' I’ve learned from my ‘silly’ handball mistake '

I’ve learned from my ‘silly’ handball mistake – Cardiff City left-back Andrew Taylor
by Terry Phillips, South Wales EchoSep 27 2012A


ANDREW Taylor accepts the blame for the handball which gave Crystal Palace hope at Selhurst Park and promises: “It will never happen again.”

Left-back Taylor lifted his arm in Cardiff City’s defensive wall and turned away a free-kick taken by Brazilian Andre Moritz.

“It was a silly reaction as the free-kick was taken and I’ve been told by the lads not to do it again,” said Taylor.

“If that situation happened 100 times I would never do it again. Every player makes mistakes and the key is to learn from them both individually and as a group and move on.


“We were 2-0 ahead and feeling comfortable against Palace, but silly decisions let them back in. It’s happened and we move forward with the knowledge of what we did wrong as a team.”

Taylor’s moment of misery followed a collision moments before half-time when he suffered a bad cut above his left eye.

That needed medical treatment at half-time when the wound was glued together and the damage was still clearly visible when he watched world champion boxer Nathan Cleverly’s sparring session at Cardiff City Stadium yesterday.

“We have looked at the match video and have gone through it, talked about our mistakes and they are now behind us,” he said.

“It’s something we do after every game and it’s never an aggressive meeting. They are held for the right reasons and there is a positive vibe to everything we talk about.

“Players are encouraged to be open and talk freely. We will all make mistakes over the season and everybody is determined to learn when that happens. The key is not making the same mistake again.

“As a group we pride ourselves on making sure that doesn’t happen.

“Every club in the Championship will suffer disappointing defeats, including Cardiff. But we believe in each other and what we can achieve this season.”

Taylor joined manager Mackay at boxer Cleverly’s sparring session and said: “I’m a big fan of boxing and Nathan.

“He’s a local lad who is a fantastic boxer and World champion. Plenty of the City players are keen to support him at his title fight next month.

“Nathan has trained with us a few times and we all want to see him keep his winning run going.”

Cleverly is preparing for his World Light-Heavyweight fight against Ukrainian Vyatcheslav Uzelkov at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on Saturday, October 27, while ‘Taylz’ and his Bluebirds clubmates are focused on their Championship match against Blackpool this Saturday.

“We have two huge matches coming up, against Blackpool on Saturday and Birmingham City next Tuesday,” says Taylor. “Our aim is to earn six points and if we can achieve that out season will be right back on track.

“The Championship is a tight, hard-fought division and I don’t think anybody is going to run away with it.

“We reacted from our defeat at Bristol City by winning the next three games. Now we have to react in the same way again and put a run together.

“Our match against Blackpool is massive. They fancy themselves to be up there.

“It’s going to be an entertaining game. Blackpool love to attack, while we have a lot of quality going forward as well.”

Taylor, 26, is ever-present in Championship football for City this season and is set for a landmark appearance in the match against Blackpool.

It will be his 50th league match for the Bluebirds and he badly wants to mark it with a win.

His left-back slot looks assured with little direct competition for his place, but Taylor doesn’t see it that way.

“I have played every league match and that brings extra responsibility,” he added. “I want to be playing in every game and have to ensure I maintain my form.

“If my standards slip I know Ben Nugent and Declan John, both young lads who are doing really well, plus Kevin McNaughton or Matt Connolly are all capable of doing the job.

“My hope is that I can stay fit, maintain form and keep my place. If not, there are certainly others who can step in.”

City are likely to stick with an unchanged back five with fit-again Ben Turner, who played for an hour in City’s 2-0 development team win against Charlton this week, among the substitutes.

McNaughton, captain Mark Hudson and Connolly will join Taylor at the back in front of goalkeeper David Marshall.

Blackpool come to Cardiff City Stadium intent on making a point after suffering a shock 3-1 home defeat against Huddersfield Town at Bloomfield Road this week.

Manager Ian Holloway looks certain to make changes with Matt Phillips, Kevin Phillips and Spanish midfielder Angel Martinez among those likely to be called in.

Holloway has 46 full-time professional players in his Blackpool squad and has regularly been making changes to his starting line-up this season.

