Cardiff City aim to add to Dean Saunders’ Wolves misery

Paul Abbandonato: Cardiff City aim to add to Dean Saunders’ Wolves misery

Feb 21st 2013

Paul Abbandonato:
I have known Dean Saunders for more than 20 years in his role as Wales striker and then assistant manager to John Toshack.

Amiable, effervescent, a bundle of energy, Deano is one of the most likeable stars produced by Welsh sport during that time.

I have to say, though, I’m quite happy to see him in the opposition dugout as Cardiff City head to Wolves on Sunday afternoon.

Much as I’ve always wanted Deano to succeed in management, let’s just say the jury has to be out on whether he was the right man to be chosen as boss of a club as big as Wolves.


Deano has certainly done his management groundwork, having bossed Wrexham and Doncaster, taken his FAW coaching badges, worked as No.2 to Graeme Souness with Newcastle and Blackburn, as well as under Tosh with his country.

But there is a world of difference between that and becoming the main man charged with reviving the sleeping giant that is Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The facts are that since Deano replaced the hopelessly out-of-his-depth Stale Solbakken in the Molineux hot-seat, Wolves haven’t won a single match.

In not doing so, they have slumped into the relegation zone and are in real danger of dropping into League One.

Perfect fare for Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds as they seek to bounce back from their Brighton woes.

What has happened to Wolves this season is symptomatic of Championship events which have played into the hands of Premier League-chasing City.

Historically, the teams dipping out of the Premier are tipped for an instant return, as a result of the extra quality in their squad and the £90m jackpot they have to spend.

But each of this season’s trio, Blackburn, Bolton and Wolves, made a right pig’s ear of their managerial appointments.

Blackburn stuck with Steve Kean for too many months. then made a clanger in going for Henning Berg, then another one, in my eyes, by appointing Michael Appleton.

Bolton had a very decent manager in Owen Coyle, but sacked him after an indifferent start to the campaign. They appointed Dougie Freedman (he of Cardiff City scared infamy), but the new man has hardly set the Reebok world on fire.

And then we have Wolves. first Solbakken, then Saunders. As a result they could well get out of the Championship come May, but not in the direction the directors envisaged.

Wolves are in a complete and utter mess, devoid of confidence, having forgotten how to win.

It is a situation the Bluebirds must capitalise upon this Sunday as they seek to right the wrong of Brighton.

Everyone seems to have their own views about the reasons for City’s 2-0 loss.

Malky Mackay pointed to the statistics, which he says included 22 attempts on Thomas Kuszczak’s goal.

Fair enough, I guess, but whereas I thought the Bluebirds sizzled against Bristol City last Saturday, it’s my belief they were somewhat stagnant in losing 2-0 to the Seagulls.

Craig Bellamy had one golden chance, but it was gifted to him via a Brighton back-pass, not through Bluebirds creativity.

Aron Gunnarsson should have done better with a second-half header, Fraizer Campbell had a snap shot from one cross, there were other efforts blocked by defenders or stopped by Kuszczak’s brilliance.

But defenders and goalkeepers are there to do precisely that. It is up to forwards to carve them open and my personal view is that the Brighton game was crying out for the creative flair of Kim Bo-kyung and Joe Mason in the second half.

We didn’t see either man, City lost and yesterday there were a few jitters in Cardiff as Bluebirds fans began asking ‘How much has our lead at the top been cut to?’ The answer is five points. Down from 11, admittedly, but still five clear of Hull, eight ahead of Watford and with a game in hand on the pair of them.

I think Hull are punching above their weight, but that Gianfranco Zola’s Watford are a real threat.

With games coming thick and fast in the next couple of weeks, things could turn around quickly at the top of the table.

By March 11, Hull play Bolton, Birmingham, Crystal Palace and Burnley. Watford, over that time, meet Derby, Wolves, Sheffield Wednesday and Blackpool.

The Bluebirds have games at Wolves and Middlesbrough and a home clash with Derby, their March 9 encounter with Barnsley – a shoo-in three points – having been postponed because the Tykes are playing Manchester City in the FA Cup that day.

The wrong results for City, and the right ones for their immediate rivals, could see a different landscape come March 12.

By Saturday tea-time, City’s lead could easily be down to just two points.

But let’s keep this in perspective. If you had been offered that scenario back in August, with assurances Wolves, Bolton and Blackburn would be nowhere, like me you would have snapped someone’s hand off.

Cardiff City are still the kingpins of the division. Wolves, under Deano, really could be shock relegation candidates.



Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2LULOCxAj

Are there any away tickets left for this one?

i've never really rated saunders personally, i think he's more of a coach or assistant than a manager.

Three points at theres we are back on track

Big game this, not so much for the 3 points on offer but for the atmosphere surrounding the club. Another loss and for various reasons such as scarfgate, rebrand, our history of bottling etc etc I feel people will start to get nervous and these feelings might become clear to the players on the pitch with a negative vibe surrounding the ground and that is the last thing we need heading into the business end of the season.

Ironically we play Wolves who were the opponents when we played our biggest game of the season to date in my opinion. If you remember we played them in September after after a 1-1-1 start and a hammering v Bristol City. I felt that was a really important game to win to get the fans onside and to start us on a run. Wolves were also considered one of the promotion faves at the time.

Despite Wolves not having the best of times recently their squad on paper suggests they are in a false position and they amount of games they have lost by a single goal is incredible. Had some shots gone the other side of the post they could easily be half way up the table. I also feel we are a little lucky to be as far ahead as we are, I do feel we are the best team in the league but even the most hardcore Cardiff fan can't argue that we were 11 points better than the chasing pack coming into last week.

However that's the situation we find ourselves in and the games left are dwindling slowly but surely. Only 13 games left for Hull and it would be an amazing achievement for them to get 30/39 points which would get them around 90 points. An even bigger ask for Watford who are 3 points again behind Hull. We have 14 games left and if we win half of them with a draw here and there we are almost certain to be up in my eyes.

I therefore feel a point would not be a bad result Saturday and another loss nothing to get too worried about. However because of off field events past and present I think a win would go a hell of a long way further than just the 3 points it would give us in the table.

Let's hope that jack Saunders doesn't add to our misery ffs