Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:48 am
Watford vs Cardiff City: Take a bow Russell Slade and Adam Le Fondre after first away win - Steve Tucker!
Our man Steve Tucker was at Vicarage Road to run the rule over Cardiff City during their first away win of the season at Watford. Now the dust has settled, Steve looks at the bigger picture.
Watford 0-1 Cardiff City
At the end of this frantic and deserved long-sought win on the road, Cardiff City boss Russell Slade stood before the travelling Bluebirds supporters packed behind the goal at Vicarage Road, removed his cap and bowed.
The roar from the Cardiff City faithful rattled the rafters and it was one of delight obviously that finally this season their side had emerged with all three points away from the Welsh capital thanks to Adam Le Fondre’s goal 12 minutes in.
But that cacophony was tinged with relief too, those fans had seen their team fight for their lives at times to preserve their slender lead, this was an epic rearguard action from Slade’s newly-tweaked back-line and when that defence faltered David Marshall was imperious and when he faltered the post was the Bluebirds’ friend. Twice!
But that gesture from Slade and that roar was about something else too, something relating to the new Cardiff boss himself. It was a cry of acceptance from the faithful, a welcoming into the Cardiff family, it was at its core a roar of respect for Slade.
Whatever may have transpired since, Malky Mackay was loved by supporters during his time with the Bluebirds, the Scot’s fist pump to the stands after a victory was a highlight of any encounter, a sign the Bluebirds were indeed on their way to the promised land.
Slade, a modest man who faces down inquiry with admirable equanimity, is not one for such drama, for such festering emotion, a simple doffing of the cap in acknowledgement is right up his alley.
There has been a lot of snobbery flying about at Cardiff since Slade was appointed back in early October. The sages and wise men all tutted and shook their heads.
‘How,’ they remarked, ‘is a man used to bossing the likes of Orient, Grimsby, Scarborough and Yeovil ever going to cope at Cardiff City?’
The irony that the Bluebirds themselves are hardly Real Madrid at this moment in time is clearly lost on some.
The idea the Bluebirds need to go for a ‘big name’ manager to match their perceived profile is clearly flawed anyway.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a big name in more ways than one and look what happened there.
To conjure up Mackay’s name again, he simply shuffled sideways from his first ever managerial job at Watford to take over at Cardiff and look where he ended up taking the club.
No, the time is coming when those who insist Slade is not of the right pedigree to pilot the Bluebirds are just going to have to eat their words.
The Bluebirds’ home record speaks for itself right now, perfection in terms of points on the board, now the ‘itch that could not be scratched’, Cardiff’s away form, has been addressed too.
A first three points on the road under Slade at Watford made it now an eye-watering 16 points from his eight games in charge. Top six form? No table-topping form.
Those who seek a stick to beat Slade have a varied arsenal. One topic which is often trotted out is that the Bluebirds boss is too rigid, too narrow in his views, it makes you wonder if these were the same people complaining when Solskjaer tore up his team-sheet week-in and week-out?
To answer that charge, at Watford, Slade went like a surgeon into his side. The cut was clean and precise, Federico Macheda trimmed, Kenwyne Jones transplanted. The move bold and the results near instantaneous, Jones bravely nodding on for Le Fondre to score that precious winner.
At the start of the season those in the know said the Championship is all about creating a unit, a battle hardened, tight-knit group of men. Slade comes in and does that and is vilified for it. You just cannot win sometimes it seems.
The other criticism of the new Cardiff manager is that his brand of football is unattractive and dull. Were these the same protesting when Mackay made history by leading the club to the top flight via the mundane?
Imagine you are a new manager at a club you win all four of your first home games and people go home and say, ‘OK, we won, but it didn’t look fantastic.’ Get real!
For the record, the Watford game was a thrill ride. It was exciting and passionate and displayed a lot of the good things about the Championship and the Bluebirds more than played their part.
The Hornets are no mugs, they might get through managers like most of us get through tissues, but they’ve got some class running through them. Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra up-front are as stern a test as any Championship club is going to throw at you and, as we say, the Bluebirds battled and held firm and came roaring forward when they could.
Anyway those so taxed by the quality of the football have surely to understand that Slade has only just started at Cardiff. We are talking about a man parachuted in, handed an unfamiliar squad which might be large, but which is cumbersome to the point of unwieldiness, one overstocked in some areas and lacking in others, and who is told to get on with it and, by the way, while your finding your feet you had better be winning games too.
Slade himself has identified the fact that his team could be more pleasant on the eye, he wants that extra dimension as much as anyone else. Cardiff City are a work in progress right now, but all the indications are Slade is moving things very much in the right direction.
The Bluebirds rocket is ready to ignite with captain Slade at the helm.
Get on or get off. It’s going to be a bumpy, and rather thrilling, ride.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... ke-8201689?
Our man Steve Tucker was at Vicarage Road to run the rule over Cardiff City during their first away win of the season at Watford. Now the dust has settled, Steve looks at the bigger picture.
Watford 0-1 Cardiff City
At the end of this frantic and deserved long-sought win on the road, Cardiff City boss Russell Slade stood before the travelling Bluebirds supporters packed behind the goal at Vicarage Road, removed his cap and bowed.
