Saints sign Algerian Belmadi on short-term deal

Last updated : 05 August 2005 By Chris C

Belmadi, twice Algerian player of the year, was recently on trial with Sunderland, but decided to join Saints with Mick McCarthy hesitating over offering him a deal. He is not yet at peak fitness after being released by Al Ittihad in Qatar and having to train on his own. At 29 he is a good age and boasts a decent pedigree after spells at the likes of Paris St Germain, Celta Vigo and Manchester City.

A one-month contract does raise several questions. Could he be holding out for a move to the Premiership or are Saints unsure of how he’ll adapt to the Championship? Certainly if he impresses during his first few games and subsequently heads off to the Premiership, it will lead to a lot of frustration among Saints fans. As he’s on a free, surely it would be better to tie him down to a longer contract to allow him to settle in.

He certainly appears eager to impress: “I enjoyed playing for Southampton in Scotland. I felt I did quite well and I liked the way the team played. There was a lot of quality in the side and I have a good feeling about the club. I did OK but I can still improve. I hope I can do enough in this month to show I can be a Southampton player because I would like to stay longer.”

With Fabrice Fernandes in the wilderness and not even appearing in the team photograph, Saints do lack a creative midfielder to match the graft of the likes of Quashie, Wise and Prutton.

Quite where he’ll play is another question with Harry looking set to play 3-5-2. Belmadi is a free spirit and would be unsuited to a wingback role. Quashie, Wise and Oakley have looked a strong trio in central midfield, so Harry may be looking to play him behind a solitary striker with Marian Pahars out injured.

He has a decent goalscoring record from his previous clubs, but Saints are looking for promotion not mid-table security in this league and should play with two strikers, particularly at home. So either Oakley will miss out or Harry will be looking for him to make an impact coming on from the bench.

Welcome to Saints, Djamel.