" Kevin McNaughton/Danny Gabbidon "
Wed May 13, 2015 3:47 pm
Cardiff City's Kevin McNaughton was a warrior, but Danny Gabbidon was the finest Bluebirds defender I have seen
BY PAUL ABBANDONATO
Wed 13th May 2015
Head of Sport Paul Abbandonato pays tribute to Dan the Man, whose deprature from the Bluebirds went somewhat under the radar as Super Kev left too\n
Kevin McNaughton was such a popular figure among Cardiff City fans that they penned a special ditty just for him. We can’t print the words in their entirety, suffice to say they finished with the endearing term ‘I want silver hair too.’
Few Bluebirds players have had the affection afforded to Super Kev, whose tigerish tackling, tenacity and utter commitment to the Cardiff cause over a nine-year period meant he was lauded as his departure from the club was announced last week.
At the same time, the Bluebirds also revealed they weren’t renewing the contracts of Nicky Maynard and Danny Gabbidon either.
The departure of that pair went somewhat under the radar, given it was the parting of the ways with stalwart and fans’ favourite McNaughton which understandably captured the headlines.
Genuine footballing great
But a week on, with McNaughton having had his moment in the sun, it’s worth reflecting a little and paying a proper tribute to Gabbidon too.
McNaughton was a warrior, a man of the people, but a player who, if we’re perfectly honest, found his true level towards the top of the Championship with Cardiff.
Gabbidon, in my mind, should be remembered as a genuine Cardiff City footballing great, the finest defender I have seen wear the famous blue shirt.
Not this time around, of course, when he was barely even a bit part player under Russell Slade and was more involved on the coaching side, as opposed to kicking a ball.
No. Let’s instead remember the Gabbidon we used to know. The youngster who broke into the side at the start of the millennium and who for five years excelled with his poise, panache, composure on the ball, anticipation, incredible speed for a centre-back and sheer defensive brilliance.
For five golden years, Dan really was The Man. A Rolls Royce of a Cardiff City footballer.
You don’t often get to say this about defenders, but sometimes it was worth the admission money alone just to see Gabbidon play.
Back then, with the swagger and exuberance of youth, Gabbidon would charge out of defence with the ball seemingly tied to his feet, ghosting past bewildered opposition players to set up goal scoring opportunities for his Bluebirds team-mates.
'That good, that influential'
If Cardiff lost the ball, he possessed the pace and powers of recovery to get back and rescue the day in his own penalty area.
Gabbidon was that good, that influential.
I don’t want to think of the Gabbidon of 2014-15, who was not even a shadow of the fantastic footballer he used to be. When the name of Danny Gabbidon is raised, I’m always going to reflect upon the early Twenty Something I witnessed force his way into the Cardiff side and almost as quickly make just as great an impression at international level with Wales.
At the time he was dubbed Wales’ answer to England’s burgeoning new talent Rio Ferdinand. The comparison, given the stylish manner in which the two young guns then played, was entirely apt.
British footballing centre-backs were a rare breed, still are to an extent, so anyone who had speed, defensive resilience and could actually play a bit from the back was always going to stand out.
Look, I’m not suggesting for one minute that Gabbidon was as good as Ferdinand. He wasn’t, full stop.
But Kevin Ratcliffe apart, I’m not sure I’ve seen a classier Wales defender. I certainly haven’t seen a better one for Cardiff, although backers of Mark Delaney and Steven Caulker would make claims for those two.
Gabbidon, of course, appeared for the Bluebirds at a lower level, but even a blind man would have been able to tell he was destined for much higher things.
Del Piero duel
Through sheer force of performance in League One, plus the Cardiff-based media heavily promoting his cause, Gabbidon was picked by Mark Hughes for Wales where he made a typically accomplished debut, even out of position at left-back, during a 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic.
Well though Gabbidon did in that role, the Welsh media argued he HAD to be selected ahead of Rob Page as Andy Melville’s centre-back partner.
The Cardiff man very quickly was. In only his fourth match, he squared up to Alessandro del Piero, among the world’s greatest forwards, in a crunch Euro qualifier against Italy.
With his twists, turns, feints and flicks, del Piero was making mugs of the finest defenders on the planet around that time. He met his match in the young Gabbidon, who didn’t give him a kick from open play.
