' NO - Says Gareth Rogers, Russell Slade is Not to Blame '

" NO - Says Gareth Rogers, Russell Slade is Not to Blame "

By Gareth Rogers
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... l-10075380
Thursday 17/09/15

When did free flowing football become a pre-requisite for Cardiff City fans?

I’ve been watching them for 30 years and have seen precious little ‘quality football’ in that time.

The teams and players I loved watching were hard as nails, would run all day for the badge and loved the passionate fans back for the energy they provided.

Phil Stant always got his hands dirty at Cardiff
Did anybody ever criticise Phil Stant for not going on mazy dribbles down the wing or picking up positions in the ‘number 10’ slot?

Who ever called Graham Kavanagh out for failing to spray champagne passes out to the wings.



Elegance and finesse
Malky Mackay’s team of heroes certainly didn’t play in an elegant way and neither did most of Dave Jones’ teams, except for when Aaron Ramsey and Craig Bellamy were involved.

So those who claim Russell Slade’s poor brand of football is wholly to blame for the lack of passion around the club are either deluded or simply making excuses.

The fact that their rivals 40 miles down the M4 are enjoying great success playing a thrilling brand of football doesn’t give Cardiff fans the right to demand it too.


The apathy that currently surrounds Cardiff City is the result of a tapestry of events that started long before Slade arrived, even though he is partly to blame.

The current malaise is far too complicated to sum up briefly and everybody’s reasons for their lack of interest are different but here are some of the most bearable reasons I’ve been confronted with...

Fans miss Ninian Park
The all-seater stadium simply can’t recreate the atmosphere that the terraces gave and fans have become increasingly disenfranchised at being stopped from standing up and singing shoulder-to-shoulder with their mates.


They are upset by the divisions the rebrand caused
While last season’s return to blue stopped the rebrand itself being a huge issue itself, the wounds that it caused, setting friend against friend and even family member against family member, won’t heal quickly, if ever in some cases.



People are struggling to face up to how well Swansea are doing
Some might scoff but the fact the Bluebirds’ biggest rivals are making such a success of their Premier League adventure on a smaller budget than Cardiff really hurts. Then the fact that young fans in fringe areas like Port Talbot, Bridgend and even Merthyr will start looking west is more unpalatable than anything.


It still hurts that the top flight adventure that took 51 years to come along ended in such a shambles
Whoever was at fault, the fact is the dreams of generations of fans ended up in a nightmare. Relegation back to the Championship was ultimately a relief.




Last season's dreadful performances
This one is mostly Slade’s fault but the fact the Bluebirds ended last season playing worse than they did 10 years ago has put thousands off and could couldn't have come at a worse time for the club.

Cardiff City manager Russell Slade must ensure his side gives the club's supporters something to shout about
The end of the 'Golden Ticket' five-year season ticket price freeze
For me the biggest factor in all this is the generous five-year price-freeze on season tickets, brought in by Peter Ridsdale, coming to an end last summer.


As I made reference to in the previous point, the dour football on offer for most of last season couldn’t have come at a worse time because it gave fans who were fed up for a range of reasons a very convenient excuse to opt out.

Such was the apathy, thousands of fans refused to pay even a small increase for a new season ticket and that has had the biggest affect of all on attendance.

Those thousands who were in the habit of going to every game have now got themselves out of the habit and are finding new ways to enjoy their spare time.



Conclusion
In conclusion, Cardiff City fans have been spoilt. Those who were around in the mid to late 1990s have gone from watching a glorified pub team to savouring four Wembley trips, five play-off adventures, Premier League promotion and beating champions Man City.

The young breed of Bluebirds have only known success, so in what should be seen as a golden era for the club, expectation levels have now risen to unmanageable levels.

Cardiff City fans wave their flags at WembleyThe current generation of Cardiff City fans have got used to Wembley
This has been compounded by the ease that Cardiff’s biggest rivals have found life in the top flight on a smaller budget, playing a brand of football that has earned them worldwide plaudits.

