Excellent little article on whats happening at the club
Tue Aug 22, 2017 12:48 pm
By Sion Phillpott
Results and performances on the pitch are giving cause for excitement this season; Sion Phillpott argues that what has been happening off it is just as important
Cardiff City Special: A Club Transformed
By Sion Phillpott
Results and performances on the pitch are giving cause for excitement this season; Sion Phillpott argues that what has been happening off it is just as important
Of the many impressive things to take away from Cardiff’s 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, perhaps the most symbolic was the contrast between the large amounts of money being lavished on the Wolves playing squad, and the relative pauper’s market Neil Warnock has been dealing in since his arrival last October; whilst the west Midlands side have been able to tempt former Porto captain Ruben Neves for a Championship record fee of £15.8m, the grand sum of Warnock’s spending over the summer has barely reached £4m.
In a league that is quickly becoming saturated with the spare change of parachute payment endowed drop-outs from the gluttonous Premier League (of which Cardiff themselves were recently the recipients), as well as the success thirsty millions of increasingly eccentric and nefarious owners from abroad (again, something the club can lay justifiable claim to), the fact that Warnock is putting together such a capable squad on so low a budget is highly commendable; what’s even more so is that the relative pittance he is working with was requested by the man himself.
The most pleasing thing about this prudent approach to spending is that during Vincent Tan’s first few years, Cardiff were (among other various “controversies”) not too dissimilar to the current Wolves regime in their carefree frivolity. The financial damage done during this period is still relevant four years down the line, with Cardiff law firm Capital Law confirming this week that they have been asked by Tan to look into the transfer of Danish forward Andreas Cornelius in 2013 – a transfer that Tan funded but clearly had little say on, judging by his subsequent appraisal of the player. The blank chequebook given to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer upon relegation from the Premier League will clearly not have helped, with the club then enduring two seasons of cost-cutting and financial rebalancing overseen by chairman Mehmet Dalman and manager Russel Slade; since then however, the club’s attitude has changed enormously.
Some see this cutback in investment as a sign of decreasing interest from Tan, who has several other footballing projects on the go; however, you only have to look at the shockingly high number of recent Premier League clubs who have fallen into or spent time in the third tier since parachute payments were introduced to see that putting the club on an even keel is far more important than trying to buy your way straight back to the big time. Slade’s time at the club may have produced a frustrating masterclass in mediocrity on the pitch, but off it, his time at the club will surely be judged more favourably in years to come; all this has laid the groundwork for Warnock to come in (following a well-intentioned but ultimately ill-advised stint for Paul Trollope) and utilise his contacts and charisma to attract the kinds of players who can thrive in the Championship.
It is obvious that Warnock values character over ability, something no doubt learnt during his extensive time coaching at this level. Whilst having the uncanny ability to bring the best out of underperforming or underappreciated players such as Aron Gunnarsson and Kenneth Zohore (as well as being the only man to ever get a tune out of Adel Taraabt), Warnock also clearly enjoys working with tried and trusted personnel; what he is proving this season however is that he can also spot incredible value.
Whilst Warnock himself has admitted he didn’t expect Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to have such an impact in his City career to date, the free signing from League One Rochdale has proved an absolute bargain. Warnock repeatedly stated his desire last season for pace and power in the wide areas, and it is refreshing to see a manager prepared to look below as opposed to above in the quest to find his prize (not one player under Warnock has been signed from a Premier League club); this has also been the case with goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, signed on a free from Walsall, and Omar Bogle, signed for £700k last week from Wigan Athletic.
Building on the already astute work done last year in the free agent market with Sol Bamba and Junior Hoilett, the only transfer fees Warnock has paid (Bogle aside) are for Lee Tomlin and Danny Ward, both at struggling Championship sides last year; his recruitment of Loic Damour from France (again, for free) suggests an effective and thorough scouting operation is ongoing overseas. Persuading sought after centre-half Bruno Manga to stay on a reduced salary also helps, whilst scrapping the highly flawed under-23 system at the club and recruiting Craig Bellamy to oversee the redevelopment of the club’s once thriving but now stunted youth system suggests Warnock’s legacy will be felt long after he is gone.
All this is more important than the spectacular results we have seen on the pitch so far this August. Even before Warnock’s arrival, the restructuring of the backroom staff and the recruitment of Dr Ryland Morgans (who has since departed with Trollope) was a clear sign that the club was heading in the right direction; even the desire to possess a more Welsh identity to capitalise on the success of the national team at the Euros was highly commendable, even if it didn’t subsequently work out as planned.
Whilst Trollope may have been the right man at the wrong time for the vision the club wanted, Warnock has certainly proven to be not just the right man at the right time but the vital missing link to reconnect with the club’s fan base, arguably the last missing piece of the puzzle in the severely volatile Tan years. The feelgood factor around the club right now isn’t just based on results on the pitch, but the wholesale changes in attitude and direction off it – the club finally seems to be learning its lessons and understanding the need for a stable and sensible environment from which to build.
It is only August, and it is of course the Championship, but if Cardiff were to go up again you get the feeling it would be a lot different this time, reflected in every facet of the club. Sensible recruitment from a manager and scouting team that sees value in players that others don’t; prudence and shrewdness from a chairman that has overseen stability at the club; and, most importantly, a proud and re-engaged fan base that loves their leader. Wolves may have the money now, but as The Beatles once said – money can’t buy you love.
