CARDIFF MUST SACK SLADE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD

CARDIFF MUST SACK SLADE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD

Russell-Slade faces the mediaStandard
By Sam Hardwell,



Twenty-four conceded from fifteen, one win on the road in seven and poor performances since taking charge. The pressure mounts on Cardiff boss Russell Slade as his Welsh side go into the second-half of the season with many fans calling for Slade’s resignation.

After Ole Gunnar Solskjaer failed to deliver to both fans and board, the Norwegian was sacked after a 1-0 home loss to Middlesbrough in September. The Cardiff faithful were quick to suggest who should replace the former Manchester United striker, with the name Tony Pulis being the trend in South Wales. Many eyebrows were raised when a source from inside the club mentioned the name Russell Slade.

Russell studied Sport at University, before becoming a P.E teacher at Frank Wheldon School. With no professional playing career to speak of he began his professional coaching career at Notts County as caretaker boss in 1994, gaining further experience at Armitage, Scarborough, Grimsby Town, Yeovil and Brighton. He made his name known to the Football League when given a chance to manage at League One outfit Leyton Orient in 2010 and eventually finished runners up in the 2014 Play-Off Final.

In his time at Orient, he never asked the chairman to pull out his chequebook in order to purchase a player. His approach was to scoop players on a free, with an eye for talent. Maybe this has become the problem with his current time at big spenders Cardiff City after being appointed manager on the 6th October 2014.

Russell himself knew he had to win over some fans and he admitted “Results on the pitch is how to do that.” and that’s exactly what he was doing with four home wins on the bounce. However, Cardiff’s woeful away record carrying on from the Premier League season was still an issue amongst the football club and were keeping the Welsh side down the league ladder.


Despite Russell’s great first month at the football club, performances were gritty but, come December, their luck seemed to run out with only five points from a possible twenty-one to date.

Where do Russell Slade’s problems lie?

Russell Slade seems to prefer an old school formation (not a pun referring to his P.E days) of 4-4-2, while most sides are attempting to emulate a Spanish style of football, or, if you prefer ‘tika-tacka’ which is best suited with an extra man in the midfield. The 4-4-2 system seems to be more of an approach in an attempt to lump the ball to the target striker and for others to play off him. Although, this can be difficult when playing an opposition with an extra man in the middle who can pick up the second balls and easily retain the ball to build from the back. This has been the problem for Russell’s Cardiff, making the away side look like the home side and not even to make the most of their own opportunities when given.

From a fans perspective, if it means Russell is to stay, it would seem something needs to change and that doesn’t mean simply changing a centre-back, which has often been done. The only way Russell looks like picking up any points on the road as well as at home is to alter the system. This matches the rest of the league and could work as a fire v. fire approach. It can be a risk changing philosophies midway through the season, but at this point, anything else is surely to be better, especially away from home?

Russell speaks of how proud he is of his teams improvement going into the second half, but a football match is for ninety minutes, not forty-five. This is proven when Russell’s men travelled up to Norwich on Saturday 17th January, the Bluebirds found themselves 3-0 down at half time, but were inspired after the interval to pull back two goals in as many minutes in what was a frustrating 3-2 defeat at Carrow Road.


The system played by Russell doesn’t even really seem to flourish, even when playing most of the match against ten men. When Reading made the journey to South Wales on the 21st November, Cardiff found themselves in what should have been cruise control with two goals to the good and facing ten men following Alex Pearce’s red card midway through the first half. From then on Cardiff were struggling with no creativity coming from anywhere and they handed Reading a lifeline at the end as James Hector pulled one back just before the end in what shouldn’t have been a tight 2-1 victory for the Bluebirds.


Again, it’s not healthy to struggle against a side who find themselves one man down, as this was yet again the case at The Valley with Charlton’s Callum Harriott shown red. But it seemed to yet again add pressure on Russell’s men, as a late goal from Berg Gudmundsson in the 88th minute prevented maximum points for the Bluebirds.

What can be done? Russell Slade’s Cardiff currently sit ten points behind the play-off positions with all of sixty points to play for… We’ve seen worse.