The roar from the Cardiff City faithful rattled the rafters and it was one of delight obviously that finally this season their side had emerged with all three points away from the Welsh capital thanks to Adam Le Fondre’s goal 12 minutes in.
But that cacophony was tinged with relief too, those fans had seen their team fight for their lives at times to preserve their slender lead, this was an epic rearguard action from Slade’s newly-tweaked back-line and when that defence faltered David Marshall was imperious and when he faltered the post was the Bluebirds’ friend. Twice!
But that gesture from Slade and that roar was about something else too, something relating to the new Cardiff boss himself. It was a cry of acceptance from the faithful, a welcoming into the Cardiff family, it was at its core a roar of respect for Slade.
Whatever may have transpired since, Malky Mackay was loved by supporters during his time with the Bluebirds, the Scot’s fist pump to the stands after a victory was a highlight of any encounter, a sign the Bluebirds were indeed on their way to the promised land.
Slade, a modest man who faces down inquiry with admirable equanimity, is not one for such drama, for such festering emotion, a simple doffing of the cap in acknowledgement is right up his alley.
There has been a lot of snobbery flying about at Cardiff since Slade was appointed back in early October. The sages and wise men all tutted and shook their heads.
‘How,’ they remarked, ‘is a man used to bossing the likes of Orient, Grimsby, Scarborough and Yeovil ever going to cope at Cardiff City?’
The irony that the Bluebirds themselves are hardly Real Madrid at this moment in time is clearly lost on some.
The idea the Bluebirds need to go for a ‘big name’ manager to match their perceived profile is clearly flawed anyway.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a big name in more ways than one and look what happened there.
To conjure up Mackay’s name again, he simply shuffled sideways from his first ever managerial job at Watford to take over at Cardiff and look where he ended up taking the club.
No, the time is coming when those who insist Slade is not of the right pedigree to pilot the Bluebirds are just going to have to eat their words.
The Bluebirds’ home record speaks for itself right now, perfection in terms of points on the board, now the ‘itch that could not be scratched’, Cardiff’s away form, has been addressed too.
A first three points on the road under Slade at Watford made it now an eye-watering 16 points from his eight games in charge. Top six form? No table-topping form.
Those who seek a stick to beat Slade have a varied arsenal. One topic which is often trotted out is that the Bluebirds boss is too rigid, too narrow in his views, it makes you wonder if these were the same people complaining when Solskjaer tore up his team-sheet week-in and week-out?
To answer that charge, at Watford, Slade went like a surgeon into his side. The cut was clean and precise, Federico Macheda trimmed, Kenwyne Jones transplanted. The move bold and the results near instantaneous, Jones bravely nodding on for Le Fondre to score that precious winner.
At the start of the season those in the know said the Championship is all about creating a unit, a battle hardened, tight-knit group of men. Slade comes in and does that and is vilified for it. You just cannot win sometimes it seems.
The other criticism of the new Cardiff manager is that his brand of football is unattractive and dull. Were these the same protesting when Mackay made history by leading the club to the top flight via the mundane?
Imagine you are a new manager at a club you win all four of your first home games and people go home and say, ‘OK, we won, but it didn’t look fantastic.’ Get real!
For the record, the Watford game was a thrill ride. It was exciting and passionate and displayed a lot of the good things about the Championship and the Bluebirds more than played their part.
The Hornets are no mugs, they might get through managers like most of us get through tissues, but they’ve got some class running through them. Troy Deeney and Matej Vydra up-front are as stern a test as any Championship club is going to throw at you and, as we say, the Bluebirds battled and held firm and came roaring forward when they could.
Anyway those so taxed by the quality of the football have surely to understand that Slade has only just started at Cardiff. We are talking about a man parachuted in, handed an unfamiliar squad which might be large, but which is cumbersome to the point of unwieldiness, one overstocked in some areas and lacking in others, and who is told to get on with it and, by the way, while your finding your feet you had better be winning games too.
Slade himself has identified the fact that his team could be more pleasant on the eye, he wants that extra dimension as much as anyone else. Cardiff City are a work in progress right now, but all the indications are Slade is moving things very much in the right direction.
The Bluebirds rocket is ready to ignite with captain Slade at the helm.
Get on or get off. It’s going to be a bumpy, and rather thrilling, ride.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... ke-8201689?
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:54 am
Overthemoon wrote:There has been a lot of snobbery flying about at Cardiff since Slade was appointed back in early October.
couldnt have put it better myself
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 12:21 pm
paulh_85 wrote:Overthemoon wrote:There has been a lot of snobbery flying about at Cardiff since Slade was appointed back in early October.
couldnt have put it better myself
Have to agree and I think this is probably Steve Tucker's best report!
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 1:53 pm
One win away. Maybe a bit early to jump through the roof? But I´ll have my trampoline ready in case there´ll be another one.
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 6:18 pm
Pretty accurate account tbh. And I feel RS is slowly putting his pictures together lets have some faith, 16 points from 24 deserves some credit and support 
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:31 pm
Have to say best article he has done in a long time! Steady progress is being made, I would love to see Rotherham put to the sword.
