Whittingham - 'Wolves game huge'
Thu Aug 30, 2012 5:56 am
CARDIFF City talisman Peter Whittingham admits Sunday’s clash with Wolves is already a ‘massive’ game despite the early stage of the season
Malky Mackay’s side have had a win, a draw and a defeat so far in their opening three Championship games, but it was the manner of the loss at Bristol City on Saturday which has concerned some.
The Bluebirds found themselves outplayed by the Robins and slumped to a 4-2 defeat.
Whittingham, who has inked a new deal to keep him at the club until 2015, insists it’s too early to get alarmed, but the visit of Wolves, who were relegated from the top flight last season, has taken on added significance.
“It is a massive game for us and one we will be looking to win,” said the 27-year-old midfielder.
“You never want to be dropping points. It’s always hard when you are dropping points because you know other teams are going to be winning.
“But it’s the Championship and no teams goes through a season winning every game. If you do lose one you just can’t get too disheartened about the whole thing.
“Wolves are a good side, but we feel we are more than a match for anyone in the division or even in the Premier League. Wolves won’t want to come to our ground, it’s a tough place to come and we play good football. We are looking forward to it.
“We will carry on going and hopefully pick up three points on Sunday.”
So often relied upon to provide the creative spark for the Bluebirds, Whittingham has some quality company in the Cardiff midfield this term.
Along with the likes of hometown hero Craig Bellamy and highly-rated youngster Jordon Mutch, Sunday’s outing could see a debut handed to South Korean star Kim Bo-Kyung.
The 22-year-old is now training with his new team-mates after obtaining his work permit following his £2m move from Japanese club Cerezo Osaka.
Whittingham’s initial impressions of his new team-mate are favourable and, like many, he watched Kim land a bronze medal with his country in the recent London Olympics.
“He seems all right and he seems a good player,” said Whittingham.
“Hopefully over the course of the season he will show that and chip in with a few goals.
“I saw bits of him in the Olympics, but it’s hard to tell in that sort of thing. We are all just looking forward to seeing him play for Cardiff now.”
Whittingham is now one of Cardiff’s longest serving players having arrived in the Welsh capital back in January, 2007 for £350,000 from Aston Villa.
Reflecting on his time at the club, Whittingham admits the transformation over the years has been remarkable.
“You could say the club is light years ahead now from what it was,” said Whittingham.
“Things have changed a lot since I’ve been here with the training ground and the new stadium.
“ I’m just happy with the way things are improving on and off the pitch. What people are expecting of Cardiff nowadays really shows how far we’ve come.
“The club has an ambition to reach the Premier League and if we can do that it would be job fulfilled. “
If Mackay and his men are finally to reach the promised land of the top flight after years of coming close they are going to have to do it in a Championship regarded by many as the strongest in years.
Observers of the game believe Whittingham should have been playing in the Premier League years ago and the laidback player agrees, but he wants to be doing that with the Bluebirds.
“The Premier League has always been the target. It has been for the last four or five years and nothing’s changed,” added Whittingham.
“You could say it’s one of the toughest Championship in years. When you look at the teams which have come down, they don’t seem to have lost too many players and the teams who have come up have started off really well as well.
“It’s going to be a very hard league, but when isn’t the Championship tough?
“Each year nobody really knows who is going to go up.
“But we do feel we are a bit more experienced now and with the bigger squad too.
“I think with the number of games last season we maybe tired near the end.
“But with the squad now the manager can chop and change when he thinks he needs too. Hopefully that will stand us in better stead.
“We can only take each game as it comes. The Bristol game was very frustrating, but it’s a situation we need to bounce back from and in the Championship you can do that quite quickly.”
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z250RWwpxE
Malky Mackay’s side have had a win, a draw and a defeat so far in their opening three Championship games, but it was the manner of the loss at Bristol City on Saturday which has concerned some.
The Bluebirds found themselves outplayed by the Robins and slumped to a 4-2 defeat.
Whittingham, who has inked a new deal to keep him at the club until 2015, insists it’s too early to get alarmed, but the visit of Wolves, who were relegated from the top flight last season, has taken on added significance.
“It is a massive game for us and one we will be looking to win,” said the 27-year-old midfielder.
“You never want to be dropping points. It’s always hard when you are dropping points because you know other teams are going to be winning.
“But it’s the Championship and no teams goes through a season winning every game. If you do lose one you just can’t get too disheartened about the whole thing.
“Wolves are a good side, but we feel we are more than a match for anyone in the division or even in the Premier League. Wolves won’t want to come to our ground, it’s a tough place to come and we play good football. We are looking forward to it.
“We will carry on going and hopefully pick up three points on Sunday.”
So often relied upon to provide the creative spark for the Bluebirds, Whittingham has some quality company in the Cardiff midfield this term.
Along with the likes of hometown hero Craig Bellamy and highly-rated youngster Jordon Mutch, Sunday’s outing could see a debut handed to South Korean star Kim Bo-Kyung.
The 22-year-old is now training with his new team-mates after obtaining his work permit following his £2m move from Japanese club Cerezo Osaka.
Whittingham’s initial impressions of his new team-mate are favourable and, like many, he watched Kim land a bronze medal with his country in the recent London Olympics.
“He seems all right and he seems a good player,” said Whittingham.
“Hopefully over the course of the season he will show that and chip in with a few goals.
“I saw bits of him in the Olympics, but it’s hard to tell in that sort of thing. We are all just looking forward to seeing him play for Cardiff now.”
Whittingham is now one of Cardiff’s longest serving players having arrived in the Welsh capital back in January, 2007 for £350,000 from Aston Villa.
Reflecting on his time at the club, Whittingham admits the transformation over the years has been remarkable.
“You could say the club is light years ahead now from what it was,” said Whittingham.
“Things have changed a lot since I’ve been here with the training ground and the new stadium.
“ I’m just happy with the way things are improving on and off the pitch. What people are expecting of Cardiff nowadays really shows how far we’ve come.
“The club has an ambition to reach the Premier League and if we can do that it would be job fulfilled. “
If Mackay and his men are finally to reach the promised land of the top flight after years of coming close they are going to have to do it in a Championship regarded by many as the strongest in years.
Observers of the game believe Whittingham should have been playing in the Premier League years ago and the laidback player agrees, but he wants to be doing that with the Bluebirds.
“The Premier League has always been the target. It has been for the last four or five years and nothing’s changed,” added Whittingham.
“You could say it’s one of the toughest Championship in years. When you look at the teams which have come down, they don’t seem to have lost too many players and the teams who have come up have started off really well as well.
“It’s going to be a very hard league, but when isn’t the Championship tough?
“Each year nobody really knows who is going to go up.
“But we do feel we are a bit more experienced now and with the bigger squad too.
“I think with the number of games last season we maybe tired near the end.
“But with the squad now the manager can chop and change when he thinks he needs too. Hopefully that will stand us in better stead.
“We can only take each game as it comes. The Bristol game was very frustrating, but it’s a situation we need to bounce back from and in the Championship you can do that quite quickly.”
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z250RWwpxE
Re: Whittingham - 'Wolves game huge'
Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:33 am
one GAME at a TIME ,points will soon start mounting UP. CCFC 