" Robert Earnshaw emotional "

Robert Earnshaw insists Tel Aviv move is not the end of Cardiff City career
By Terry PhillipsSep 21 2012


Robert Earnshaw


IT was midnight in Tel Aviv and Robert Earnshaw sounded emotional as he talked about Cardiff City.

Goals ace Earnie has committed to Maccabi Tel Aviv, who lie third in the Israeli League, and is set to make his debut against defending League champions Ironi Kiryat Shmona.

They drew 1-1 against Athletico Bilbao away in Europa League action this week.


“I have always loved playing for the Bluebirds and I don’t believe this is the end for me with City,” says Earnshaw. “My strong belief is that I will one day play for my club again.

“I would love to do that. I’d hate it if Bluebirds fans forget me.”

Earnshaw signed for Tel Aviv on the last day of Israel’s transfer window and has committed to Israel’s most successful club – 18-times League winners – for a year.

That takes him to the end of his City contract, but there is a break clause in January when manager Malky Mackay could recall the Wales international striker.

Earnshaw, 31, flew into Israel during the early hours of Thursday morning, having made a quick decision to leave City and take on a new challenge with Tel Aviv.

Former Holland and Manchester United player Jordi Cruyff, their director of football, played a crucial role in persuading Earnshaw to join him in Israel.

“I’m excited about the challenge,” he says. “I am purely about football. I want to play and need to play.

“It’s been frustrating sitting out when I believe I could have contributed to the City team.

“Most of my career has been the Bluebirds and I have loved every minutes.

“Playing for City I feel like a kid in the school playground, pulling on my shirt and pretending to be one of the star players. I have lived that dream, playing in front of capacity crowds at Ninian Park and the new stadium.

“It has also been a successful time at the club. When I think back to where the club was when I started as a schoolboy and compare it to the current situation the difference is unbelievable.

“I have achieved one heck of a lot and reached so many targets I set in terms of goalscoring and helping my club progress.

“Cardiff will be promoted this season. I truly believe that. It’s going to be tough because standards have gone up and the pressure is on, but I believe they will make it.

“It’s a regret I won’t be there to play my part, but I will be supporting the Bluebirds from afar. My job now is to help Maccabi Tel Aviv earn success. I am focused on playing well and scoring goals.

“People may say I won’t play for City again, but don’t believe it. I have gone out on loan to play football, but I have not finished at Cardiff City just yet.

“I hope they go up. I want them, to go up. I wish the manager and all the players every success. The pressure will grow, but they have the quality to cope.

“It’s terrible news about Nicky Maynard’s injury. I feel for him and hope he will come back even stronger. City still have good options in attack.

“For me it was time to play football. My scoring record for Cardiff, Norwich, Nottingham Forest and every club I have played for is there to see.

“I have always scored goals and would have loved to stay. But number one for me is playing. I feel good right now. I am fit and sharp, in some ways I feel better than I have for a while.”

He returned to City during the summer of 2011, but made only 22 appearances last season and had not played at all in this campaign.

Earnshaw has recovered from the heel injury which was sustained in training and is ready for immediate action with his new club.

“The move to Israel came up earlier this week and then Jordi Cruyff rang me,” he says. “We chatted for a long time and he told me everything I needed to know about the football club. I took a few hours to think things over and then said yet.

“Whether I play or not depends on the opinion of other people. I need to play and Jordi made it clear I will be playing football. That suits me fine.”

Earnshaw, 31, almost made the move to Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer last January, but that deal wasn’t quite finalised.

“It was close, but not quite there,” says Earnshaw. “There were a few options for me this time, mainly in Britain, and it was Jordi who persuaded me a move to Tel Aviv was right.

“He talked about their philosophy and hopes for the future and the Spanish influence at the club. “

Former Barcelona midfield player Oscar Junyent is Tel Aviv’s manager, working closely with Cruyff.

They will be the seventh club Earnshaw has played for. Transfer fees paid for the Zambian-born goalscorer who grew up in Wales total more than £12m and he has fired 202 club goals during a career which started at Ninian Park in 1997 and took him to Greenock Morton, West Brom, Norwich City, Derby County and Nottingham Forest.

Well over 100 of those goals were for the Bluebirds.

Now it’s time for a big change of direction and Earnie will be playing for Tel Aviv over the next few months.

“I can’t wait to play again,” he says. “I’ll keep an eye on how City are doing – and I expect them to be right up there.

“Tel Aviv are my team now and I will do everything possible to help them earn success, but City will always have a special place in my heart.”



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Always wish him luck, a legend.

Even when we lose our main striker he is still 5th choice IMO so right decision for all.

Maybe he recognized we're not actually the BLUEbirds any more.

Maybe he recognized we're not actually the BLUEbirds any more.

I think your right, it's exactly why he went Ito Israel what a legend

Got me emotional just reading that he may think that we'd forget him. We'll never forget you Earnie, A legend that will neverbe forgotten and will one day have a statue outside that "new stadium" of ours.

Good luck to earnie. Genuinely gutted I wasn't here in his heyday

Good luck to earnie. Genuinely gutted I wasn't here in his heyday

He was Maynard on speed (not literally) lol

absolute class on and off the pitch

You will never be forgotten Earnie, you established your legend status with us years ago and that will never die.

Hope to see you playing for us again but in the meantime good luck and thanks for everything you have done for us.

anyone reckon they know what he means when he said his time isnt over with cardiff and he will be back??

Earnie will go down as one of my all time heroes for Cardiff City, his record speaks for its self and his celebrations were something else.

Never be forgotten TOPMAN Earnie

He's a legend for CCFC.

I rarely use this word, but in this case it fits: EARNIE, you are a LEGEND

Earnie, be sure of one thing, the fans of cardiff city will NEVER forget you, you are a legend at the city but it was time for you to move on, there is also no question of his love for the club, good luck in your new adventure

EARNIE,S loyalty to Cardiff and Wales is a leason to all players. thank you Earnie.

Probably my favorite Cardiff player of all time! Showed passion for the club and was proud to wear our shirt. For that he will always go down as a legend and he will never be forgotten!

Top Man and top player thanks for your service by the way when you score whatever you do DO NOT DO THE You could get into trouble

It was a disgrace to see so many fans turn against him. Absolute disgrace.

Wether they felt he was good enough for us now or not he should have been sparred the abuse. His legendary status and the fact he adores this club should have warranted that.

Never given a real chance under MM.

Never forget Earnie. True legend!

We won't forget you Earnie, legend