' Darcy Blake not happy '

Signing for Newput Kewnty.

“I was playing for Wales all the time when Malky Mackay started having a pop at me,” said the 14-times capped Blake.



The Darcy Blake interview: Former Cardiff City defender on being criticised by Malky Mackay and resurrecting his career at Newport County

Friday Mar 21, 2014 By Phil Blanche

Blake has signed for the Exiles as he looks to rediscover the form that made him a Wales regular under Gary Speed

Darcy Blake got the better of Wayne Rooney in 2011

Wembley, England versus Wales, September 2011...and Wayne Rooney is barely getting a kick.

The Manchester United superstar is at boiling point and Wales manager Gary Speed’s plan is working to a tee.

Ashley Young scores 10 minutes before half-time but if Robert Earnshaw locates an open goal late on then Wales claim a historic draw and Rooney’s nemesis is probably named man-of-the-match.

Few might recall Wales’ star man now but it was Darcy Blake - the same defender who has prompted his own managers to question his fitness and lifestyle choices and who saw his move from Cardiff City to Crystal Palace crash in spectacular style when he was left out of the senior squad and told to train with the Under-21s.

Today, as Rooney revels in being the country’s best-paid player on £300,000 per week, Blake heads to the Football League’s bottom club Torquay to make his debut for Newport County.

A waste of talent most will say, and there is no doubt that Blake is better - far better – than League Two. But Blake, 25, insists injuries have dealt him a raw hand and that he can still be part of Wales’ future under Chris Coleman.

The same Chris Coleman who said last year that Blake wasn’t “fit enough to play for Crystal Palace reserves”. Former Cardiff managers Dave Jones and Malky Mackay also made thinly-veiled attacks on Blake’s fitness levels, but the New Tredegar talent insists it was purely a case of not playing enough football.

“I was playing for Wales all the time when Malky Mackay started having a pop at me,” said the 14-times capped Blake.

“I played against Crystal Palace in the Carling Cup [marking Wilfried Zaha out of the second leg of the semi-final] and he was still having a pop, even though I came out with good marks after the game.

“My fitness was criticised but that’s just match fitness to me and playing games. I just haven’t played football, I need to be playing games - and that’s why I’ve come to Newport.”

Wilfried Zaha, then of Crystal Palace, is tackled by Darcy Blake of Cardiff City during the Carling Cup semi-final second leg

As far as Coleman’s criticism was concerned, Blake replied: “I spoke to him after that comment and he wasn’t aware I was injured at that time.

“But I never really made a fuss of it. I just carried on and tried to get back fit after my injury, but it hasn’t really happened yet.”

It’s easy to label Blake as someone who has fallen way below his potential. After all, Palace bosses Ian Holloway and Tony Pulis followed in the footsteps of Jones, Mackay and Coleman and failed to invest faith in him.

But the managers who have backed him – Speed during his all-too-brief Wales reign and Dougie Freedman who took him to Palace - have got the best out of him.

Blake only made 10 appearances in a nightmare spell at Selhurst Park but Cardiff fans will recall that one of them came in a 3-2 victory over the Bluebirds soon after his move to south London, the strikeforce of Craig Bellamy and Heidar Helguson contained.

“Gary Speed, what a guy - it was heart-breaking to see him pass,” said Blake.

“He believed in me and gave me that opportunity and the same goes for Dougie Freedman, who moved on to Bolton after giving me that chance at Palace.

“Under Gary I felt I’d kicked on and progressed. It’s nice when someone believes in you, especially someone like Gary Speed. That gave me a lot of confidence.

“I remember we played Montenegro and there was a couple of lads suspended for that game. Then it was the England game and he stuck with me.

“You don’t need any more confidence than that. Gary taught me a lot and I owe him a lot. I will always remember him and be grateful for what he did for me.”

Sadly, Blake’s career never hit the heights of that Wembley night again. Out of favour with Wales and shown the door at Cardiff and Palace, he was forced to go on trial to re-establish himself.

He pitched up at Birmingham this month but the omens weren’t good: settling down in the canteen after his first day of training he looked up to the television to see Sky reporting the club’s owner Carson Yeung had been sent to prison for six years for money laundering.

