' As our manager comes under the unwanted pressure '

' As our manager comes under the unwanted pressure '

By Paul Evans aka The Other Bob Wilson

Sunday 31st Jan 2016

As our manager comes under the unwanted pressure of losing important players because of our financial situation, while having his hands tied to a large degree as to how he goes about bringing in replacements, it’s to his great credit that, despite the inconsistencies mentioned earlier, he has been able to turn out a side which week in, week out, has given their all to the cause.

There were times last season when I questioned the attitude of some players, but for about the last third of the 14/15 campaign and all of this one, I don’t think the team’s level of commitment can be questioned. This was exemplified yesterday by Anthony Pilkington lasting seventy minutes, despite the hamstring problem he picked up in the dying moments of last week’s game with Rotherham making him a big doubt to face his old club.

So, while I and others are quick to criticise Russell Slade when things go wrong, it’s only fair to acknowledge that his job is being made into a tougher one than it would be at many other clubs in this division as a consequence of bad financial decisions taken by a variety of people regarding transactions which were, mostly, carried out before he arrived – he is not, and never has been, the complete and utter buffoon his strongest critics make him out to be.

To finish though I have to go back to a familiar theme of mine regarding our manager – his complete lack of regard for youth development. In his pre match press conference, Mr Slade talked about the current situation offering an opportunity to young players at the club and spoke of how some of them (Declan John was named) were part of the squad for Huddersfield.

In the event, Declan did not even make the bench, but Kadeem Harris was an unused sub, so I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies!

Rather than repeat myself by making the same arguments I have plenty of times before, I’m going to list a few facts which I believe show how the perception of who qualifies as a young player at Cardiff City has changed under this manager;-

Kadeem Harris will be 23 in June.

Deji Oshilaja (loaned back out to Gillingham last week) will be 23 in July.

Tommy O’Sullivan turned 21 last month.

Declan John will be 21 in June.

So, in a few months time, all of these players will be too old (two of them by two years!) to play for the team which is supposed to be for players which fall into the category that Mr Slade appears to rate the four of them in (i.e youngsters not ready for regular first team football at Cardiff yet).

Contrast that with the following;-

Damon Searle had played around 120 first team games for City by the time he was 21.

Joe Mason had played around 100 first team games for Plymouth and Cardiff by the time he was 21.

Joe Ledley had played 108 games for City by the time he was 20.

When those three players were younger than Harris, Oshilaja, O’Sullivan and John are now, I never looked upon them as little more than kids – they were all established first teamers who weren’t given, and didn’t seek, excuses because of their age.

Under Russell Slade, the thinking at the club has changed to the extent that the age where a player becomes considered as a realistic possibility for the first team has increased by two or three years – I believe that has huge consequences for the club, especially in terms of what it can expect to get in transfer fees for their best young players.

Good article and we need to be putting some youth players in the first team now.

Good article and we need to be putting some youth players in the first team now.

Totally agree

Is now right time in middle of fight for playoffs to blood younger players, Yes should been used lot earlier but surely now is not right time?

Well written thread shame we have too many sheep heads to take it in.

x1000

Slade really has been disappointing in his management of our young talent. We will end up losing these players for much less than their value should be at this point in their careers.

I'm not saying turn our team into a youth team, but surely we should be looking to our youth teams instead of preparing to sign yet another midfielder? And considering Tamas has made one appearance for us (I think...?), how much money have we wasted on his wages when we could've just called up someone from our youth team?

Whilst I'm not convinced Declan John is good enough at LB, our treatment of him has been an absolute shambles, especially this season. How the hell is he going to get any better if he isn't getting games?

How can we possibly be saying that players aged 22-23 aren't yet ready for our first team bench at least? If they aren't good enough at that age, they shouldn't be here. Problem is, they ARE good enough, our manager just refuses to put any faith in them.

Want to save money, Tan/Dalman/Choo? Tell Slade outright that you want at least 3 of our "youth players" in the 18 man squad each game. Boost their value and experience, and this club will be all the better for it.

When times get tough young heads are the first to drop.Poor old Slade dammed if he does,dammed if he doesn't.

When times get tough young heads are the first to drop.Poor old Slade dammed if he does,dammed if he doesn't.

Young players won't know how to deal with tough times unless they get hands on experience of them.

Like the article says these aren't that young. They're the sort of players that should have been made a key part of first team plans at the beginning of the season.

I don't think we attend the same games, players giving their all? Most games we have managed one half at best. SSlades set up of the team and tactics are quite often bewildering.

I don't think we attend the same games, players giving their all? Most games we have managed one half at best. SSlades set up of the team and tactics are quite often bewildering.

A bit like your habitual slagging off of the players? Why on earth do you bother supporting them if you even do?

I don't think we attend the same games, players giving their all? Most games we have managed one half at best. SSlades set up of the team and tactics are quite often bewildering.

Like i said on other threads its not the manager who is out of depth its the boo boys who post total bollllks. We are 4 points off playoffs and momentum is building. Just park your bang wagon.