' Sky ' Feature on Cardiff City their Squad & Transfers

Cardiff's squad needs all-round investment, but a striker will be key


http://www1.skysports.com/football/news ... sfer-guide

But I do agree, a striker in the short term on high wages is a good investment to stay up imo

Transfer guide Cardiff City

Cardiff will largely be expected to be the top performers of the promoted clubs, but investment is very much needed on a squad that looks impressive at Championship level, but far less so in elevated company. Unfortunately, Malky Mackay is already talking about 'being cute' with budgets.

Last Updated: June 13, 2013 11:57am


Cardiff's squad needs all-round investment, but a striker will be key

What's been said: "As the levels rise, you've still got to be cute, to be prudent with the money. The owner is certainly someone who doesn't throw good money after bad and every penny I spend, I document and give him a reason as to why it's been spent. It's not about gut feeling, it's about business reasons as to why we should buy players. So that doesn't change. You try to get good players in and they've got to be value for money" - Malky Mackay.

The budget: A reported £25m.

What's needed: Of the three promoted sides, Cardiff are probably best placed to survive in the Premier League - but that's rather a backhanded compliment. Will £25m be enough to make them better than clubs like Norwich and Aston Villa who are likely to be in that relegation battle again? Perhaps. Malky Mackay is right in saying that they need to be 'cute', and rumours of moves for Carlton Cole and Danny Graham can certainly be filed under 'cute', but cute enough to survive? Probably not. Half of that reported £25m budget should go on strikers to augment a distinctly Championship-looking line-up of Nicky Maynard and Fraizer Campbell. 'Cute' would be to follow West Ham's lead and find a striker kicking their heels at a big club - if his inflated wages keep you in the Premier League, it's been a short-term but sensible investment.

At the risk of saying this every year for promoted clubs, Cardiff basically need a fair bit of quality across the park, but with emphasis on the defence. There's no real Premier League quality amongst Kevin McNaughton, Matthew Connolly, Andrew Taylor, Ben Turner and Mark Hudson. To avoid doing a Reading and surrendering their Premier League status with a whimper, Malkay is going to have to be cuter than a whole box of kittens.

Ideal signing: Nicky Maynard and Fraizer Campbell can not be relied upon to score regularly, and so a striker is key. Hull's approach for Celtic's Gary Hooper could force Cardiff's hand, and if he can transfer his impressive tally in the SPL (a big if) he could prove valuable in a relegation battle.


Of the promoted teams, Cardiff are the only side Sky Bet made odds-on (1/2) to stay up. They're 6/4 to be relegated and 7/1 to finish bottom, but survival could well hinge on who they draft in. Carlton Cole is 12/1 to sign, but at present he's thought to be a target of Celtic, should they decide to cash in on Gary Hooper this summer. Hooper, incidentally, is 20/1 to sign for Mackay's men. They're also considered to be in the running for Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam (20/1), but face competition from Crystal Palace, managed by the Scot's former boss Ian Holloway. Adam Le Fondre impressed in short spurts for Reading last season and at least showed that he can score goals at this level - he's 12/1 to join Cardiff this summer. The Championship winners are 7/1 for a top-half finish and 33/1 to win any trophy. Transfer specials here

Release list: Heidar Helguson, Stephen McPhail, Nathaniel Jarvis, Elliot Parish, Jesse Darko.

Can't wait to see Fraizer Campbell and Nicky Maynard play together, could be another Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke ..........................................................

Can't wait to see Fraizer Campbell and Nicky Maynard play together, could be another Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke ..........................................................

how can any fan compare them to that pair at utd together winning titles years back i never know, they wouldnt be with us for sure if that was the case

With the amount of debt hanging over citys heads, money spent needs to be kept to a minimum with new players on a modest wage

Agreed... But the financial rewards of staying in the premier league are much bigger if we can stay up

With the amount of debt hanging over citys heads, money spent needs to be kept to a minimum with new players on a modest wage

I agree. The bottom 12 of the Premier League could all be relegated next season. I think West Ham will make a strong effort to push their club and squad forward. The top 8 is untoucheble though - in my opinion.

I am from Aalborg in Denmark and Aston Villa is to sign our top striker i Nicklas Helenius. I am pretty sure that means that Benteke is about to transfer to a bigger club. And with Darren Bent out of favour they will have problems scoring goals next season - if they don't sign a big name up front.

All the turmoil at the Jacks is allways a pleasure to read about. As I mentioned earlier - I am from Denmark and I am not sure Michael Laudrup will continue as their coach. He is angry about having to settle for transfer targets at a bargain price. When he signed an extension to his contract he was promised a certain amount by Huw Stevens. But he is now saying that their squad doesn't need significent improvement to stay up. I completely disagree. If you take away the amazing signing of Michu they are shit and I really think (and hope) that they are a likely candidate for relegation!