Still, Blake has impressed enough at Birmingham for them to consider making a summer move and he says “a couple of other Championship clubs” have also shown interest.

But he admits the priority now is to be playing and that’s why he has ended up in an Exiles squad who are woefully short of form and results and anxiously looking at the League Two relegation battle below them.

“It was a no-brainer to come here,” said Blake, who has joined County until the end of the season and, ironically, made his Cardiff age-grade debut 15 years ago at Torquay.

“It’s not a guarantee that I’m going to play every week but I’m grateful for the opportunity.

“I played two games at Birmingham last week in the space of five or six days and I feel all right...but I guess we’ll see in my first game.”

County boss Justin Edinburgh insists the club have landed a “transfer coup” after winning only one of their last 15 games, saying Blake’s quality was obvious the moment he stepped on the training field and labelling him a “Championship player”.

But does Blake still harbour hopes of getting back in the Wales squad and being part of the push for Euro 2016?

“I don’t see why I can’t force my way back into squad if I get fit and play games,” said Blake, who will wear the number 16 shirt at Newport – the same as his great pal Aaron Ramsey at Arsenal.

“To be playing for Wales you need to be playing in week-in week-out at club level, and that’s something I haven’t been doing.

“I have to prove to everyone that I can still do it, but I also have a point to prove to myself after being out for such a long time.

“I feel I can get back in there for Wales, I’ve seen the last couple of games and it’s a good squad. It’s a good time to back in there with the Euros coming up, it’s a target to aim for.

“Look at the players we’ve got and we can qualify for sure. Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey, Ashley Williams and I saw James Collins the other night looking sharp.”

Wales at the Euro 2016 finals? What a story if Darcy Blake was part of it.

And ?

Guess we can look forward to you Trolling our forum today then quite sad really a grown man trolling a league two message board ffs

And ?

Guess we can look forward to you Trolling our forum today then quite sad really a grown man trolling a league two message board ffs

As opposed to you eh?

And ?

Guess we can look forward to you Trolling our forum today then quite sad really a grown man trolling a league two message board ffs

Hypocrite!! Perhaps you should practice what you preach & get off a PREMIER LEAGUE board & go & troll your own league 2 board drivel

Signing for Newput Kewnty then according to SSN

Hopefully the lad with get some game time, get in shape and move up a level next season. Certainly a much better player than L2 level.

Good luck to him

http://www.newport-county.co.uk/news/ar ... 34276.aspx

I spoke to him outside Goodison Park on Saturday and he told me he was close to agreeing a move to Birmingham City.

Personally I wish the lad all the best but I think he's better off being as far away from his 'local mates' as possibe and I feel that Newport County may be a bad move for him for off field reasons.

Good luck to him wherever he ends up cos he's a really nice lad with a few issues but with the right people around him he could hopefully get his career back on track

I know his parents well nice people ,hope he gets up to a decent standard soon as he certainly has the talent.

Should have gone to a league 1 club IMO. Better level for him to get his sharpness back as he's undoubtedly a good Championship player.

Weren't there rumours about Earnie going to County as well? Now that would be a good signing for them

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26679726

Only has a go at Malky yet it was every manager he's played under which noticed his problems. It's not just match fitness needed, nothing stops him going to the gym or putting in extra hours on the training field to get in shape

Only has a go at Malky yet it was every manager he's played under which noticed his problems. It's not just match fitness needed, nothing stops him going to the gym or putting in extra hours on the training field to get in shape

Spot on

I heard he had a massive drink problem.

He is a class player but he was the architect of his own downfall. Really hope he can get his career back on track but that is down to Darcey Blake alone.

The fact that he is looking to blame others, rather than himself, is why he has ended up at Newport County. He should look at himself.

Other managers have all said exactly the same thing, so why is he blaming Malky?

I like Him, but he needs to sort himself and I'd wager that Newport is his "last chance saloon".

It's funny how all these players are slagging malky off. There were a few on twitter right after he was fired and now Darby Blake. There has to be a reason for this, Malkys man management was poor IMO, I have no doubt he had a fall out with Brayford either, threw his toys out of the pram then by not playing him at all.