In short, until expectation falls slightly, Cardiff City fans are going to face a major struggle to enjoy watching their team.


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Didn't we play good football under Eddie May what does he know?

Didn't we play good football under Eddie May what does he know?

And Dave Jones I might add.

I've just spoken to the man from Del Monte and he says 'yes'. Prick.

Well by definition anything that happened before Slade arrived is not his fault. Also the costing cutting was not his fault he just had to take responsibility for implementing it.

In any situation the circumstances will be relevant. Last season was crap but the circumstances dictated that it was always going to be so, therefore finger pointing at Slade is extremely harsh.

This season we have 3 wins 3 draws and 1 defeat. Replicate that over the season and we should get promoted or obtain a certain PO position.

If fans are still sulking over the rebrand, moving from Ninian Park to CCS, Swansea's success and PL relegation then that is THEIR fault. FFS grow up get some bollocks and get behind the team.

Its nothing to do with Swansea, to be a jack is punishment enough for any man;

Its the move that has killed the club - I dont know many who think that ground is any use at all as a football ground. The only people who seem to like it are those that take their kids.

Maybe its just down to an owner who has done his utmost to destroy any sense of unity at the club.. he has created the 'customer' culture! Idiot.

This guy has got it better than other idiots in the press, to blame the stadium is laughable as Wales have great atmosphere in the stadium and when we beat Leicester in the semi final of the play offs the Man City game in the premiership and when Chopra scored that late winner against the Jacks even thinking of it now bring me goos bumps
so the atmosphere is poor because the supporters are not making the atmosphere, also its not standing Wales supporters dont stand.

A lot has happened at Cardiff City in the last 10 years mainly succsess and all of sudden we came down with a bang
supporters can be fickle ours are as bad as any team but I stand by my statement if we get promoted they will be back and if we drew a big club in the FA cup and this forum will be full of supporters who wont be able to get tickets and have supported the club for 2 million years and everyone should give their tickets up for them lol

Slade is doing ok at the moment and I really feel for the bloke at the moment all this critism from the press and certain supporters on here we have had a lot worse than Slade and recently we have had some terrible managers years ago but the worst is Ole what a mess he made and Slade is doing well cleaning up that mess

This is getting so tedious! Will take more than a few wins but come February if the Bluebirds are in the hunt and next years season tickets are released the numbers will swell! Fickle fans in abundance

This guy has got it better than other idiots in the press, to blame the stadium is laughable as Wales have great atmosphere in the stadium and when we beat Leicester in the semi final of the play offs the Man City game in the premiership and when Chopra scored that late winner against the Jacks even thinking of it now bring me goos bumps
so the atmosphere is poor because the supporters are not making the atmosphere, also its not standing Wales supporters dont stand.

A lot has happened at Cardiff City in the last 10 years mainly succsess and all of sudden we came down with a bang
supporters can be fickle ours are as bad as any team but I stand by my statement if we get promoted they will be back and if we drew a big club in the FA cup and this forum will be full of supporters who wont be able to get tickets and have supported the club for 2 million years and everyone should give their tickets up for them lol

Slade is doing ok at the moment and I really feel for the bloke at the moment all this critism from the press and certain supporters on here we have had a lot worse than Slade and recently we have had some terrible managers years ago but the worst is Ole what a mess he made and Slade is doing well cleaning up that mess

Good post this

This article by Gareth who is a real city fan is a lot closer to the truth than anything else that has been written
In my opinion many of those not attending are not loyal supporters but those who jumped on the band waggon when we started doing well
It's not that many years ago that a crowd of 13000 at Ninian Park wwould of been an excellent crowd.

This article by Gareth who is a real city fan is a lot closer to the truth than anything else that has been written
In my opinion many of those not attending are not loyal supporters but those who jumped on the band waggon when we started doing well
It's not that many years ago that a crowd of 13000 at Ninian Park wwould of been an excellent crowd.

I've just posted something very similar you this on the other thread. Suffice to say that I agree with you entirely