Cardiff City - Where we are now

Hi, I'm now writing a weekly piece about City for the fourfourtweet website. This is how I see the situation at the club currently.

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Here's the article.

The dust has finally settled following Saturday’s horror show at Hull. For those that read the preview I was correct thinking City would be quick out the block and take the game to the opposition and Hull would then try and hit us on the counter. These are my thought on Cardiff’s season to date.

Vincent Tan

The arrival of Vincent Tan brought optimism to many City fans who felt his money could take us to the next level, and it has however this has come at a price. This season Tan has been central to everything negative that has happened at the club. He has alienated some of City’s most loyal supporters and sacked a manager who was doing well and had brought the club nothing but success. If Tan had not interfered then I’m sure we would have another 6-7 points on the board by now. Some of the stories read in the media have to be taken with a pinch of salt however it’s clear that some of his decision making and actions have been very ill advised. Tan should be a hero in the eyes of every Cardiff fan but instead he is hated by the majority for dividing the fanbase and turning the club into a laughing stock. For Cardiff to move forward again Tan needs to turn back to blue, re-instate the badge and unite the fanbase once more. Only then will you see Cardiff fulfil the potential it undoubtedly had.

Fans

The atmosphere down the stadium in the past month or two has been terrible. The way the stadium is set out doesn’t help with the family stand next to the away end but that is not really an excuse because at times we’ve had an atmosphere to rival Ninian Park there, Man City at home comes to mind. The problem is we have a divided fanbase and the morale amongst the fans has never been so low. Some want relegation in the hope of a return to blue. The fact that this was the year we had looked forward after many near misses has turned into a disaster on and off the pitch is also a key factor. We need to get behind the players but this is not happening and until all fans are united or have something to cheer about on the pitch it won’t.


Sacking of Malky

The sacking of Malky is central to our problems on the pitch. He was holding his own in the EPL and in my opinion would have kept us up. We were solid at home under him and played not to lose away. They squad was made up of his players and it was clear that they all gave 100% each game. He also knew his squad and knew his best x11. Malky did have his flaws; the signing of Cornelius that ultimately cost him his job amongst other poor summer signings showed he could not be trusted with a big budget. The football he played was also incredibly painful to watch. Still he should have been kept until the summer and replaced then if that was the route Tan wished to take.


Appointment of OGS

I like OGS and think he will become a good manager but his appointment has come at the wrong time for City. His style is very different to Malky and hasn’t got the players to make it work in the Prem. He also hasn’t bought wisely in the window with the Centre forward position not being resolved. I’m sorry but Kenwyne Jones isn’t going to score enough to keep us up. The Norwegians have looked poor apart from Daehli who is going to be a superstar in 2-3 year’s time. The unity that was clear amongst the squad when Malky was there has also seemed to have disappeared.


Rest of the season

Sadly I can’t see us getting the 5 wins required to stay up. The only hope is that OGS losing it after the game on Sat will give them a much needed kick up the backside. Bellamy needs to return to the side asap and I think OGS needs to identify his best 11 and stick to them. He needs players with some dog in them who will fight for 90 minutes but I think the lack of quality up front will see us relegated.