Ole Says:Work is under way to keep the players he believes
Sat May 10, 2014 7:46 pm
Solskjaer coy over Liverpool and Spurs target as he eyes Chelsea flourish
Saturday, May 10th, 2014
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says work is already under way to keep the players he believes can spark a successful Championship campaign next season.
Cardiff boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said the club are determined to keep a number of their star players as they eye an immediate return to the Premier League, though he is resigned to losing some of his top earners.
Cardiff end their brief stay in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday with a home clash against Chelsea, after which attention will turn fully to the early stages of masterminding a quickfire top-flight return.
Cardiff boss Solskjaer is unlikely to keep his current squad intact - it is thought Steven Caulker, who has been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham, and Gary Medel, for instance, both have relegation release clauses in their contracts - while star goalkeeper David Marshall will undoubtedly be a major target for other clubs despite him recently signing a new Bluebirds contract.
“It is vital we keep hold of the ones (players) I believe will take us back up again. That job has already started,” Solskjaer said.
“All of these in the squad now won’t be here next season. That is the nature of football, but the ones who will be here will have to have the character. That league (Championship) is not just turn up and go through the motions.
“I can’t comment on players’ contracts. I am doing my best to keep hold of the most important ones, that I feel are the most important ones.
“David has been absolutely terrific this season. I believe he is very happy in and around Cardiff. He is one that I really, really want to keep.
“He has been the best keeper in the Premier League, for me. He has saved us many, many points, and he has not lost us one. That is the sign of a very good goalkeeper.
“Of course we are all disappointed (with the season), but there is only one way, and that is to come back stronger. We have got to regroup and look at what we have to improve on.”
Cardiff currently prop up the Premier League table, having finally lost their battle to remain among the elite when Newcastle beat them 3-0 last weekend.
But Solskjaer, who succeeded Malky Mackay as manager in January, is enthused by the challenge that now awaits in a notoriously-tough division.
“There are loads of very good football people at this club,” he added. “There is great potential.
“You learn about your staff, players, the whole club. There are things I know now I wouldn’t even dream to have known four-and-a half months ago, but that’s a learning curve, on and off the pitch.
“There are things I would probably have done different, of course. You have to learn from the failures, both as a player and as a coach. That is what I have always tried to do.
“The majority of the players didn’t know the Premier League, the club didn’t know the Premier League, so that unknown was a learning curve.
“The experience of playing in the Premier League will give everyone a taste of wanting to get back to it. I really hope we will, but it is a lot of hard work ahead, especially mentally.
“My job is to keep as many players as possible, and say this is a club going somewhere and we have got a great chance of bouncing back up.
“I am very determined to start the season really well. That’s the key in the Championship. If you start struggling and you end up in the melee, it’s a tough season.
“We are playing against one of the top teams in Europe, let alone England, on Sunday. The players would like to go out there and challenge themselves.
“We go into the last game wanting to win against Chelsea. No-one wants to end up last in the league.
“You are down, but that pride of your own performance is important, and also to show the fans our appreciation of them.”
Saturday, May 10th, 2014
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says work is already under way to keep the players he believes can spark a successful Championship campaign next season.
Cardiff boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said the club are determined to keep a number of their star players as they eye an immediate return to the Premier League, though he is resigned to losing some of his top earners.
Cardiff end their brief stay in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday with a home clash against Chelsea, after which attention will turn fully to the early stages of masterminding a quickfire top-flight return.
Cardiff boss Solskjaer is unlikely to keep his current squad intact - it is thought Steven Caulker, who has been linked with Liverpool and Tottenham, and Gary Medel, for instance, both have relegation release clauses in their contracts - while star goalkeeper David Marshall will undoubtedly be a major target for other clubs despite him recently signing a new Bluebirds contract.
“It is vital we keep hold of the ones (players) I believe will take us back up again. That job has already started,” Solskjaer said.
“All of these in the squad now won’t be here next season. That is the nature of football, but the ones who will be here will have to have the character. That league (Championship) is not just turn up and go through the motions.
“I can’t comment on players’ contracts. I am doing my best to keep hold of the most important ones, that I feel are the most important ones.
“David has been absolutely terrific this season. I believe he is very happy in and around Cardiff. He is one that I really, really want to keep.
“He has been the best keeper in the Premier League, for me. He has saved us many, many points, and he has not lost us one. That is the sign of a very good goalkeeper.
“Of course we are all disappointed (with the season), but there is only one way, and that is to come back stronger. We have got to regroup and look at what we have to improve on.”
Cardiff currently prop up the Premier League table, having finally lost their battle to remain among the elite when Newcastle beat them 3-0 last weekend.
But Solskjaer, who succeeded Malky Mackay as manager in January, is enthused by the challenge that now awaits in a notoriously-tough division.
“There are loads of very good football people at this club,” he added. “There is great potential.
“You learn about your staff, players, the whole club. There are things I know now I wouldn’t even dream to have known four-and-a half months ago, but that’s a learning curve, on and off the pitch.
“There are things I would probably have done different, of course. You have to learn from the failures, both as a player and as a coach. That is what I have always tried to do.
“The majority of the players didn’t know the Premier League, the club didn’t know the Premier League, so that unknown was a learning curve.
“The experience of playing in the Premier League will give everyone a taste of wanting to get back to it. I really hope we will, but it is a lot of hard work ahead, especially mentally.
“My job is to keep as many players as possible, and say this is a club going somewhere and we have got a great chance of bouncing back up.
“I am very determined to start the season really well. That’s the key in the Championship. If you start struggling and you end up in the melee, it’s a tough season.
“We are playing against one of the top teams in Europe, let alone England, on Sunday. The players would like to go out there and challenge themselves.
“We go into the last game wanting to win against Chelsea. No-one wants to end up last in the league.
“You are down, but that pride of your own performance is important, and also to show the fans our appreciation of them.”
Re: Ole Says:Work is under way to keep the players he believ
Sat May 10, 2014 9:25 pm
bit late to be worrying about what position we finish ..... we are relegated... 