" WHO IS TO BLAME? & IS RUSSELL SLADE? "

" WHO IS TO BLAME? & IS RUSSELL SLADE THE RIGHT MANAGER? "

7th April 2015

By Terry Phillips

Cardiff defenders made Bolton's Craig Davies look a top class striker. He isn’t, but he loved it.


Russell Slade admits he didn't see rout coming.

The Bluebirds were toothless in attack.

An ordinary Bolton have now 6 against Cardiff in 2 matches,Cardiff scoring 0



" Who must do better? "

Manager Russell Slade, his coaching staff and every player. They must all improve.

Where was the fight, the tenacity and defiance?

Bolton went ahead and Cardiff seemed to accept they would lose. The players simply didn’t seem ready for a fight to the bitter end.

There are five matches left and Slade’s men have to produce far better performances. The way they surrendered to Bolton is simply unacceptable.




" Another cause for concern "

Kenwyne Jones was sent to Bournemouth, while Alex Revell and Federico Macheda have suffered injuries, That has left Slade trying to find a combination in attack which will work.

Doyle and McAleny didn’t convince me at Reading, while Mason and Doyle struggled together after Revell went off.

Then Harris was given the chance to support Mason, who is only just back after injury.

Bolton weren’t great, but they had an attacking trio of Davies, Emile Heskey and Gudjohnsen.

Heskey set up the first for Gudjohnsen, while Davies scored two and could have had four.




" What is the problem? "

There is an end of season feel already. Five fixtures left and there is nothing to play for except pride.

Slade wants a top 10 finish, but do the players want that enough?

They must provide the answer over the rest of this season.





" Is Slade the right manager? "

It’s not fair to judge Slade now. I can’t imagine a tougher job than carving £12m off the wage bill while keeping a team competitive.

He achieved the task given to him by Vincent Tan and then had Kenwyne Jones, his top scorer, taken off him as well and sent to Bournemouth.

Okay, City received a major loan fee with the promise of more if the Cherries are promoted, while they are paying all of his wages.

It was a business decision, but that doesn’t help Slade.


Injuries to Revell and Macheda have taken two more big strikers out of his squad and they are struggling to find an effective partnership.

I don’t know if Slade is the right man for the job, but he is a highly experienced manager and is developing a partnership with Paul Trollope and Scott Young.

It looked a gamble when Slade was appointed and things haven’t gone well, but he took over a poor situation and must be given more time to show what he can do.

City fans chanted Slade out yesterday

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IMO it's the players end of

At the end if the day,the Manager is to blame and that's RUSSELL SLADE.
He choses his team,tactics,trains them and makes the final decisions.
If a player is doing bad,you bring him off etc.
SLADES football is dire,a fact.
The boss should take the blame as he decides how a match us played and who plays.

I was always told; "There's no such thing as a bad Company, It's the people who manage it that make it Bad"???

In all matters regarding any Business, including a professional football club, you first look too the Top of the hierarchy, & work down. That's where the problems start from!

I was always told; "There's no such thing as a bad Company, It's the people who manage it that make it Bad"???

In all matters regarding any Business, including a professional football club, you first look too the Top of the hierarchy, & work down. That's where the problems start from!

correct....it does seem like cardiff city is not a good place to work and that is whether you make the tea,sell shirts ,play football or manage the team. Its seems that a real negative attitude throughout..

As I mentioned yesterday, we should look at Norwich as a good example to the situation we are in... They gave a manager an opportunity and found themselves in poor form, down bottom half of table, the manager held his hand up and said he was clearly out of his depth at the levels in the championship and for the best he would step down!

Norwich brought in a new manager, around 40 pts from last 50 available! Norwich came down with us and have not gone through the same cost cutting as us! They also continue to sell out week in week out!

It proves that it is the manager! The championship is a tough league but there is quality in it.... League 1 & 2 tactics and set ups are not going to work at this level! We get found out far too easily and when championship managers make changes we cannot cope and don't have a clue how to respond! We need a proven experienced manager who has worked at a decent level and knows how to get the best from a team! We also have no stability and I still don't think slade knows who his best xi still is!

