DEFIANT Newcastle United star Craig Bellamy last night maintained he is happy with the way he behaves, and declared: "I have nothing to prove to anyone."

Bellamy was candid about his much-publicised clash with first-team coach John Carver ahead of Newcastle's UEFA Cup trip to Mallorca this week, admitting he made a mistake and that they both have a hair-trigger temper.

But Bellamy, who also played down reports of his involvement in an alleged altercation at a Cardiff hotel last weekend, revealed that Carver was the first to congratulate him when he scored Newcastle's second goal in Thursday's 3-0 win in the Balearics after only a minute on the field as a late substitute.

Bellamy, never far from controversy, said: "I have nothing to prove to anyone.

"I am my own person and I am happy with what I do and the way I behave.

"I'll admit I have a temper, but who hasn't? And anyway, a lot of people tell me that is why I am a Premiership footballer and an international player.''

Bellamy and Carver had to be separated by other members of the Magpies' squad when they squared up after the 24-year-old Wales striker had allegedly thrown a chair at Sir Bobby Robson's right-hand man in a private departure lounge at Newcastle Airport on Tuesday.

But Bellamy insisted: "The incident lasted seconds and was over very quickly. These sort of things just happen. I have admitted my mistake and that's the end of it. The only thing the both of us want is success for Newcastle United.

"That is always the first thing on my mind from when I wake up in the morning to when I go to sleep at night and John is the same. He was the first person to congratulate me when I scored because all he wants is success for the club as well.

"I have done nothing wrong. All I have done is have an argument with a working colleague just like thousands of other people in this country do every day, and you have to shake hands and get on with it.

"As it happens, I like John Carver. He's a great bloke and I am sure the feeling is mutual.

"Yes, we had a disagreement because sometimes the pair of us speak first without thinking, but it has all been blown out of proportion.

"As for the other so-called incident in Cardiff, nothing happened - absolutely nothing. It's all just a joke. Someone said something to me and I answered back and nothing else happened.

"How can I be blamed for that? If someone says something all I did was give him an answer, nothing more or less.

"I am delighted to have got on the score sheet again and I am in great form at the moment. I just want to get rid of this hamstring strain. It didn't trouble me at all the other night and I feel absolutely brilliant.

"The season is just beginning to get hotter for us and all the players are of the same opinion, that when we play to our best we are a match for any team.''

Newcastle completed a 7-1 aggregate success over Real Mallorca, and Bellamy stressed: "I don't think people should under-estimate what we have done.

"We put seven goals past a team which plays in one of the best leagues in the world and I think it sets out a marker for us. It doesn't mean we have done anything because we haven't, but it might make a few teams sit up and take notice.

"We played good, attacking football and now we just have to take it on to the next level, and the important thing is to start winning some matches away from home in the Premiership.

"We have to start picking up more points on our travels otherwise we are not going to take fourth spot and that has to be our aim - that and to win the UEFA Cup.

"I think a double like that would please the fans and they would deserve it more than us. They have followed the team through thick and thin, and a lot of thin, and they were amazing against Mallorca.

"We had more fans in the ground than they did and it didn't feel like an away game.''

* Newcastle's home match against Chelsea, scheduled for Saturday, April 24, has been switched to the following day (2.0) for live coverage on Sky Sports.

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