Dyer and Bellamy: club jewels who can shine for country

It was the third minute of injury time at St James' Park on Wednesday night. The European adventure was already over for Newcastle United, 2-0 down to Barce-lona on Tyneside with Internazionale 2-0 up against Bayer Leverkusen on the Rhine. It didn't stop Kieron Dyer embarking on an adventure of his own.

Winning the ball deep in the left-back position, he played a one-two with Alan Shearer and tore upfield as though his life depended on it. He was stopped inside the Barcelona penalty area, but the 90-yard dash illustrated just how far Newcastle's No 8 had come in the course of their Champions' League sojourn. In the early matches, Dyer struggled to show his true class. He flattered to deceive even in the second group visit to the Nou Camp in December, costing his team any chance of victory with the casual flick on the line that did nothing but waft Thiago Motta's header on its way into the net.

In the last four matches, it has been different. Against Leverkusen home and away, against Inter in the San Siro and against Barcelona at St James' Park, Dyer displayed all the sparkling qualities that prompted Sir Bobby Robson to call him "my little gem". On Wednesday night even the sublime play-making of the strolling Juan Roman Riqu-elme failed to put Newcastle's midfield dynamo in the shade. Dyer was dynamism personified from start to finish, a relentless high-speed creative force.

"Just look at that run in injury time," his admiring manager said. "Brilliant running. That was Kieron all night. He did the ugly thing too, not just the things he's good at. He put his foot in and got the ball."

Sven Goran Eriksson, from his vantage point in the Milburn Stand, could not have failed to have been impressed. It certainly made an impression on Marc Overmars, who spent the night watching from the Barcelona bench.

"I thought Dyer played really well tonight," the former Arsenal man said. "I follow English football on television and he did have a difficult period earlier in the season, but I think he's over it now. He is looking sharp and fit.

"In midfield these days you have to make the metres, and he's got the power and the strength to do that. You also need the speed to make it, and he's got that too. I think he will be a great player for England, both now and in the future."

Frank de Boer, having shared the pitch with Dyer, shared the view of his Dutch club-mate. "I knew he was a very good player and he showed it today," the veteran central defender said. "He's very good at spreading the ball for Shearer and Bellamy, and he's very good at penetrating from behind the strikers. He does that well. He's a very dangerous player. He's got the speed and the technique to reach far."

Reaching beyond the Liechtenstein defence next Saturday would do for a start – followed by Turkey's back-line four days later. On current form, Dyer has to be a key player for England in their quest to qualify for Euro 2004.

The same can be said of Craig Bellamy with regard to Wales in their even more promising bid for a place in Portugal next June. The Cardiffian speed merchant has already helped to put the principality four points clear at the top of Group Nine, and his striking influence, in tandem with John Hartson, will be crucial as Mark Hughes's side home in on qualification, with a match against Azerbaijan at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday and a trip to Belgrade to face closest challengers Serbia and Montenegro on Wednesday.

Against Barcelona, Bellamy had 10 chances in total and missed them all. Just two were on target. Far from being admonished by his manager, though, he was lavished with praise. "Yes, Craig Bellamy could have had four goals tonight," Sir Bobby said. "But I'm not going to sit here and hammer a player who gets in again and again. He created more chances by himself than Barcelona did all night. Players like him are jewels."

And like the sparkling Dyer too, he might have added.