As much as I would like to see slade out ,I cant see it happening .
Lets remember this is Tans Man, and he if he was to sack him ,it wouldn't look good for Tan. He like to be seen to be right ,even when he knows he is wrong .
After given in to the Fans and returning to Blue , sacking Slade would show he was wrong yet again,and that would be just one step too Much. Of course unless it was his mother that really wanted slade as manager

Slade has gone on record as saying that he had a glut of players at his disposal when he arrived, and he needed a window.

Well, if he could not find a decent X1 out of that squad then he didn't deserve the job. There were players there with undoubted quality and proven at Li Liga and international level but he didn't want to know. He has jettisoned them without any chance of them proving themselves. I refer to eg Daehli, Beget, Burgstaller & Guerra.

In this window he has brought in a full back who got roasted at Norwich by Redmond, and a journeyman centre forward.

The team desperately needs a combative central midfielder and a pacy creative one to break up this woeful axis of Whittingham, Adeyami and Gunnarsson.

It needs a proven goalscorer to supplement Jones.

Slade should never have been appointed in the first place. Steve Clarke or Chris Hughton were out there but ignored.

Let's just see this terrible season out (great only for the return to blue), hopefully survive and get football people into the club to source a decent manager (and assistant) and a squad that can compete at this level.

Most of all let's see some football that we will enjoy.

Hand on heart when was the last time anyone saw a City display that was enjoyable to watch?

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Well said Danny.

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

That has been one of the main problems since the Malaysians came on board.
It shouldn't be up to the owner to find a manager. The club needs someone with football knowledge to advise the owner who to appoint.

Whoever recommended Slade and before him to Solskjaer to Tan knows nothing about football. Was it Dalman, a financial expert?

Hamman back in the day intermeddled with football affairs. It just does not work. Football is no different to any other business, and with so much money involved in football and at stake it is ludicrous and foolhardy to leave it to the whim of a man who knows nothing of the game.

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Thats what I also think Murphy boy! He'll just pick another clueless phony!

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Thats what I also think Murphy boy! He'll just pick another clueless phony!

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Thats what I also think Murphy boy! He'll just pick another clueless phony!

Maybe but it has to be worth a go and hope he gets lucky.

Other than Malky I cant think of many managers I wouldnt want here.

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Thats what I also think Murphy boy! He'll just pick another clueless phony!

Maybe but it has to be worth a go and hope he gets lucky.

Other than Malky I cant think of many managers I wouldnt want here.

Give it until the end of the season, if theres no improvement then have a change.

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Thats what I also think Murphy boy! He'll just pick another clueless phony!

Not necesaarily he did hire mackay who done well for us

Slade has gone on record as saying that he had a glut of players at his disposal when he arrived, and he needed a window.

Well, if he could not find a decent X1 out of that squad then he didn't deserve the job. There were players there with undoubted quality and proven at Li Liga and international level but he didn't want to know. He has jettisoned them without any chance of them proving themselves. I refer to eg Daehli, Beget, Burgstaller & Guerra.

In this window he has brought in a full back who got roasted at Norwich by Redmond, and a journeyman centre forward.

The team desperately needs a combative central midfielder and a pacy creative one to break up this woeful axis of Whittingham, Adeyami and Gunnarsson.

It needs a proven goalscorer to supplement Jones.

Slade should never have been appointed in the first place. Steve Clarke or Chris Hughton were out there but ignored.

Let's just see this terrible season out (great only for the return to blue), hopefully survive and get football people into the club to source a decent manager (and assistant) and a squad that can compete at this level.

Most of all let's see some football that we will enjoy.

Hand on heart when was the last time anyone saw a City display that was enjoyable to watch?

Are you me in disguise?

What people need to realise that if we sack Slade, Tan is not going to find a manager much better as he just f*cking clueless about football.

Thats what I also think Murphy boy! He'll just pick another clueless phony!

Not necesaarily he did hire mackay who done well for us

No, his fellow malaysian who was here first hired Malky, not Tan.

gaining further experience at ARMITAGE. Don't they make toilets