The fact that he is looking to blame others, rather than himself, is why he has ended up at Newport County. He should look at himself.

Other managers have all said exactly the same thing, so why is he blaming Malky?

I like Him, but he needs to sort himself and I'd wager that Newport is his "last chance saloon".

Alex, it just shows from Premier League in one season to Newport County Darcy can only blame himself.

The fact that he is looking to blame others, rather than himself, is why he has ended up at Newport County. He should look at himself.

Other managers have all said exactly the same thing, so why is he blaming Malky?

I like Him, but he needs to sort himself and I'd wager that Newport is his "last chance saloon".

Port Talbot will be his last chance

The fact that he is looking to blame others, rather than himself, is why he has ended up at Newport County. He should look at himself.

Other managers have all said exactly the same thing, so why is he blaming Malky?

I like Him, but he needs to sort himself and I'd wager that Newport is his "last chance saloon".

this....

thank you darcy for confirming milky is a wanker

thank you darcy for confirming milky is a wanker

Know him personally do you?

He needs to sort himself out he won't get many chances.

Right now he could end up being a multi millionaire in a few years time or a taxi driver. I know what one I'd pick.

Needs to stop blaming other people for his mistakes. Needs to knuckle down and prove he deserves a chance

The fact that he is looking to blame others, rather than himself, is why he has ended up at Newport County. He should look at himself.

Other managers have all said exactly the same thing, so why is he blaming Malky?

I like Him, but he needs to sort himself and I'd wager that Newport is his "last chance saloon".

Malky can do no wrong in your eyes!!

It's funny how all these players are slagging malky off. There were a few on twitter right after he was fired and now Darby Blake. There has to be a reason for this, Malkys man management was poor IMO, I have no doubt he had a fall out with Brayford either, threw his toys out of the pram then by not playing him at all.

Yeah a grand total of 3 players spoke out against Malky. One of them being a youth player.

Every manager falls out with some players, I bet he got along with more players than he fell out with. Stop looking for reasons to have a dig at Malky (again) it is very sad that our fans are taking personal digs against him. He may have been out of his depth but slating him as a person all the time is low.


Anyway in terms of Darcy I wish him well. Nice guy but he needs to sort himself out if he wants to play at the level we know he can play at. Newport should be a wake up call for him.

At the end of the day the only person Blake can blame is himself.

Cared more about going on the piss than football and is paying the price being in league 2.

I hope he gets his life together and gets his career back on track as he is a bloody good defender!

Lets just hope he stays away from some of his old 'friends'

Malky can do no wrong in your eyes!!

Not at all, I just happen to still have a modicum of respect towards the most successful manager at this club for generations.

In this case, what has Malky done wrong? If he's blaming managers, why only Malky & not the other managers who did exactly the same from him?

Blake is his own worst enemy. Malky was right to have a pop at him as he's a piss head.

Darcy blakes an idiot clearly another dumb young footballer who underestimates the importance of a good lifestyle and thinks he is invincible.

you cant drink and eat shit at the best of times and when you get injured it will get worse hes now shit cos hes out if shape and never looked after himself wen he was injured

Darcy blakes an idiot clearly another dumb young footballer who underestimates the importance of a good lifestyle and thinks he is invincible.

you cant drink and eat shit at the best of times and when you get injured it will get worse hes now shit cos hes out if shape and never looked after himself wen he was injured

Only has a go at Malky yet it was every manager he's played under which noticed his problems. It's not just match fitness needed, nothing stops him going to the gym or putting in extra hours on the training field to get in shape

Yeah, spot on.

I like Darcy. Whenever I've met him he's been really friendly and whenever he played for us he gave everything but his fitness is an issue. It wasn't just Malky who spotted it. Every manager has. He got away with it for Wales because you can survive off sheer adrenalin and determination now and again. He still had the odd stinker for Wales mind.

He is way too good for League Two but it's worrying he just doesn't seem to understand where the problem really lies. Until he is honest with himself, nothing will change.

I really want him to do well though and hope he can get back to his best at Newport County.