Top name striker to our squad and Whit and Bellars at their to level I am sure we will stay up.

Forever BLUE!

Cardiff City BaBy!

what a pile of shit

Can't wait to see Fraizer Campbell and Nicky Maynard play together, could be another Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke ..........................................................

The Cole and Yorke at Man Utd or the Cole and Yorke at Blackburn Rovers?

With the amount of debt hanging over citys heads, money spent needs to be kept to a minimum with new players on a modest wage

I agree. The bottom 12 of the Premier League could all be relegated next season. I think West Ham will make a strong effort to push their club and squad forward. The top 8 is untoucheble though - in my opinion.

I am from Aalborg in Denmark and Aston Villa is to sign our top striker i Nicklas Helenius. I am pretty sure that means that Benteke is about to transfer to a bigger club. And with Darren Bent out of favour they will have problems scoring goals next season - if they don't sign a big name up front.

All the turmoil at the Jacks is allways a pleasure to read about. As I mentioned earlier - I am from Denmark and I am not sure Michael Laudrup will continue as their coach. He is angry about having to settle for transfer targets at a bargain price. When he signed an extension to his contract he was promised a certain amount by Huw Stevens. But he is now saying that their squad doesn't need significent improvement to stay up. I completely disagree. If you take away the amazing signing of Michu they are shit and I really think (and hope) that they are a likely candidate for relegation!

Top name striker to our squad and Whit and Bellars at their to level I am sure we will stay up.

Forever BLUE!

Cardiff City BaBy!

Who is huw Stevens? Haha

Can't wait to see Fraizer Campbell and Nicky Maynard play together, could be another Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke ..........................................................

how can any fan compare them to that pair at utd together winning titles years back i never know, they wouldnt be with us for sure if that was the case

OK moonstomper1927 overplayed his hand, but he has a point that Maynard and Frazier 'could' be a successful partnership?

Can't wait to see Fraizer Campbell and Nicky Maynard play together, could be another Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke ..........................................................

The Cole and Yorke at Man Utd or the Cole and Yorke at Blackburn Rovers?

Cole and Yorke from roy of the rovers i think

With the amount of debt hanging over citys heads, money spent needs to be kept to a minimum with new players on a modest wage

I agree. The bottom 12 of the Premier League could all be relegated next season. I think West Ham will make a strong effort to push their club and squad forward. The top 8 is untoucheble though - in my opinion.

I am from Aalborg in Denmark and Aston Villa is to sign our top striker i Nicklas Helenius. I am pretty sure that means that Benteke is about to transfer to a bigger club. And with Darren Bent out of favour they will have problems scoring goals next season - if they don't sign a big name up front.

All the turmoil at the Jacks is allways a pleasure to read about. As I mentioned earlier - I am from Denmark and I am not sure Michael Laudrup will continue as their coach. He is angry about having to settle for transfer targets at a bargain price. When he signed an extension to his contract he was promised a certain amount by Huw Stevens. But he is now saying that their squad doesn't need significent improvement to stay up. I completely disagree. If you take away the amazing signing of Michu they are shit and I really think (and hope) that they are a likely candidate for relegation!

Top name striker to our squad and Whit and Bellars at their to level I am sure we will stay up.

Forever BLUE!

Cardiff City BaBy!

Who is huw Stevens? Haha

Huw Stevens is a welsh Radio 1 DJ that lives in Cardiff. So i can undertstand why laudrup feels pissed off lied to.

With the amount of debt hanging over citys heads, money spent needs to be kept to a minimum with new players on a modest wage

I agree. The bottom 12 of the Premier League could all be relegated next season. I think West Ham will make a strong effort to push their club and squad forward. The top 8 is untoucheble though - in my opinion.

I am from Aalborg in Denmark and Aston Villa is to sign our top striker i Nicklas Helenius. I am pretty sure that means that Benteke is about to transfer to a bigger club. And with Darren Bent out of favour they will have problems scoring goals next season - if they don't sign a big name up front.

All the turmoil at the Jacks is allways a pleasure to read about. As I mentioned earlier - I am from Denmark and I am not sure Michael Laudrup will continue as their coach. He is angry about having to settle for transfer targets at a bargain price. When he signed an extension to his contract he was promised a certain amount by Huw Stevens. But he is now saying that their squad doesn't need significent improvement to stay up. I completely disagree. If you take away the amazing signing of Michu they are shit and I really think (and hope) that they are a likely candidate for relegation!

Top name striker to our squad and Whit and Bellars at their to level I am sure we will stay up.

Forever BLUE!

Cardiff City BaBy!

Who is huw Stevens? Haha

Huw Stevens is a welsh Radio 1 DJ that lives in Cardiff. So i can undertstand why laudrup feels pissed off lied to.

Haha I knew that and I do enjoy his weekend show.