WALES officials will monitor Craig Bellamy's involvement in Manchester City's trip to Abu Dhabi this week.

The national team captain has withdrawn from the squad to play Scotland at Cardiff City's new stadium on Saturday with a groin injury.

But he has flown with the City squad to the Middle East to continue his treatment with the club's medical staff on the trip.

And there have been suggestions from Abu Dhabi that Bellamy could have recovered enough to figure in the friendly with the UAE on Thursday in the Gulf state.

The Football Association of Wales have been quick to underline that they have had full co-operation with Manchester City this time over Bellamy's fitness.

Earlier in the season City forgot to tell Wales that Bellamy would not be available for a friendly in Montenegro, and Wales boss John Toshack flew out from Cardiff with his squad that day without any contact from City chief Mark Hughes, his predecessor as Wales boss.

This time around both sides have gone to great pains to make it clear that there has been full co-operation between the two medical teams.

But Wales do not expect Bellamy to play in Thursday's friendly, and their attitude could change quickly if the Cardiff-born striker is involved in the match.

Toshack today explained the Welsh view on the subject, saying: "We saw that after his last game for us (in Finland), when he came back he had picked up an injury and missed the next Manchester City game.

"Now he has played the full 90 minutes for City last Saturday and after the match their doctor was straight on the phone to our medical people saying that Craig had complained of a groin injury towards the end of the game.

"But the match was at such a point that he stayed on, finished the game and a decision was made that they would have a look at him yesterday morning.

"Apparently their doctor has talked to our doc again, and they have both agreed he would be very doubtful for this game with Scotland.

"It was better that he stayed with the Manchester City people to get his treatment and recover properly. Now he has gone off with City to Abu Dhabi, which makes sense if their medical people have also gone out there.

"He will get the necessary treatment while he is with them. And there is not much we can do about that.’’ Wales are making sure they are being as diplomatic as they can, because they do not want a row with City over a friendly.

But if City use Bellamy against the UAE having said the 30-year-old is not fit enough for Saturday's friendly in Cardiff, the cordial atmosphere will be strained.