Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Thu Sep 27, 2012 1:30 pm
27th Sept 2012
KADEEM Harris is still waiting for a first team chance after eight months at Cardiff City, but for manager Malky Mackay there is no doubt about the teenager’s potential.
“He’s going to be a top player,” says Mackay, who is nurturing the London-born pace ace through an ankle injury sustained in training.
“Kadeem has massive potential for the future,” says Mackay. “He is young and has had to adapt to a different level of training and a different level of football.
“He was just starting to look as though he was ready to be part of our first team group when he suffered an ankle injury.
“That is really disappointing for Kadeem and club staff. He will be out for a wee bit, but he is young and there is plenty of time for him to get back to full fitness and make an impact at first team level.
“He has an abundance of raw talent and we will work with Kadeem to make sure we help him bring out the best in him. I am convinced he is going to be a top player for Cardiff City.”
Harris, aged 19 and from Westminster, made his first team debut for Wycombe Wanderers at the age of 16 and signed for Cardiff City in a £150,000 transfer in January.
Mackay, his medical staff and coaching staff are talking to Harris on a regular basis to help him through the frustration of being out injured and he is making good progress.
“The gaffer (Mackay) talks to me about the future and I know exactly what I have to do,” said Harris, who will be out for a few more weeks.
“It’s all down to me and my target long-term is to prove I can play Championship football. I didn’t come here for anything less and I will certainly give everything I have.”
That’s going to be a tough call when Harris regains full fitness and goes head-to-head with Craig Bellamy, Tommy Smith, Kim Bo-Kyung and Craig Conway in those midfield wide areas, but he is a young man with belief in his own ability whose manager (Mackay) is convinced he is going to make the grade.
He made 26 first team appearances for Wycombe after being spotted when Paul Lambert, now Aston Villa manager, was in charge.
Bluebirds scouts tracked his progress, sent back glowing reports and Mackay watched Harris himself before moving in with a bid which brought him to South Wales.
“I started playing Sunday football when I was really young and Paul Lambert spotted me playing in a trial match,” said Harris, a judo black belt. “I made my debut at the age of 16 and I have just tried to improve and make my way in the game.”
Harris was Football League Apprentice of the Year in 2011 and is now looking to make his mark at Championship level.
“My dream is to be part of a promotion-winning team,” he says. “I know that’s a big challenge for me, but it’s something I will give everything to achieve,” he said.
Harris is the latest graduate of Wycombe’s Academy to strive for the top, following former Bluebirds centre-half Roger Johnson and Blackpool winger Matt Phillips.
The first target for Harris is to regain full fitness and he is a regular in the treatment room at City’s Vale of Glamorgan training ground home. Then he will strive for the biggest step he has faced so far in his career – a tilt at winning a Cardiff City first team place.
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z27g0U95Tu
KADEEM Harris is still waiting for a first team chance after eight months at Cardiff City, but for manager Malky Mackay there is no doubt about the teenager’s potential.
“He’s going to be a top player,” says Mackay, who is nurturing the London-born pace ace through an ankle injury sustained in training.
“Kadeem has massive potential for the future,” says Mackay. “He is young and has had to adapt to a different level of training and a different level of football.
“He was just starting to look as though he was ready to be part of our first team group when he suffered an ankle injury.
“That is really disappointing for Kadeem and club staff. He will be out for a wee bit, but he is young and there is plenty of time for him to get back to full fitness and make an impact at first team level.
“He has an abundance of raw talent and we will work with Kadeem to make sure we help him bring out the best in him. I am convinced he is going to be a top player for Cardiff City.”
Harris, aged 19 and from Westminster, made his first team debut for Wycombe Wanderers at the age of 16 and signed for Cardiff City in a £150,000 transfer in January.
Mackay, his medical staff and coaching staff are talking to Harris on a regular basis to help him through the frustration of being out injured and he is making good progress.
“The gaffer (Mackay) talks to me about the future and I know exactly what I have to do,” said Harris, who will be out for a few more weeks.
“It’s all down to me and my target long-term is to prove I can play Championship football. I didn’t come here for anything less and I will certainly give everything I have.”
That’s going to be a tough call when Harris regains full fitness and goes head-to-head with Craig Bellamy, Tommy Smith, Kim Bo-Kyung and Craig Conway in those midfield wide areas, but he is a young man with belief in his own ability whose manager (Mackay) is convinced he is going to make the grade.
He made 26 first team appearances for Wycombe after being spotted when Paul Lambert, now Aston Villa manager, was in charge.
Bluebirds scouts tracked his progress, sent back glowing reports and Mackay watched Harris himself before moving in with a bid which brought him to South Wales.
“I started playing Sunday football when I was really young and Paul Lambert spotted me playing in a trial match,” said Harris, a judo black belt. “I made my debut at the age of 16 and I have just tried to improve and make my way in the game.”
Harris was Football League Apprentice of the Year in 2011 and is now looking to make his mark at Championship level.
“My dream is to be part of a promotion-winning team,” he says. “I know that’s a big challenge for me, but it’s something I will give everything to achieve,” he said.
Harris is the latest graduate of Wycombe’s Academy to strive for the top, following former Bluebirds centre-half Roger Johnson and Blackpool winger Matt Phillips.
The first target for Harris is to regain full fitness and he is a regular in the treatment room at City’s Vale of Glamorgan training ground home. Then he will strive for the biggest step he has faced so far in his career – a tilt at winning a Cardiff City first team place.
Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z27g0U95Tu
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:14 pm
Still exicted to see him feature one game in the future 
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Thu Sep 27, 2012 3:12 pm
i'd loan him out, theres nowhere for him to get any games here for me,
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Thu Sep 27, 2012 3:13 pm
Agreed. A 3 month loan might be best.. just to get him some game time and fitness.. with this development side this will help him loads.
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Thu Sep 27, 2012 11:07 pm
Im still waiting for Kim Bo to get a run of games 
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:34 am
Same here when we goin to see kim bo get a chance
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Fri Sep 28, 2012 6:51 am
If malky fielded every player to keep the fans happy we would have 15 on the pitch..
Re: Still waiting for a 1st team chance after 8 months at Cardif
Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:52 am
It's more about getting a return on our investment !