' Stuart O'Keefe? ? '

Why has Stuart O’Keefe been an expensive reserve?

By Scott Johnson

Thursday 25th Feb 2016

I get the impression that a lot of people don’t realise that Stuart O’Keefe cost somewhere in the region of £750,000. He arrived with little fanfare and promptly took his place in the stands, rarely troubling the first team.

Having finally broken into the team, many are asking why it took so much time for him to play.

That question carries extra weight when you factor in his hefty transfer fee.


A pocket dynamo with an appreciation for overzealous challenges, O’Keefe made his first start of the season about a month ago and has been a fixture in the side since.

Having made only one league start in his previous 12 months with the club, his rise was totally unexpected. But seeing as the club spent as much on him as they did Eoin Doyle, surely it is the least we should have expected.

For a 24-year-old, O’Keefe has played very little first-team football, making only 25 starts in the last four seasons. He is understandably rough around the edges and was booked within a minute against Brighton, but is exactly the sort of industrious, no-nonsense player that Cardiff need in the centre of their midfield at present.

What is strange is that it took so much time for him to get that opportunity and how such a significant signing managed to remain under the radar.

what a complete and utter pointless use of fingers typing out that drivel was

wants to ask the question why has he been a reserve a month after hes already broken into the team and playing well..

seriously whoever gave this man his soap box needs to take it back off him

Personally think it's a fair point. £750k is a lot of money and for the first 12 months of his time with us he has been left to rot while our midfield has largely been over run! Now he's finally been given a chance to prove himself he's making a difference! So why did it take so long for him to get a chance?

Personally think it's a fair point. £750k is a lot of money and for the first 12 months of his time with us he has been left to rot while our midfield has largely been over run! Now he's finally been given a chance to prove himself he's making a difference! So why did it take so long for him to get a chance?

because the performances of firstly Dikagchoi, Gunnarsson and Ralls have all been praised at one point or another this season. Cant have it all ways

Whatever the reason's why he didn't make it in the team i hope after his recent performances it's all in the past. He's made a big difference to our midfield balance. Long may it continue

If anything, playing really well after a considerable time on the bench (both here & Palace) proves the management right. There is no debate with players in good form when chosen to play. I for one think they did a good job with O'Keefe,

If we were playing dreadfully and struggling then I would feel this to be a worthy question to ask but nobody has really been terrible so I think Slade has the right to leave a player like O'Keefe out if the players playing ahead of him are delivering. Just a fact of life in a Championship squad. £750k wasn't a fortune and if he was starting week in, week out then that fee would have been a steal. It's a question that doesn't need answering.

Uummm who said O’Keefe cost £750,000? First I’ve heard of that
Secondly didn’t think Doyle cost £750,000 either.

More likely £300k each, although still could have done without them at a time of cut backs.

If he did spend 1.5m on those two then that’s a concern but I doubt it.

And is his rise to the team that shocking, Slade has very often played a player for a long period for them to be dropped suddenly and not to be seen for a while and vise versa. It’s as predictable as Fabio being the first player to be dropped after a bad performance.

It is a fair question I suppose especially as we may have spent £1.5m on 2 players (O'Keefe/Doyle) who hardly play at a time when money is tight.

I think Scott Johnson has got O'Keefe and Doyle mixed up. We paid 750k for Doyle but O'Keefe's fee was undisclosed.

according to the transfer markt site its about right, not sure how reliable that is mind you.