' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 10:37 am
Friday 26th December 2014
By Terry Phillips
Peter Whittingham Q&A: Bluebirds star opens up on his Cardiff City career, his style of play and what the future holds
Cardiff City's longest serving player admits there is pressure on the players at the moment, but insists there always has been
Peter Whittingham will complete eight years as a Bluebirds player over the weekend of their first Championship fixture in 2015, a home match against Fulham on January 10th.
He is City's longest serving player, having made 344 appearances for the first-team, scoring 84 goals, and is under contract until the end of the 2016/17 season.
The 30-year-old former Aston Villa, Burnley and Derby midfielder looks at his contribution since 2007, his style of play and takes a peek into the new year.
Question: You have had vastly different experiences during your time with Cardiff City including four Wembley appearances in the FA Cup, League Cup and play-off final plus promotion to the Premier League and relegation back to the Championship. Do you feel City can achieve success again during the remaining two years of your contract?
Peter Whittingham: There have been lots of highs and lows over the last eight years. For the vast majority of my time with this club I have enjoyed myself.
When I first signed in 2005 I said my aim was to help Cardiff get to the Premier League and we did that.
That experience at the top level didn’t last long enough, though, and our aim must be to go back up. I want to play at Premier level again.
We have every incentive to go again, but we also know and understand we have to play better as a team and get the results needed.
The positive news is that we are still in the challenging group. It’s not that we are bottom three or four. A couple of wins will send us right back up there and that has to be our target.
Q: You are Cardiff’s longest-serving player. West Brom, Fulham, West Ham and Norwich among the clubs linked with bids to sign you, but you have stayed with the Bluebirds. Where you tempted to move on?
PW: I’m really happy playing for Cardiff City. Other players have moved on, but the grass isn’t always greener. Boys leave thinking it might go better, but that doesn’t always materialise. I’m glad I stayed with Cardiff. There have been more highs than lows overall.
Q: Do you want to finish your playing career with Cardiff City?
PW: I love playing for this club, but it’s also true that things can change quickly. I might want to stay at the end of my contract, but the manager may want somebody else at that stage.
It’s not up to the player and things can change so fast.
Q: The fans have been through difficult times following Cardiff City. What are your thoughts?
PW: I feel for them when things don’t go as well as they would like on the pitch. It has been hard at times in other respects when the owner changed things because he felt that was best for the club. We don’t know the ins and outs and it’s nothing to do with players. Our role is on the pitch and training ground. There isn’t a lot else we can change.
Q: You have built a reputation as a player who is top quality with set-piece deliveries and the fans have taken to you over the years. What are your thoughts?
PW: I’ve never had pace, so that’s not an issue. Overall, I like to think Cardiff fans have accepted me. I give everything I have in every game, although I accept that with my playing style it doesn’t always look that way on the pitch. Just because I don’t go around slide tackling opposition players from 15 yards away doesn’t mean I am not totally committed.
I care about Cardiff City and I want our team to be successful. That is incredibly important to me. There is never a time when I don’t do my best for the team.
Q: What are your thoughts on Championship football?
PW: The style of football has changed a fair bit since we were last in it. A lot of teams are trying to pass. We went up to the Premier League for a season the change in thinking was clear.
A couple of years ago teams might have sat in and soaked it up at Cardiff City Stadium, but an awful lot of teams are trying to play good football now.
A lot more are going that way and it’s a lot different. Two years ago teams would launch the ball at us. Now they look for a flowing move.
Championship football has always been hard and it still is, but there are different challenges now.
We need to pass the ball better than we have been. In certain areas we do that, but we have to be better at beating the first press and we haven’t done that enough lately.
Results haven’t gone for us lately, but a couple of wins will make the situation look a lot better. That’s what we are working towards every day at the training ground.
Q: Is there pressure around the players at Cardiff City?
PW: There has always been pressure. That is the case for everybody whether you are starting, among the subs or not in the matchday squad.