For good measure, Gabbidon then broke off from having del Piero in his pocket to help set up Craig Bellamy’s winner on that never to be forgotten Millennium Stadium night, his calm, slide-rule pass out of defence up to John Hartson leading to one of the most famous Wales goals in history.
Gabbidon’s sudden elevation meant that Wales back four, made up of himself and Melville in the centre and with Mark Delaney and Gary Speed at full-back, was a wonderful blend of youth, experience, pace and know-how.
Too good for Bluebirds
Gabbidon returned to Cardiff City an even better player, his confidence and belief having soared. If he could do that to del Piero, there wasn’t a striker in the lower leagues who could trouble him.
And there wasn’t. Gabbidon strolled matches and it quickly became abundantly clear he was too good for the Bluebirds.
A move to West Ham materialised, with the Upton Park fans even equating their new Welsh idol to the great Bobby Moore. Coming from those from the East End, that’s as great a compliment as any that can be paid.
In his first season Gabbidon was named Hammer of the Year, helping his side to the FA Cup final, but then the injuries which had begun cursing him at Cardiff really struck.
Pelvis, back, hamstring, everything probably inter-linked. Gabbidon couldn’t train, let alone attempt running in a Premier League match.
The medics tried everything. Surgery, specially built up boots, intensive bouts of physio, the very best specialists.
But as time drew on, it became abundantly clear we had already witnessed Gabbidon in his pomp.
He carried on playing, for West Ham, QPR, Crystal Palace, Wales. Cardiff briefly. But the pace which made him impassable as a defender had gone.
'Simply the best'
Gabbidon was never quite the same again.
This season, he had one Capital One Cup game for Cardiff and 60 seconds as a substitute for Sean Morrison during a 0-0 draw at Birmingham in November.
It wasn’t the greatest manner in which to bow out, but have no doubts one of the Cardiff City greats has bowed out.
Kevin McNaughton was fire, brimstone and passion. Danny Gabbidon was simply the best.
BY PAUL ABBANDONATO
Wed 13th May 2015
Head of Sport Paul Abbandonato pays tribute to Dan the Man, whose deprature from the Bluebirds went somewhat under the radar as Super Kev left too\n
Kevin McNaughton was such a popular figure among Cardiff City fans that they penned a special ditty just for him. We can’t print the words in their entirety, suffice to say they finished with the endearing term ‘I want silver hair too.’Few Bluebirds players have had the affection afforded to Super Kev, whose tigerish tackling, tenacity and utter commitment to the Cardiff cause over a nine-year period meant he was lauded as his departure from the club was announced last week.
At the same time, the Bluebirds also revealed they weren’t renewing the contracts of Nicky Maynard and Danny Gabbidon either.
The departure of that pair went somewhat under the radar, given it was the parting of the ways with stalwart and fans’ favourite McNaughton which understandably captured the headlines.
Genuine footballing great
But a week on, with McNaughton having had his moment in the sun, it’s worth reflecting a little and paying a proper tribute to Gabbidon too.
McNaughton was a warrior, a man of the people, but a player who, if we’re perfectly honest, found his true level towards the top of the Championship with Cardiff.
Gabbidon, in my mind, should be remembered as a genuine Cardiff City footballing great, the finest defender I have seen wear the famous blue shirt.
Not this time around, of course, when he was barely even a bit part player under Russell Slade and was more involved on the coaching side, as opposed to kicking a ball.
No. Let’s instead remember the Gabbidon we used to know. The youngster who broke into the side at the start of the millennium and who for five years excelled with his poise, panache, composure on the ball, anticipation, incredible speed for a centre-back and sheer defensive brilliance.
For five golden years, Dan really was The Man. A Rolls Royce of a Cardiff City footballer.
You don’t often get to say this about defenders, but sometimes it was worth the admission money alone just to see Gabbidon play.
Back then, with the swagger and exuberance of youth, Gabbidon would charge out of defence with the ball seemingly tied to his feet, ghosting past bewildered opposition players to set up goal scoring opportunities for his Bluebirds team-mates.
'That good, that influential'
If Cardiff lost the ball, he possessed the pace and powers of recovery to get back and rescue the day in his own penalty area.
Gabbidon was that good, that influential.