Results and performances on the pitch are giving cause for excitement this season; Sion Phillpott argues that what has been happening off it is just as important
Cardiff City Special: A Club Transformed
By Sion Phillpott
Results and performances on the pitch are giving cause for excitement this season; Sion Phillpott argues that what has been happening off it is just as important
Of the many impressive things to take away from Cardiff’s 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, perhaps the most symbolic was the contrast between the large amounts of money being lavished on the Wolves playing squad, and the relative pauper’s market Neil Warnock has been dealing in since his arrival last October; whilst the west Midlands side have been able to tempt former Porto captain Ruben Neves for a Championship record fee of £15.8m, the grand sum of Warnock’s spending over the summer has barely reached £4m.
In a league that is quickly becoming saturated with the spare change of parachute payment endowed drop-outs from the gluttonous Premier League (of which Cardiff themselves were recently the recipients), as well as the success thirsty millions of increasingly eccentric and nefarious owners from abroad (again, something the club can lay justifiable claim to), the fact that Warnock is putting together such a capable squad on so low a budget is highly commendable; what’s even more so is that the relative pittance he is working with was requested by the man himself.
The most pleasing thing about this prudent approach to spending is that during Vincent Tan’s first few years, Cardiff were (among other various “controversies”) not too dissimilar to the current Wolves regime in their carefree frivolity. The financial damage done during this period is still relevant four years down the line, with Cardiff law firm Capital Law confirming this week that they have been asked by Tan to look into the transfer of Danish forward Andreas Cornelius in 2013 – a transfer that Tan funded but clearly had little say on, judging by his subsequent appraisal of the player. The blank chequebook given to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer upon relegation from the Premier League will clearly not have helped, with the club then enduring two seasons of cost-cutting and financial rebalancing overseen by chairman Mehmet Dalman and manager Russel Slade; since then however, the club’s attitude has changed enormously.
Some see this cutback in investment as a sign of decreasing interest from Tan, who has several other footballing projects on the go; however, you only have to look at the shockingly high number of recent Premier League clubs who have fallen into or spent time in the third tier since parachute payments were introduced to see that putting the club on an even keel is far more important than trying to buy your way straight back to the big time. Slade’s time at the club may have produced a frustrating masterclass in mediocrity on the pitch, but off it, his time at the club will surely be judged more favourably in years to come; all this has laid the groundwork for Warnock to come in (following a well-intentioned but ultimately ill-advised stint for Paul Trollope) and utilise his contacts and charisma to attract the kinds of players who can thrive in the Championship.
It is obvious that Warnock values character over ability, something no doubt learnt during his extensive time coaching at this level. Whilst having the uncanny ability to bring the best out of underperforming or underappreciated players such as Aron Gunnarsson and Kenneth Zohore (as well as being the only man to ever get a tune out of Adel Taraabt), Warnock also clearly enjoys working with tried and trusted personnel; what he is proving this season however is that he can also spot incredible value.
Whilst Warnock himself has admitted he didn’t expect Nathaniel Mendez-Laing to have such an impact in his City career to date, the free signing from League One Rochdale has proved an absolute bargain. Warnock repeatedly stated his desire last season for pace and power in the wide areas, and it is refreshing to see a manager prepared to look below as opposed to above in the quest to find his prize (not one player under Warnock has been signed from a Premier League club); this has also been the case with goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, signed on a free from Walsall, and Omar Bogle, signed for £700k last week from Wigan Athletic.
Building on the already astute work done last year in the free agent market with Sol Bamba and Junior Hoilett, the only transfer fees Warnock has paid (Bogle aside) are for Lee Tomlin and Danny Ward, both at struggling Championship sides last year; his recruitment of Loic Damour from France (again, for free) suggests an effective and thorough scouting operation is ongoing overseas. Persuading sought after centre-half Bruno Manga to stay on a reduced salary also helps, whilst scrapping the highly flawed under-23 system at the club and recruiting Craig Bellamy to oversee the redevelopment of the club’s once thriving but now stunted youth system suggests Warnock’s legacy will be felt long after he is gone.
All this is more important than the spectacular results we have seen on the pitch so far this August. Even before Warnock’s arrival, the restructuring of the backroom staff and the recruitment of Dr Ryland Morgans (who has since departed with Trollope) was a clear sign that the club was heading in the right direction; even the desire to possess a more Welsh identity to capitalise on the success of the national team at the Euros was highly commendable, even if it didn’t subsequently work out as planned.
Whilst Trollope may have been the right man at the wrong time for the vision the club wanted, Warnock has certainly proven to be not just the right man at the right time but the vital missing link to reconnect with the club’s fan base, arguably the last missing piece of the puzzle in the severely volatile Tan years. The feelgood factor around the club right now isn’t just based on results on the pitch, but the wholesale changes in attitude and direction off it – the club finally seems to be learning its lessons and understanding the need for a stable and sensible environment from which to build.
It is only August, and it is of course the Championship, but if Cardiff were to go up again you get the feeling it would be a lot different this time, reflected in every facet of the club. Sensible recruitment from a manager and scouting team that sees value in players that others don’t; prudence and shrewdness from a chairman that has overseen stability at the club; and, most importantly, a proud and re-engaged fan base that loves their leader. Wolves may have the money now, but as The Beatles once said – money can’t buy you love.
Re: Excellent little article on whats happening at the club
Tue Aug 22, 2017 1:01 pm
Very enjoyable, well written article. 
Re: Excellent little article on whats happening at the club
Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:05 pm
Agreed - throughly good read that 
Re: Excellent little article on whats happening at the club
Tue Aug 22, 2017 2:11 pm
Excellent post. It can also be said that the current feeling within the club can go down to the superb way colin manages himself and the media.