There is an awful lot of quality at this club and there is pressure on everybody to perform, whether that’s in training because you want to break into the team or stay there. Then if you do get into the team there is a pressure to play well enough to stay there.
We all know there is a need for improvement and everybody is working hard every day to achieve that.
By Terry Phillips
Peter Whittingham Q&A: Bluebirds star opens up on his Cardiff City career, his style of play and what the future holds
Cardiff City's longest serving player admits there is pressure on the players at the moment, but insists there always has been
Peter Whittingham will complete eight years as a Bluebirds player over the weekend of their first Championship fixture in 2015, a home match against Fulham on January 10th.
He is City's longest serving player, having made 344 appearances for the first-team, scoring 84 goals, and is under contract until the end of the 2016/17 season.
The 30-year-old former Aston Villa, Burnley and Derby midfielder looks at his contribution since 2007, his style of play and takes a peek into the new year.
Question: You have had vastly different experiences during your time with Cardiff City including four Wembley appearances in the FA Cup, League Cup and play-off final plus promotion to the Premier League and relegation back to the Championship. Do you feel City can achieve success again during the remaining two years of your contract?
Peter Whittingham: There have been lots of highs and lows over the last eight years. For the vast majority of my time with this club I have enjoyed myself.
When I first signed in 2005 I said my aim was to help Cardiff get to the Premier League and we did that.
That experience at the top level didn’t last long enough, though, and our aim must be to go back up. I want to play at Premier level again.
We have every incentive to go again, but we also know and understand we have to play better as a team and get the results needed.
The positive news is that we are still in the challenging group. It’s not that we are bottom three or four. A couple of wins will send us right back up there and that has to be our target.
Q: You are Cardiff’s longest-serving player. West Brom, Fulham, West Ham and Norwich among the clubs linked with bids to sign you, but you have stayed with the Bluebirds. Where you tempted to move on?
PW: I’m really happy playing for Cardiff City. Other players have moved on, but the grass isn’t always greener. Boys leave thinking it might go better, but that doesn’t always materialise. I’m glad I stayed with Cardiff. There have been more highs than lows overall.
Q: Do you want to finish your playing career with Cardiff City?
PW: I love playing for this club, but it’s also true that things can change quickly. I might want to stay at the end of my contract, but the manager may want somebody else at that stage.
It’s not up to the player and things can change so fast.
Q: The fans have been through difficult times following Cardiff City. What are your thoughts?
PW: I feel for them when things don’t go as well as they would like on the pitch. It has been hard at times in other respects when the owner changed things because he felt that was best for the club. We don’t know the ins and outs and it’s nothing to do with players. Our role is on the pitch and training ground. There isn’t a lot else we can change.
Q: You have built a reputation as a player who is top quality with set-piece deliveries and the fans have taken to you over the years. What are your thoughts?
PW: I’ve never had pace, so that’s not an issue. Overall, I like to think Cardiff fans have accepted me. I give everything I have in every game, although I accept that with my playing style it doesn’t always look that way on the pitch. Just because I don’t go around slide tackling opposition players from 15 yards away doesn’t mean I am not totally committed.
I care about Cardiff City and I want our team to be successful. That is incredibly important to me. There is never a time when I don’t do my best for the team.
Q: What are your thoughts on Championship football?
PW: The style of football has changed a fair bit since we were last in it. A lot of teams are trying to pass. We went up to the Premier League for a season the change in thinking was clear.
A couple of years ago teams might have sat in and soaked it up at Cardiff City Stadium, but an awful lot of teams are trying to play good football now.
A lot more are going that way and it’s a lot different. Two years ago teams would launch the ball at us. Now they look for a flowing move.
Championship football has always been hard and it still is, but there are different challenges now.
We need to pass the ball better than we have been. In certain areas we do that, but we have to be better at beating the first press and we haven’t done that enough lately.
Results haven’t gone for us lately, but a couple of wins will make the situation look a lot better. That’s what we are working towards every day at the training ground.
Q: Is there pressure around the players at Cardiff City?