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 9:26 pm
gwentbluebirds wrote:Pretty accurate account tbh. And I feel RS is slowly putting his pictures together lets have some faith, 16 points from 24 deserves some credit and support
Especially as we seemed in a complete mess when he came, we didn't even know our best team and had no shape.
I have to say, it was a very difficult job, so far he has done extremely well.....
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:03 pm
As far as symbolic gestures go, Russell Slade trudging over to a tiny section at Vicarage Road to doff his cap to the travelling supporters following Cardiff City’s victory over Watford at the weekend seemed to provide an iconic moment of solidarity.
For this was not just any victory. No, this was a first away win since back in April, when the now overlooked Juan Cala fired the Bluebirds to an impressive triumph against Southampton to keep Premier League hopes lingering a little while longer. How times change.
Speaking of top flight aspirations, since being appointed as manager last month, Slade has taken Cardiff from nothing more than a mid-table side looking at possible back-to-back relegations (let’s not kid ourselves, things really were that bad at one stage), to a side within two points of the play-offs.
His biggest task, we were told by the man himself, was to get City’s underperforming group of individuals fitting fit and working as one. In order to do that, Slade found a group of 18 or so players from the off that he could put his complete faith in.
Since the victory over Nottingham Forest in his first game in charge, the inexperienced Championship gaffer has averaged two points a game with eight matches ticked off under his tenure. Forget play-off form, this is a run of results more accustomed to a side fighting for automatic promotion.
http://www.shoot.co.uk/category/team/sl ... he-credit/
For this was not just any victory. No, this was a first away win since back in April, when the now overlooked Juan Cala fired the Bluebirds to an impressive triumph against Southampton to keep Premier League hopes lingering a little while longer. How times change.
Speaking of top flight aspirations, since being appointed as manager last month, Slade has taken Cardiff from nothing more than a mid-table side looking at possible back-to-back relegations (let’s not kid ourselves, things really were that bad at one stage), to a side within two points of the play-offs.
His biggest task, we were told by the man himself, was to get City’s underperforming group of individuals fitting fit and working as one. In order to do that, Slade found a group of 18 or so players from the off that he could put his complete faith in.
Since the victory over Nottingham Forest in his first game in charge, the inexperienced Championship gaffer has averaged two points a game with eight matches ticked off under his tenure. Forget play-off form, this is a run of results more accustomed to a side fighting for automatic promotion.
http://www.shoot.co.uk/category/team/sl ... he-credit/
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:39 pm
Still early days MR Slade
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Tue Dec 02, 2014 12:55 am
Dve wrote:One win away. Maybe a bit early to jump through the roof? But I´ll have my trampoline ready in case there´ll be another one.
Ibby wrote:Still early days MR Slade
None of the positive brigade are getting carried away here boys, as we all know it's early days, it's just that a lot of us were prepared to give him a chance, unlike some, who were writing him off before his tenure had even started!
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:54 pm
TopCat CCFC wrote:As far as symbolic gestures go, Russell Slade trudging over to a tiny section at Vicarage Road to doff his cap to the travelling supporters following Cardiff City’s victory over Watford at the weekend seemed to provide an iconic moment of solidarity.
For this was not just any victory. No, this was a first away win since back in April, when the now overlooked Juan Cala fired the Bluebirds to an impressive triumph against Southampton to keep Premier League hopes lingering a little while longer. How times change.
Speaking of top flight aspirations, since being appointed as manager last month, Slade has taken Cardiff from nothing more than a mid-table side looking at possible back-to-back relegations (let’s not kid ourselves, things really were that bad at one stage), to a side within two points of the play-offs.
His biggest task, we were told by the man himself, was to get City’s underperforming group of individuals fitting fit and working as one. In order to do that, Slade found a group of 18 or so players from the off that he could put his complete faith in.
Since the victory over Nottingham Forest in his first game in charge, the inexperienced Championship gaffer has averaged two points a game with eight matches ticked off under his tenure. Forget play-off form, this is a run of results more accustomed to a side fighting for automatic promotion.
http://www.shoot.co.uk/category/team/sl ... he-credit/
A very good read that and bang on the money
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:55 pm
Overthemoon wrote:Dve wrote:One win away. Maybe a bit early to jump through the roof? But I´ll have my trampoline ready in case there´ll be another one.Ibby wrote:Still early days MR Slade
None of the positive brigade are getting carried away here boys, as we all know it's early days, it's just that a lot of us were prepared to give him a chance, unlike some, who were writing him off before his tenure had even started!
With you all the way on that one
Re: Take a bow Russell Slade and ALF after first away win!
Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:05 pm
Overthemoon wrote:Dve wrote:One win away. Maybe a bit early to jump through the roof? But I´ll have my trampoline ready in case there´ll be another one.Ibby wrote:Still early days MR Slade
None of the positive brigade are getting carried away here boys, as we all know it's early days, it's just that a lot of us were prepared to give him a chance, unlike some, who were writing him off before his tenure had even started!