I don’t want to think of the Gabbidon of 2014-15, who was not even a shadow of the fantastic footballer he used to be. When the name of Danny Gabbidon is raised, I’m always going to reflect upon the early Twenty Something I witnessed force his way into the Cardiff side and almost as quickly make just as great an impression at international level with Wales.
At the time he was dubbed Wales’ answer to England’s burgeoning new talent Rio Ferdinand. The comparison, given the stylish manner in which the two young guns then played, was entirely apt.
British footballing centre-backs were a rare breed, still are to an extent, so anyone who had speed, defensive resilience and could actually play a bit from the back was always going to stand out.
Look, I’m not suggesting for one minute that Gabbidon was as good as Ferdinand. He wasn’t, full stop.
But Kevin Ratcliffe apart, I’m not sure I’ve seen a classier Wales defender. I certainly haven’t seen a better one for Cardiff, although backers of Mark Delaney and Steven Caulker would make claims for those two.
Gabbidon, of course, appeared for the Bluebirds at a lower level, but even a blind man would have been able to tell he was destined for much higher things.
Del Piero duel
Through sheer force of performance in League One, plus the Cardiff-based media heavily promoting his cause, Gabbidon was picked by Mark Hughes for Wales where he made a typically accomplished debut, even out of position at left-back, during a 0-0 draw with the Czech Republic.
Well though Gabbidon did in that role, the Welsh media argued he HAD to be selected ahead of Rob Page as Andy Melville’s centre-back partner.
The Cardiff man very quickly was. In only his fourth match, he squared up to Alessandro del Piero, among the world’s greatest forwards, in a crunch Euro qualifier against Italy.
With his twists, turns, feints and flicks, del Piero was making mugs of the finest defenders on the planet around that time. He met his match in the young Gabbidon, who didn’t give him a kick from open play.
For good measure, Gabbidon then broke off from having del Piero in his pocket to help set up Craig Bellamy’s winner on that never to be forgotten Millennium Stadium night, his calm, slide-rule pass out of defence up to John Hartson leading to one of the most famous Wales goals in history.
Gabbidon’s sudden elevation meant that Wales back four, made up of himself and Melville in the centre and with Mark Delaney and Gary Speed at full-back, was a wonderful blend of youth, experience, pace and know-how.
Too good for Bluebirds
Gabbidon returned to Cardiff City an even better player, his confidence and belief having soared. If he could do that to del Piero, there wasn’t a striker in the lower leagues who could trouble him.
And there wasn’t. Gabbidon strolled matches and it quickly became abundantly clear he was too good for the Bluebirds.
A move to West Ham materialised, with the Upton Park fans even equating their new Welsh idol to the great Bobby Moore. Coming from those from the East End, that’s as great a compliment as any that can be paid.
In his first season Gabbidon was named Hammer of the Year, helping his side to the FA Cup final, but then the injuries which had begun cursing him at Cardiff really struck.
Pelvis, back, hamstring, everything probably inter-linked. Gabbidon couldn’t train, let alone attempt running in a Premier League match.
The medics tried everything. Surgery, specially built up boots, intensive bouts of physio, the very best specialists.
But as time drew on, it became abundantly clear we had already witnessed Gabbidon in his pomp.
He carried on playing, for West Ham, QPR, Crystal Palace, Wales. Cardiff briefly. But the pace which made him impassable as a defender had gone.
'Simply the best'
Gabbidon was never quite the same again.
This season, he had one Capital One Cup game for Cardiff and 60 seconds as a substitute for Sean Morrison during a 0-0 draw at Birmingham in November.
It wasn’t the greatest manner in which to bow out, but have no doubts one of the Cardiff City greats has bowed out.
Kevin McNaughton was fire, brimstone and passion. Danny Gabbidon was simply the best.
Re: " Kevin McNaughton/Danny Gabbidon "
Wed May 13, 2015 7:59 pm
Mason I have to agree with Paul on this
Kevin McNaughton goes down as a City Legend.
Danny Gabbidons return for me was a disaster.
Kevin McNaughton goes down as a City Legend.
Danny Gabbidons return for me was a disaster.
Re: " Kevin McNaughton/Danny Gabbidon "
Wed May 13, 2015 9:50 pm
Forever Blue wrote:Mason I have to agree with Paul on this
Kevin McNaughton goes down as a City Legend.
Danny Gabbidons return for me was a disaster.
Agree