PW: There has always been pressure. That is the case for everybody whether you are starting, among the subs or not in the matchday squad.
There is an awful lot of quality at this club and there is pressure on everybody to perform, whether that’s in training because you want to break into the team or stay there. Then if you do get into the team there is a pressure to play well enough to stay there.
We all know there is a need for improvement and everybody is working hard every day to achieve that.
Re: ' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:14 am
Excellent footballer with great skill. I'd hate to see him play for another club to be honest. But he's so frustrating. He's easily beaten in midfield. I don't agree with where he says about his style of play, every player has to be committed and give 100% in a tackle whether u r the hard man or the flair player. In fairness our fans used to accept hard work if u didn't have skill, Steve Thompson is a great example. But those times are gone now, people like Le fondre who give everything for the cause and that includes other people's running and doesn't get to play his roll as he likes, he gets slaughtered by fans. Merry Christmas to everyone by the way. Bluebirds!!
Re: ' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:19 am
Pontypool_Bluebird wrote:Excellent footballer with great skill. I'd hate to see him play for another club to be honest. But he's so frustrating. He's easily beaten in midfield. I don't agree with where he says about his style of play, every player has to be committed and give 100% in a tackle whether u r the hard man or the flair player. In fairness our fans used to accept hard work if u didn't have skill, Steve Thompson is a great example. But those times are gone now, people like Le fondre who give everything for the cause and that includes other people's running and doesn't get to play his roll as he likes, he gets slaughtered by fans. Merry Christmas to everyone by the way. Bluebirds!!
time to go, time to go...................................................
great servant, well past his sell by date for what we require.
Le Fondre being slaughtered, for not scoring, nothing else!
If he played the last half an hour like he did for Reading 75% of the time, scoring willy nilly and vice-versa (!), maybe he'd stand a chance - but our manager and coaches are so fecking thick they are bordering on being as stubborn as Jones the Moans.
Still, here's hoping they all get sacked soon!
Re: ' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:28 am
Quality Player great servant but some of our fans are dickheads who have no clue and give him grief 
Re: ' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 11:43 am
Gaffer wrote:Quality Player great servant but some of our fans are dickheads who have no clue and give him grief
no point giving nay player grief, they are only as good as they are and told to play - mostly incorrectly.
I bet Whittingham becoems a very good coach, and in the premiership, he's just got an eye for creativity - and just gets on with his job.
Maybe that's his way forward with the club in the next few seasons?
Re: ' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 12:20 pm
look, he admits his limitations physically but I believe him 100% he gives his best every-time he goes onto the pitch. Whitts is a great player 
Re: ' Peter Whittingham "There is pressure" '
Fri Dec 26, 2014 12:40 pm
arri potta wrote:Pontypool_Bluebird wrote:Excellent footballer with great skill. I'd hate to see him play for another club to be honest. But he's so frustrating. He's easily beaten in midfield. I don't agree with where he says about his style of play, every player has to be committed and give 100% in a tackle whether u r the hard man or the flair player. In fairness our fans used to accept hard work if u didn't have skill, Steve Thompson is a great example. But those times are gone now, people like Le fondre who give everything for the cause and that includes other people's running and doesn't get to play his roll as he likes, he gets slaughtered by fans. Merry Christmas to everyone by the way. Bluebirds!!
time to go, time to go...................................................
great servant, well past his sell by date for what we require.
Le Fondre being slaughtered, for not scoring, nothing else!
If he played the last half an hour like he did for Reading 75% of the time, scoring willy nilly and vice-versa (!), maybe he'd stand a chance - but our manager and coaches are so fecking thick they are bordering on being as stubborn as Jones the Moans.
Still, here's hoping they all get sacked soon!
I don't think the lack of goals is all his fault. Obviously I can't say anything about a couple of sitters he's missed (in fairness against Brentford he slipped) but he doesn't have that many balls whipped in right in front of the keeper. He's a poacher. Also, I don't know if you'll agree, but I believe u still have to stick with these players sometimes as we need to see him through. He won't get his confidence back whilst sitting on the bench.