" Bids for David Marshall,Peter Whittingham & Joe Mason "

Cardiff City boss Russell Slade insists he'll fight to keep hold of his star players to launch Premier League push


Friday 5 June 2015


By Steve Tucker



Bids have reportedly come in for David Marshall, Joe Mason and Peter Whittingham Bids have reportedly come in for David Marshall, Joe Mason and Peter Whittingham

Cardiff City boss Russell Slade has vowed to fight to hold on to his key players this summer ahead of the new Championship season.

The Bluebirds boss has flown out to Malaysia for further face-to-face talks with club owner Vincent Tan. The two men met in Bosnia last week to watch Tan’s latest acquisition, capital club FK Sarajevo, lift the league title and qualify for next season’s Champions League in the process.

The main thrust of the two men’s discussions so far have been about budgets in the transfer window and what targets are realistic and which are not. Slade is looking to bring in up to four ‘quality additions to boost his squad before the new season kicks off in August.

But with all clubs now turning their attention to strengthening the Bluebirds have already found themselves having to fend off interest in players they already have within their squad.

Star man Peter Whittingham and striker Joe Mason have been the subject of tentative enquiries from a Championship rival, believed to be Wolves. And goalkeeper David Marshall has been linked with a shock £5m transfer to Liverpool, although Slade has already confirmed to WalesOnline there have been no direct approaches yet regarding the shot-stopper and that he wants to keep hold of the Scottish international.


Slade now insists there will be no exodus of key talent on his watch this close-season.

“The players we have who are important to us we, of course, will be looking to hold onto,” said Slade.

“We are about building the squad, making ourselves stronger than we were last term by adding the right players.

“We can’t do that if we are seeing players heading out in the opposite direction. Things are at an early stage right now but I cannot see a lot of my players heading out, we are in the business of making sure they are here to help us next season.”



Slade revealed there have been enquiries already about some of his men which have, thus far, been politely rebuffed.

But with the close season still in its early stages, the Bluebirds boss is realistic enough to know that interest in his best players is only likely to increase.

“We have had an enquiry about Joe and Peter, but nothing definite as of yet,” said Slade.

“When it comes to David Marshall there have been no enquiries about him at all so far. He is settled and is a player, of course, I would rather hold onto than lose.

2. David Marshall: The modern-day number one No.1 who did so much to get Cardiff City into the Premier League and almost single-handedly kept them therere
“Things are still at a very early stage and it is still quiet right now. I am expecting things to really get going at the end of this month when it comes to signings and then the same is true of interest perhaps in our players too.

“I am expecting more enquires, that is part of the transfer window, but, as I say, our aim this summer is to get stronger, not to lose players we benefit from by keeping in our squad.”

Since he arrived at the club Slade has been involved in a severe cost-cutting exercise under the orders of owner Tan. Up to £12m has been slashed from the wage-bill following the Bluebirds abortive foray into the Premier League.

It means, of course, further players will have to be lost, but right now Slade is looking to off load the more fringe-members of a squad which grew to an unwieldy size under his predecessor Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

If the money's right we should let them go but I'd be sad to see Joe Mason go. I don't know if we'd get approx £2-4 for Marshall but I doubt we'd get much for the other two.

If the money's right we should let them go but I'd be sad to see Joe Mason go. I don't know if we'd get approx £2-4 for Marshall but I doubt we'd get much for the other two.

I'd ceratainly hope we could get more than two to four pounds for Marshall!

I would sell Whittingham; Marshall deserves one last, lucrative, signing on fee in his career and would go with the blessings of most City fans I think; Mason? ... I'm undecided really.

I never understand why our fans believe its good business to sell your best players.

I never want to sell our best players...When we did we had lower expectation and lower crowds.

I have never seen a benefit of selling our players, ticket prices don't go down, especially if they don't want to go.

I understand if you don't rate a player, but selling Whitts would mean the end to us pretending to be a footballing side.

Selling Marshall means mid table at best.

Marshall anything around 4m
Mason anything around 1m
Whitts whatever we could get.

Unsure about this to be honest.

Mason I would keep - most definatley
Marshall if a Big Offer came in i think we owe him that move.
Whittingham has had a bad season if he goes to another championship side and they play him in the right position he will do well. Therefore I suggest we play him in his prefered position - not with Gunnarson as it does not work - and see. He must do better or sell at Xmas and get something at least.

I agree with Annis that selling our squad players depletes the squad and if we are not carefull we could be in trouble.

Marshall 5m plus
Mason 2m plus
whittingham 1m plus

Marshall anything around 4m
Mason anything around 1m
Whitts whatever we could get.

This and rebuild and try giving younger players a chance.

Marshall anything around 4m
Mason anything around 1m
Whitts whatever we could get.

This and rebuild and try giving younger players a chance.

Totally agree and not 32 year old.murphy like slade wants.