" CARDIFF CITY FANS I'M SORRY "

Slade says "I'm sorry"

Cardiff City boss Russell Slade issues apology to fans after calamitous first-half performance against Brentford


Sunday 21/12/14

By Terry Phillips


Despite Cardiff launching something of a comeback to narrow the deficit, Slade reached out to disgruntled fans with an apology



Cardiff City boss Russell Slade issued an apology to fans after a disastrous first-half showing saw some supporters walk out on their team before half-time in the 3-2 defeat against Brentford.

Bluebirds fans could barely believe what was unfolding in front of them as Slade's hapless side found themselves 3-0 down after just 33 minutes.

And despite Cardiff launching something of a comeback to narrow the deficit, Slade reached out to disgruntled fans with an apology.

“I can only apologise for our first-half performance. I am as frustrated as every fan. We got ourselves into a situation which isn’t helping anybody," he said.

"I am frustrated by the lack of consistency. “It’s annoying. At Bournemouth we gave ourselves an awful mountain to climb and it was similar here.

Goals from Craig Noone and Kenwyne Jones added an air of respectability to the final outcome but it was all too little too late after Alex Pritchard, Andre Gray and Spanish playmaker Jota had already secured an unassailable lead for the visitors.

Slade, however, did praise his side for refusing to completely crumble.

“There is a need to care for 90 minutes. We had a good second-half, but we were already 3-0 down. We created chances, but we need everybody caring and showing they want to do their best for each other.

“There were two ways to go at half-time after we were knocked down and on one knee. We needed a response, we had to get up fighting. The players did that and they are the type of people you want in your changing room, the type of people I want around me.

“That is important."



Slade once again suggested the root of his side's troubles lay in the past, insisting he took over a team with no confidence or game plan following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's doomed regime.

“I picked the team up when Cardiff were 17th in the table and the players were drained of confidence. There were all sorts of issues, game plan issues and we are trying to fix that. Along the journey there are going to be sideways steps before we go on and attempt to progress again.

“Teams like Brentford and Bournemouth have been together for a long time. I know eight of the Brentford players have been together for a long time. Mark Warburton (Brentford manager) has built on that and their players know what each other are doing and know each other's play inside out.

“I don’t think we do yet. There are times that we do when we are on it, but it’s not as consistent as Brentford and Bournemouth are. We are not doing it consistently and not for 90 minutes.

“That comes when a group of players have been together for some time.”

Cardiff remain 11th in the Championship table but are now eight points adrift of the players heading into the festive fixtures, which begin with an away trip to Charlton on Boxing Day.

How long can he blame the inheritance of a squad short of fitness and confidence. Look in the mirror and you will see a Team of your selection massively underachieving and playing sterile boring antiquated foootball.

It's all well and good to apologise, but he didn't do anything about being overun in midfield until we were 3nil down. WHY does he pick that donkey Macheda, he is the worst striker iv'e seen in a City shirt for many years. Gunnerson needs to be dropped and he should stick with Jones upfront on his own a lone striker. Lefondre needs to be dropped too, he's had enough chances to be on 10 goals this season....

Most of that team have been together a 'long time'

In fairness to Slade he has managed to get something to of the team in his short time here than Ole has done. Also take into account none of these lot are his players. At least we are not in a relegation battle which was looking likely under Ole

However I do sense that Slade is nothing but a fall guy for Tans ambitions. I just feel he is being used to get everything the way Tan wants things.

It was a nightmare first half the worst I've Sen in a long time .at least kadeem Harris livend things up in the second half

How long can he blame the inheritance of a squad short of fitness and confidence. Look in the mirror and you will see a Team of your selection massively underachieving and playing sterile boring antiquated foootball.

Spot on.

How long do you go on blaming others,he is the manager and its down to him to manage and there are enough players to choose from

How long can he blame the inheritance of a squad short of fitness and confidence. Look in the mirror and you will see a Team of your selection massively underachieving and playing sterile boring antiquated foootball.

Spot on.

How long do you go on blaming others,he is the manager and its down to him to manage and there are enough players to choose from

Couldn't agree more.

Did you notice how Alex Pritchard ran the show in the first half?
He reminded me so much of Daehli in his looks, stature & his play. This is one of the things we are missing - Daehli buzzing about in an attacking midfield role.
Daehli not even on the bench.
Slade is tactically inept.

How long can he blame the inheritance of a squad short of fitness and confidence. Look in the mirror and you will see a Team of your selection massively underachieving and playing sterile boring antiquated foootball.

Spot on.

How long do you go on blaming others,he is the manager and its down to him to manage and there are enough players to choose from

Couldn't agree more.

Did you notice how Alex Pritchard ran the show in the first half?
He reminded me so much of Daehli in his looks, stature & his play. This is one of the things we are missing - Daehli buzzing about in an attacking midfield role.
Daehli not even on the bench.
Slade is tactically inept.

Pritchard run the first half, a free role where he scored the first and then trebled up on fabio with Jota and the full back and Jota cut inside and scored. Finding little pockets of space and ripping our defence apart. Similar to what Dhaeli or Ravel when he was here should have been doing

How long can he blame the inheritance of a squad short of fitness and confidence. Look in the mirror and you will see a Team of your selection massively underachieving and playing sterile boring antiquated foootball.

Spot on.

How long do you go on blaming others,he is the manager and its down to him to manage and there are enough players to choose from

Couldn't agree more.

Did you notice how Alex Pritchard ran the show in the first half?
He reminded me so much of Daehli in his looks, stature & his play. This is one of the things we are missing - Daehli buzzing about in an attacking midfield role.
Daehli not even on the bench.
Slade is tactically inept.

Pritchard run the first half, a free role where he scored the first and then trebled up on fabio with Jota and the full back and Jota cut inside and scored. Finding little pockets of space and ripping our defence apart. Similar to what Dhaeli or Ravel when he was here should have been doing

Exactly & that's my point but Slade cannot even see that.
He hasn't given him a chance except out on the wing. Ridiculous that he can't see it & refuses to use the talent in front of his own eyes.

How long can he blame the inheritance of a squad short of fitness and confidence. Look in the mirror and you will see a Team of your selection massively underachieving and playing sterile boring antiquated foootball.

Spot on.

How long do you go on blaming others,he is the manager and its down to him to manage and there are enough players to choose from

Exactly plenty of players to choose from after 20 minutes u could see we needed 5 in midfield ademyi on bench drop in. Inherited players like macheda who was poor yet no guerra on bench to be given a chance under slade

We do not need you to say sorry Mr slade.Just grow some and start dropping useless lazy players out of the first team.You can start with that lazy git Macheda.

Slade has inherited a huge squad of players who are all better than anything he had at Orient. Why is he whining that these are not his players? If David Jones had been given half the backing, we'd have been in the PL years ago.

Just shut up and get on with it I say!

Don't be sorry Slade just sort out the team selection, tactics and your coaching staff. All of which are very poor at the moment. You have better players who do not get picked than you have in your repetative team selections. Sort it out or get out!!!

Not his players. Judge him after the transfer window.

He needs to look at his self, been there long enough to be able to make the changes, but he's getting them wrong and can no longer look for excuses......Poor selection of manager in the first place by Tan and his advisor Glen Roeder !

f**k off Slade