West Ham boss Alan Curbishley yesterday backed Craig Bellamy to be as inspirational for the London club as Paolo Di Canio.

Di Canio, who played for West Ham from 1999 until 2003, is still revered by the Upton Park crowd for his spectacular goals and talismanic performances.

Bellamy was one of West Ham's major summer signings when he joined from Liverpool, and - ahead of the Hammers' visit to Bellamy's former club Newcastle tomorrow - Curbishley is confident the Wales captain can follow Italian star Di Canio into the club's history books.

''He reminds me an awful lot of Di Canio,'' said Curbishley, who brought Di Canio to Charlton from West Ham in 2003.

''There were a few things that upset Di Canio, but the one thing that really used to rile him was unprofessional behaviour from his team-mates in training.

''That is the only time you hear Craig get angry in training. He trains like a Trojan, and he expects everyone else to do the same.''

Bellamy has scored three times since joining West Ham, and is beginning to show the kind of form which persuad Curbishley to bring him in.

The Wales captain missed training during the early part of this week due to a foot injury, but was due to take part in Friday's session and is expected to play at St James' Park.

Curbishley has no doubt that Bellamy has the quality to push his team up the table.

The former Charlton boss continued: ''Maybe Craig does better when he is a big fish.

''When Craig signed, I told him it was about time people started remembering him for what he did on the pitch.

''I said to Craig that if he came here and did things right, the fans would lap it up.''

Curbishley, who also hopes to have defender Anton Ferdinand available on Sunday, has been told the boardroom restructuring at Upton Park would not affect him.

Eggert Magnusson stepped aside from his position as executive chairman this week, with the club's billionaire owner, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, pledging to take a more active role in the running of the club.

Curbishley added: ''I have been assured that nothing much has changed.

''It was a bit like a blind date when I started working with Eggert, but we worked hard and we have a good relationship.

''He will still be in the director's box for our matches.''