bellion managed to score only four goals. Lack of playing time and the great form of Dutch international
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ruud-van-Nistelrooy-c31966 forced Sir Alex to loan him out to West Ham.
At a less posh club with even lesser ambitions, many expected that Bellion would explode. The London club was also unable to get the best out of the Frenchman as Bellion managed just eight appearances. Bellion was too often injured during his time with the
Hammers and scored just one goal which was in the FA Cup.
Upon his return to Manchester, Bellion’s status had changed from a promising talent to a flop. The mishap in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/France-c2899 where in the winter of 2006, he signed with Nice.
At the Riviera club, the striker gained some of the confidence that he had lost in England and scored seven goals in his first six-months at the club. From 2006 to 2007, Bellion went on to play 30 league games for the Cote d’Azur club.
In 2007, Laurent Blanc (who is now the manager of France), signed the striker. In his first season with the Aquitaine club, Bellion scored 12 goals and was even named the player of the month for August. Bordeaux went on to win the Ligue 1 Championnat.
Unfortunately, Bellion’s tally of 12 goals in the 2007/2008 season was to be his most successful in his career. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jean-c18112 Tigana’s arrival at the club saw Bellion relegated to the bench and last season, the Paris-born striker was loaned out to Nice where he failed
to find the net in 10 Ligue 1 outings.
New manager at Bordeaux http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Francis-c13946 Gillot does not see Bellion in his plans for next season which means that Bellion should now be looking for a new club where he can launch his career once again.
At the age of 28, Bellion still has some time to get his career back on track and finally fulfil the promise of his early career. Hopefully, it’s not too late.
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