IMO it's the players end of

Yeh the wrong players slade has been selecting so ultimately the clueless managers fault

At the end if the day,the Manager is to blame and that's RUSSELL SLADE.
He choses his team,tactics,trains them and makes the final decisions.
If a player is doing bad,you bring him off etc.
SLADES football is dire,a fact.
The boss should take the blame as he decides how a match us played and who plays.

Correct Annis! We still have some wonderful players in our squad who have won the title at this level, got premier league experience or are established internationals. While these players have a track record of success Slade has none in his 20 years experience as a manager. What's more likely, a group of good players at this level suddenly not being good enough, or a manager who has achieved nothing in 20 years being out of his depth?

As I mentioned yesterday, we should look at Norwich as a good example to the situation we are in... They gave a manager an opportunity and found themselves in poor form, down bottom half of table, the manager held his hand up and said he was clearly out of his depth at the levels in the championship and for the best he would step down!

Norwich brought in a new manager, around 40 pts from last 50 available! Norwich came down with us and have not gone through the same cost cutting as us! They also continue to sell out week in week out!

It proves that it is the manager! The championship is a tough league but there is quality in it.... League 1 & 2 tactics and set ups are not going to work at this level! We get found out far too easily and when championship managers make changes we cannot cope and don't have a clue how to respond! We need a proven experienced manager who has worked at a decent level and knows how to get the best from a team! We also have no stability and I still don't think slade knows who his best xi still is!

But norwich got in a manager with less experience than Slade, in fact don't believe he was ever a manager just assistant in Scotland hardly better than 1st div standard! But its worked did help he had basically same team all season, bit different from Slade's situation?

At the end if the day,the Manager is to blame and that's RUSSELL SLADE.
He choses his team,tactics,trains them and makes the final decisions.
If a player is doing bad,you bring him off etc.
SLADES football is dire,a fact.
The boss should take the blame as he decides how a match us played and who plays.

Correct Annis! We still have some wonderful players in our squad who have won the title at this level, got premier league experience or are established internationals. While these players have a track record of success Slade has none in his 20 years experience as a manager. What's more likely, a group of good players at this level suddenly not being good enough, or a manager who has achieved nothing in 20 years being out of his depth?

Spot on..... I'm a manager and have worked with my company for 18 years! I know the business inside out and am succesful at my level! Put me in charge of the company and I wouldn't have a clue......

He has no proven track record at this level, nobody has ever taken a punt on him before and there's a reason for it! I really do question our recruitment Process recently!

At the end if the day,the Manager is to blame and that's RUSSELL SLADE.
He choses his team,tactics,trains them and makes the final decisions.
If a player is doing bad,you bring him off etc.
SLADES football is dire,a fact.
The boss should take the blame as he decides how a match us played and who plays.

Correct Annis! We still have some wonderful players in our squad who have won the title at this level, got premier league experience or are established internationals. While these players have a track record of success Slade has none in his 20 years experience as a manager. What's more likely, a group of good players at this level suddenly not being good enough, or a manager who has achieved nothing in 20 years being out of his depth?

Spot on..... I'm a manager and have worked with my company for 18 years! I know the business inside out and am succesful at my level! Put me in charge of the company and I wouldn't have a clue......

He has no proven track record at this level, nobody has ever taken a punt on him before and there's a reason for it! I really do question our recruitment Process recently!

Spot on.... It's the formers inner team that feel a change in management the most. The were used to the old ways especially if they were successful and can smell indecision or inexperience in the new guy pretty quickly and make their minds up and lose faith in him and yearn for the old days.

As a new guy you have two options; 1- win them over or 2 move them out.

Marshall, Whitts, Gunna, Turner & Noone were fundamental in pissing this league 24 months ago. They know a dud when they see one. Everyone of those except Whitts will be easy to move on........For all the moaning that's one hell of a nucleus to lose !!!!! Do you trust him to replace them.....Nor me

In my opinion the blame lies with whoever made the "Business" decision to loan out our top goalscorer this close to the end of the season. With Revel, Macheda and Maynard ALL injured it left the squad without any cover in a pivotal position within the team.

