Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:40 am
Steve Tucker: Why Fraizer Campbell will NOT be missed by Cardiff City
Jul 25, 2014
BY STEVETUCKER
The striker has gone, but there are plenty of forwards left to fill his boots in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side, says Steve Tucker
Cardiff City have had some great strikers down the years, but Fraizer Campbell was not one of them.
As the 26-year-old returns to the Premier League with south Londoners Crystal Palace he will go with everyone’s best wishes, but he will not be missed on the pitch by the Bluebirds.
Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has obviously been aware that Campbell was jumping ship this summer from the moment the final whistle blew on the last campaign back in May.
It has been well publicised that the striker had a release clause in his contract, thought to be in the region of £800,000, which the Eagles have seemingly triggered. As a result, Solskjaer moved swiftly and decisively in the transfer market to ensure that the man who led the Cardiff line for most of last season would not be too great a loss. And the Norwegian, to my mind, has done that in a more than satisfactory fashion.
Even without Campbell, the stable of strikers already at the club is intriguing and talent-packed. Kenwyne Jones has had his detractors, but might he spring to life in the Championship? He certainly has the talent. Joe Mason has every right to feel neglected after looking to be making massive strides under former boss Malky Mackay, whilst Nicky Maynard could be forgiven for feeling marginalised too. Solskjaer’s Norwegian compatriot Jo Inge Berget has signalled his intention not to be left on the shelf too, with a goal already in pre-season against Bath City.
But it has been the new men who have excited most. The vastly-experienced Spaniard Javi Guerra, the thrilling young talent Federico Macheda and wily Adam Le Fondre, who has proved at Reading time after time that he knows where the net is, have all signed and suggest that, unlike last term, goals might not be lacking this time around.
Let’s be honest, even if Campbell had stayed at Cardiff he would have had trouble holding onto his starting place in the face of such stiff competition. That’s not to say Campbell is not a good Championship striker, he is. It is whether he is more than that which is open to debate.
It cannot be denied that his arrival at Cardiff from Sunderland in January 2013 for a measly £650,000 proved an inspired signing. As that new year began, the Bluebirds’ promotion campaign was ticking over nicely, but as always in the January transfer window, a little boost, a little freshening-up of things particularly up front never goes amiss and Campbell provided that.
A winning goal at Leeds on his debut set the tone and then six more in Cardiff’s final 11 games helped ease the Bluebirds to that historic promotion.
Campbell brings many impressive attributes to the game, none more so than a brilliant work-rate and engine. He’s a clever player at times too, but he is far from the complete package. His first touch can let him down, for example, but his biggest failing is that he just needs too many chances before he hits the net.
It was a frustrating season for Cardiff City's main striker Fraizer Campbell
That’s one of the biggest differences between the Championship and the Premier League. In the second-flight you miss a goal-scoring opportunity and another is along in a minute, but against the big boys you miss a chance and you most likely will not get another. That’s it, game over.
Campbell’s lack of ruthlessness in front of goal last season was a significant factor in the Bluebirds’ relegation. Sure, he was playing in a poor Cardiff side in Premier League terms, but despite being the go-to striker he did not even finish the club’s top-scorer in the league. Campbell managed six, whilst midfielder Jordon Mutch grabbed seven.
Cardiff needed their main striker to hit double figures at a minimum last term and Campbell simply failed to deliver. For me, he is one of those players, and there are plenty of them about, who thrive in the second-tier, but who are just not quite of the quality required to make the step up.
Fri Jul 25, 2014 10:21 am
Spot on!
Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:30 pm
Great article. Spot on.
I rate Alfie, Guerra and Macheda all higher than Campbell.
Think all will do better in the Premier League than he did as well.
Sat Jul 26, 2014 12:29 am
worcester_ccfc wrote:Great article. Spot on.
I rate Alfie, Guerra and Macheda all higher than Campbell.
Think all will do better in the Premier League than he did as well.
If they were played on their own 30+ games up top chasing hopeless crap then I don't think they'd do much better.
Sympathy with Campbell here because he is not a lone striker.
Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:33 am
I agree with Terry. Whilst we all loved Campbell for his 100% work rate, he is no Premiership striker.
He was hardly prolific and I will be surprised if he hits double figures for Palace next year.