' KADEEM HARRIS HAS GIVEN MALKY PLENTY TO PONDER '

September 18th 2013

Kadeem Harris is a man on a Bluebirds mission.

He admits his bid to earn a first-team place for Cardiff City is a long-term ambition, but he’s certainly making those who matter take notice.

Harris, still only 20 years old, has fired nine goals already for City’s development team this season.

He capped a sizzling start to the Premier Development League season by firing a Bluebirds winner in their South Wales derby against Swansea at Cardiff City Stadium.

The clinical finish was almost a carbon copy of Peter Whittingham’s beautifully worked equaliser at Hull last weekend.

Whitts timed his run perfectly to fired home from Don Cowie’s deep cross at the KC Stadium, while Harris did exactly the same as he buried Luke Coulson’s high ball in from the right against Swansea.

“I’m feeling good and any team win against our local rivals is a big moment for us,” said Harris, who has put in extra training to improve his finishing.

“I didn’t score enough goals last season and was determined to put that right.”

“My finishing needed work and, with the help of club coaches, I have put in the time. Now I need to make sure I maintain consistency.”

Harris is in outstanding form, producing pace and tricks which can leave defenders trailing, and must surely be now be in contention for a call-up to Malky Mackay’s first-team squad for next Tuesday’s Capital One Cup tie against West Ham at Upton Park.

The former Wycombe Wanderers flyer was not included in City’s 25-man Premier League squad, but that doesn’t stop him playing in either League Cup or FA Cup ties.

He was an unused substitute for the 2-0 win at Accrington in the last round and says: “I’d love to be involved of course and if the call came I would be delighted, but that’s down to the manager.

“My job is to keep my head down and keep working.”

Harris and his fellow Premier Development League players have started their new season in style with eight wins from eight matches.

They took on Welsh Premier League, Conference and Welsh League opposition in pre-season, while they have opened their League season with wins against Ipswich away, Crystal Palace away and the Swans at home.

Londoner Harris has been at the heart of that run and development team manager Kevin Cooper says: “Kadeem came back with a fantastic attitude and has been doing great. He has a willingness to learn and wants to get better.

“We know what Kadeem’s capabilities are. He has pace, he has tricks. Now we are working with him to become a little cuter and more clever in possession.

“He is a work in progress and we are working with him, showing him how he can affect a game.

“He is a real prospect for us and so far he is delivering.”

Harris went off during the later stages against Swansea with an ice pack strapped to his leg and Cooper said: “He took a whack and that highlighted how he can improve decision-making.

“He decided to check inside where there were three sets of legs and the chances were that he would get whacked. That’s what happened, he sustained a dead leg and couldn’t run it off.

“But he’ll be fine for our next development match.”

Harris, who was born in Westminster, London, was the youngest player to be selected for Wycombe when he made his debut aged 16 years and 201 days.

He was voted League Two Apprentice of the Year at the Football League awards two years ago and Fulham offered £50,000 for the young winger.

Harris made 26 first-team appearances for Wycombe before Mackay brought him to Cardiff in a £125,000 transfer during January last year.

He has two years left on his contract is looking show in that time he can break through to Premier League level.

“I feel I am making progress and believe that one day I can play Premier League football for Cardiff,” says Harris.

“Right now, that’s a long way off, but that has to be my aim and my belief is that I will get there.

“There are a lot of top-quality players in my position, but that helps me because I can learn from them.

“I watch Craig Bellamy and Craig Noone. Peter Odemwingie is newly arrived and I can’t wait to see him playing for Cardiff.

“They help me so much and I am grateful for that.

“In the long term my aim is to do well for the development team and hopefully earn a chance in a cup tie or two.”

Both Mackay and development manager Cooper work closely with Harris, who says: “I know exactly what I have to do. It’s all down to me and the progress I can make.”

Harris first joined Wycombe when Paul Lambert, now Aston Villa manager, was in charge.

“I started playing Sunday football when I was really young and he spotted me playing in a trial match,” said Harris, who earned his judo black belt grading before concentrating on football.

Now he hopes to follow another former Wycombe player into Cardiff City’s first team.

Centre-half Roger Johnson, now with Sheffield Wednesday, started his career at Adams Park and went on to play for the Bluebirds.

Queens Park Rangers winger Matt Phillips and teenager Jordan Ibe also both started at Wycombe.

They have all played Premier League football – Johnson for Birmingham and Wolves, Phillips for Blackpool and Ibe for Liverpool.

How Harris would love to follow them in making his Premier debut over the next couple of seasons.

There is always a factual error in their reports. It says he can't play in premier league because he isn't in the 25 man squad but he's only 20 so he doesn't need to be. He can play whenever Malky wants him to.

The thing I find disappointing is they are hailing him as a potential star but Velikonja was just as prolific last year and look what happened to him.

Terry you have got it wrong again

"The former Wycombe Wanderers flyer was not included in City's 25-man Premier League squad, but that doesn't stop him playing in either League Cup or FA Cup ties!!!"

As you said he is only 20 so,
"He can play in the premiership"

I put a thread up about this on Monday night after the game. I believe he has been knocking on the door for a while, now hes given up knocking and started to kick shit out of that door.I dont believe he should just walk into the first side, I would let him get experience in a championship side and load him out for 6months or so.

There is always a factual error in their reports. It says he can't play in premier league because he isn't in the 25 man squad but he's only 20 so he doesn't need to be. He can play whenever Malky wants him to.

The thing I find disappointing is they are hailing him as a potential star but Velikonja was just as prolific last year and look what happened to him.

Velikonja is a striker who has very little to his game apart from putting chances away when they are presented to him. Harris is scoring as freely as Velikonja but is also terrorising full backs. He is so dangerous running with the ball at pace and going past players.

I really like his attitude in that interview. He says he has worked on his finishing and it's showing. He still has a lot to learn, I watched the Hereford friendly and there were times he took wrong decisions and lost the ball, but the more experience he has, the more he will learn, the better his decision making will be and the better he will become.

Harris definitely has the ability to step up to the Premiership in the future. I would like to see him start at West Ham, where there will be less pressure on him away from home, and see how he does. His current performances shows he's too good for the Development squad now, so it's time for him to be given an opportunity to step up to the next level.

Spending extra time in training on his inishing.

Top drawer, thats exactly the attitude we want in young players at the club. Not really seen him play but i'm a bit of a fan already based on this.

Harris definitely has the ability to step up to the Premiership in the future. I would like to see him start at West Ham, where there will be less pressure on him away from home, "we are home" and see how he does. His current performances shows he's too good for the Development squad now, so it's time for him to be given an opportunity to step up to the next level.

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Harris definitely has the ability to step up to the Premiership in the future. I would like to see him start at West Ham, where there will be less pressure on him away from home, "we are home" and see how he does. His current performances shows he's too good for the Development squad now, so it's time for him to be given an opportunity to step up to the next level.

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Cardiff are away

He's had a great summer and he seems to be working hard in his development. From what i've seen he's a raw talent but is still a little greedy when there are better options around him. All part of the learning process though

Harris definitely has the ability to step up to the Premiership in the future. I would like to see him start at West Ham, where there will be less pressure on him away from home, "we are home" and see how he does. His current performances shows he's too good for the Development squad now, so it's time for him to be given an opportunity to step up to the next level.

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Well that was an epic fail whatever you tried there!

Play him in the upcoming league cup fixture then send him out on loan afterwards to a Championship/League One team.