Revel was clearly not fit yesterday as he only managed 30 odd minutes before he had to go off, ask yourself when was the last time our squad had no alternative available for the central striker position Bothroyd in the playoff final is the best example I can think of. But back then we were facing one winding up petition after another from HMRC and the manager, Dave Jones, was doing his best operating under a transfer embargo.

In my opinion it is difficult to argue that the "Cost Cutting" being carried out by VT has taken the squad beyond the tipping point where it can remain competitive, and there is only one person to blame and that is VT. In life you reap what you sow and VT is getting exactly what he deserves with the level of ST sales and I hope he is feeling happy with the loan fee he is getting for Kenwynne Jones.

As regards Slade if he had anything about him the moment VT took the "business" decision to loan KJ out he should have resigned and said thanks but no thanks. He didn't and as a result VT owns him along with any and every decision regarding the team.

A sorry state of affairs that will only be resolved by a new owner or owners clearing the decks and clearing out the manager, VT backroom team that have been inflicted on the manager and I'm sorry to say the majority of the squad who have been damaged beyond repair.

Vincent Tan is to blame, he owns the club and ultimately responsible to employ the right people in the right positions to make it successful.

He is responsible for giving fans value for money, rewarding loyal fans, and promoting the club to it's catchment area. I can't remember any kids free matches when there is a 35k stadium to fill.

All we get is arrogance and disrespect. Mugging fans off by cost cutting and not offering the fans a discount for next season is in my opinion a disgrace.

Vincent Tan is a failure, for me is to blame entirely

One man to blame and its VT for having no football structure in place.

At the end if the day,the Manager is to blame and that's RUSSELL SLADE.
He choses his team,tactics,trains them and makes the final decisions.
If a player is doing bad,you bring him off etc.
SLADES football is dire,a fact.
The boss should take the blame as he decides how a match us played and who plays.

In many ways i agree with you Forever blue. But a question wich repeats Itself in my mind is, why this sudden change of ambition if we can call it that. Why did the club set the budget and form a transfer committee? Shouldn't they be on top of things from the beginning? Suddenly Slade comes in, clueless as he is. And we start transforming in a time we should be pushing for the promotion. Does this transfer committee even exist anymore?

The entire Management from Owner down to Slade are to blame. Tan has seen millions pissed into the wind by Malky and Ole signing players who clearly were not good enough or on extortionate wages/bonuses so Slade was the only person willing to accept the major cost cutting we needed.
None of the players know if they will be here next season or not and at the moment are going through the motions.

We are safe from relegation so I really see the rest of the season getting worse than it is now. This could be a good thing!!!!! We still have some good quality players at the club ( most of which are out on loan) so Tan has 2 options
1. Keep Slade and we end up selling everyone and struggle to survive in the Championship with crowds back to 4-7000 watching dire boring tedious football. Resulting in huge cost savings to the club but no sustainable income to service the debts.
2. Keep Slade until the end of the season then replace him ( before our best assets are sold) with possibly this Portuguise manager?? with the remit of bringing in a mix of affordable hungry young players and experience like Martinez did down the road. Resulting in possibly climbing back towards the top of the table (to get back where Tan needs us to be so he can sell at a profit) with more season ticket sales, a more sustainable income through merchandise but more importantly the team gets us excited.

We all want option 2 but will end up with option 1.

Slade is in a no-win situation here. We go from 2 losses in 12 games to losing 3-0 against Bolton and everyone is on his back. I'll ask you this, if you're beloved Malky had just lost 3-0 after the run we've just been on if you'd be calling for his head??? Give him a break. He can't do the job for the player, if they don't perform its not his fault.

Slade is in a no-win situation here. We go from 2 losses in 12 games to losing 3-0 against Bolton and everyone is on his back. I'll ask you this, if you're beloved Malky had just lost 3-0 after the run we've just been on if you'd be calling for his head??? Give him a break. He can't do the job for the player, if they don't perform its not his fault.

We may have put a little run together but it's still 4 wins in our last 17 games.

