Thu Oct 09, 2014 6:29 pm
" New Cardiff City manager Russell Slade focuses on fitness to bring squad up to speed "
Thurs Oct 09, 2014
By Steve Tucker
Slade was appointed as the new Bluesbirds boss this week and has already made his players undergo double training sessions
No-nonsense new Cardiff City boss Russell Slade has started as he means to go on by making his men pull double shifts after identifying a lack of fitness in his squad.
The 53-year-old has only been in the Welsh capital a matter of days, but has already started pinpointing the reasons why the Bluebirds have had such a lacklustre start to their Championship campaign.
With the international break upon us, Cardiff currently sit 15th in the table after 11 games, not far off a quarter of the season, played. Slade’s boys are six points off the play-off places, the new manager’s self-confessed target, and eight points off the automatic places.
It is the side currently in second-place who will provide the former Orient manager’s first test when Nottingham Forest visit the Welsh capital on October 18 for what should prove a stern test for the hosts.
Slade is already relishing going into battle against the side he supported as a kid, but if his players are to compete he knows fitness levels are going to have to be improved throughout the Bluebirds camp.
“For one reason or another we do feel there are a few which need to get up to speed when it comes to fitness. We’ve worked very hard on that so far,” said Slade who has replaced Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the capital club.
“We’ve done a lot of work too on structure in terms of the way we want to play and game plan as well going forward. There’s talent here, individual talent, but right now I don’t see that coming together enough as a team. They are crying out for help and I am trying to give that.
“I’m settling in OK. It’s been a full-on few days since I took charge. It’s been morning and afternoon, but it’s given me a great opportunity to see the players here. We’ve got eight away on international duty and we’ve had a nice group of 20 to work with day in and day out. I feel it’s been good.
“We’ve looked at their individual jobs and their collective jobs. They are quite a quiet group so we are trying to encourage plenty of communication and organisation. I think already we are starting to see the benefits.
“We’ve played an 11 against 11 game which was good for us because sometimes when you organise an in-house game it does not give you what you really need.
"But we had a referee and it was important for me to see all 20 players in a full-size game. I’ve had some real insight into all the players. I've seen how they’ve responded to a new manager coming in and from my point of view the work ethic and the attitude has been very positive.”
As well as fitness levels, Slade admitted he was looking at lifting confidence within the club too and also seeking to make his players take more responsibility for decisions on the pitch.
The Bluebirds boss added: “Confidence may have been an issue. I feel they need a bit of leadership and that leadership needs to come from me and my staff, but also from within the group itself.
"As they get used to what I require from them on the pitch and the training ground they have to take some responsibility for the decisions being made during games.”
As he prepares his troops for their return to Championship action, one thing Slade is not short of is players themselves. He has inherited a massive squad and one of his toughest tasks will be finding his best side and sticking with it. The new Cardiff boss knows he is going to have to disappoint some of his men and he is already preparing to separate those who will play a big part this campaign from those who might not.
And Slade has challenged all of his players to make sure they are on the right side of the line when those tough choices are made.
“It is a difficult number to work with, if they are all fit we have 31 and we have seven out on loan,” admitted Slade.
“The ideal number is about 20 or 22 with your goalkeepers. When everyone is back we are going to break them up into separate groups and it is important from the players’ point of view that they step up to the plate and make sure they are in the right group when they go out to train in the morning.”