He stuck with an unchanged team against Huddersfield and they lost.

That looks likely to mean Holloway will look to freshen things up, particularly in attack.

Winger Phillips, 21, was a target for Cardiff City last January when they put in a £1m offer, but Holloway turned that down.

But the former Sheffield United and Wycombe Wanderers wide man has been unsettled this season since Blackpool rejected a £5m bid from newly-promoted Southampton.

Phillips, who shone in Blackpool’s run to the play-offs last season, put in a transfer request and has started only one league match so far.

“We had a meeting about the Matt Phillips situation,” said Holloway. “He handed in a transfer request but that meant nothing.

“They (Southampton) offered £5m, but the player is on a contract.”



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It's nice to see Taylor come out and apolgise for his mistake.. shows a lot of character.
He needs to get a bit stronger because he ent the strongest but his position ent easy and always thought hes been key.

Might be nice to apologise but unfortunately i do not think he is good enough

"IM A PRO FOOTBALLER BUT I HANDLED THE BALL BY MISTAKE"
This has to be a joke, even mcphail could probs get past him to get a cross in and hes slower than slow, taylor has been are weakest link for months on end and is not up to it.

"IM A PRO FOOTBALLER BUT I HANDLED THE BALL BY MISTAKE"
This has to be a joke, even mcphail could probs get past him to get a cross in and hes slower than slow, taylor has been are weakest link for months on end and is not up to it.

Shut up

The only reason palace had a free kick in that position was because the team were sent out with the intention of sitting back and hopefully creating chances on the counter
When a team defends as deep as we did it invites shots on goal,free kicks and mistakes .Taylor made a massive error but he shouldnt be singled out,every one of them players should be embarassed with that second half performance

"IM A PRO FOOTBALLER BUT I HANDLED THE BALL BY MISTAKE"
This has to be a joke, even mcphail could probs get past him to get a cross in and hes slower than slow, taylor has been are weakest link for months on end and is not up to it.

Shut up

Its just an opinion if you dont like it, Make me teenie bopper

"IM A PRO FOOTBALLER BUT I HANDLED THE BALL BY MISTAKE"
This has to be a joke, even mcphail could probs get past him to get a cross in and hes slower than slow, taylor has been are weakest link for months on end and is not up to it.

Shut up

Its just an opinion if you dont like it, Make me teenie bopper

What about his performance today, then? Any good?

He is one of the best Left Back's in this league. Obviously he's going to be beaten now and again, its normal. He's not superman FFS.

Even Maicon at RB got his arse handed to him by Bale. Every player has bad days. We are unbeaten at home and he has been part of a solid unit that has contributed to that record.

Good for him to own up and say he's learn. Shows bottle.

He is no Lee Naylor or that other b*stard Samuel and even though sometimes he gets beat he is most of the time assured and he contributes going forward.

He is one of the best Left Back's in this league. Obviously he's going to be beaten now and again, its normal. He's not superman FFS.

Even Maicon at RB got his arse handed to him by Bale. Every player has bad days. We are unbeaten at home and he has been part of a solid unit that has contributed to that record.

Good for him to own up and say he's learn. Shows bottle.

He is no Lee Naylor or that other b*stard Samuel and even though sometimes he gets beat he is most of the time assured and he contributes going forward.

Barnett, you have done a 180 since your days as a serie a scout!

Good post. Taylor ain't no weak link and I have to say (from the OP) the prospect of Nugent at LB has me afraid... Very qfraid.

He is one of the best Left Back's in this league. Obviously he's going to be beaten now and again, its normal. He's not superman FFS.

Even Maicon at RB got his arse handed to him by Bale. Every player has bad days. We are unbeaten at home and he has been part of a solid unit that has contributed to that record.

Good for him to own up and say he's learn. Shows bottle.

He is no Lee Naylor or that other b*stard Samuel and even though sometimes he gets beat he is most of the time assured and he contributes going forward.

Barnett, you have done a 180 since your days as a serie a scout!

Good post. Taylor ain't no weak link and I have to say (from the OP) the prospect of Nugent at LB has me afraid... Very qfraid.