Slade is in a no-win situation here. We go from 2 losses in 12 games to losing 3-0 against Bolton and everyone is on his back. I'll ask you this, if you're beloved Malky had just lost 3-0 after the run we've just been on if you'd be calling for his head??? Give him a break. He can't do the job for the player, if they don't perform its not his fault.

Malky never had this issue though....He never pissed in his own back yard. In the tender early days of the red we went on a mental winning streak......

I would love to know the porkies that vinnie has been told. Do what you want as we have

Returned to blue
Cheaper season tickets
Loyal fan base

Too many pro's at the club.Too many going through the motions. Too many don't suit that managers style. The manager is clueless.

If i was vinnie I would get Kav.....Totally inexperienced, failed at Carlisle, but we love him and he can't be worse than Slade

Everyone has to take a little blame.
Tan for over spending at the start of the season with Ole. I agree with the cut backs now but it should have been done more carefully in the summer.
Ole for making such a big squad.
Players either don't care or a few who are not good enough
Slade however is taking us backwards at a rapid rate, I could spend ages telling everyone what I dislike about him but I've done it before, and its easier to say what I do like about him - He cut the wage bill. Everything else including his personality, face, tactics, interviews, subs, start 11's, signings everything is just a throw back to the ninety's.

Mick McCarthy has spent £10k on transfers this season and they are competitive and more importantly are attractive to watch, so a decent manager can make a huge difference. With the players that have been on the books this season, I firmly believe that a proven manager would have had the club in the top six and playing entertaining football

IMO it's the players end of

Very naive comment.
It's always the management who are at fault in any business & football is no different.

" WHO IS TO BLAME? & IS RUSSELL SLADE THE RIGHT MANAGER? "

7th April 2015

By Terry Phillips

Cardiff defenders made Bolton's Craig Davies look a top class striker. He isn’t, but he loved it.


Russell Slade admits he didn't see rout coming.

The Bluebirds were toothless in attack.

An ordinary Bolton have now 6 against Cardiff in 2 matches,Cardiff scoring 0



" Who must do better? "

Manager Russell Slade, his coaching staff and every player. They must all improve.

Where was the fight, the tenacity and defiance?

Bolton went ahead and Cardiff seemed to accept they would lose. The players simply didn’t seem ready for a fight to the bitter end.

There are five matches left and Slade’s men have to produce far better performances. The way they surrendered to Bolton is simply unacceptable.




" Another cause for concern "

Kenwyne Jones was sent to Bournemouth, while Alex Revell and Federico Macheda have suffered injuries, That has left Slade trying to find a combination in attack which will work.

Doyle and McAleny didn’t convince me at Reading, while Mason and Doyle struggled together after Revell went off.

Then Harris was given the chance to support Mason, who is only just back after injury.

Bolton weren’t great, but they had an attacking trio of Davies, Emile Heskey and Gudjohnsen.

Heskey set up the first for Gudjohnsen, while Davies scored two and could have had four.




" What is the problem? "

There is an end of season feel already. Five fixtures left and there is nothing to play for except pride.

Slade wants a top 10 finish, but do the players want that enough?

They must provide the answer over the rest of this season.





" Is Slade the right manager? "

It’s not fair to judge Slade now. I can’t imagine a tougher job than carving £12m off the wage bill while keeping a team competitive.

He achieved the task given to him by Vincent Tan and then had Kenwyne Jones, his top scorer, taken off him as well and sent to Bournemouth.

Okay, City received a major loan fee with the promise of more if the Cherries are promoted, while they are paying all of his wages.

It was a business decision, but that doesn’t help Slade.


Injuries to Revell and Macheda have taken two more big strikers out of his squad and they are struggling to find an effective partnership.

I don’t know if Slade is the right man for the job, but he is a highly experienced manager and is developing a partnership with Paul Trollope and Scott Young.

It looked a gamble when Slade was appointed and things haven’t gone well, but he took over a poor situation and must be given more time to show what he can do.

City fans chanted Slade out yesterday

Tan is ultimately to blame.And Slade is out of his depth.But as Tan said'he is my choice.So we are stuck with him.Chants for Slade out at next home game.We need a new man in for the start of the summer break to start rebuilding.