' What Should Cardiff City Do with Striker? '

What should Cardiff City do with Adam Le Fondre?


Tuesday 10 May 2016


Media Wales

The Le Fondre issue is Cardiff’s once more with the striker still having a year left on his contract in the Welsh capital


It’s apt, of course, the 29-year-old striker is on his way back to Cardiff City after becoming unwanted anymore at Wolves following his season-long loan spell there.

The tale of Le Fondre in the Welsh capital is a mysterious and frustrating one, even by the standards of the Bluebirds, who for decades have specialised in the more esoteric arts of the beautiful game.

The basic way things look right now is that, if they ever erect a gravestone to mark the death of Le Fondre’s career, the name Cardiff City will be writ large upon it.



Having made the breakthrough at hometown club Stockport, it was at Rochdale, Rotherham and Reading the frontman forged his reputation with very respectable goal-scoring stats. Then, calamity, then-Bluebirds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swooped for Le Fondre in May 2014 for an undisclosed fee and the rest is history. Rather sad history it has to be said.

The Bluebirds were hurting, fresh down from the Premier League, they needed goals in the Championship and they needed them fast, Le Fondre seemed just the man to supply them. Except he wasn’t.

You cannot say the striker was not given a chance under both Solskjaer and then Russell Slade, who arrived in the October and immediately installed Le Fondre and Frederico Macheda as his preferred strike partnership.

Le Fondre’s goal-scoring record in the Welsh capital is a poor one indeed. Three goals in 25 appearances for Cardiff lay testimony to a man who just never seemed to settle in the famous blue-shirt. There was talk of a problem with the player being separated from his family who were still based in the north of England, but whatever it was, Le Fondre was swiftly becoming the type of forward who couldn’t ‘hit a you know what with a you know what.’

Out of favour suddenly, a successful loan spell at Bolton came about at the start of 2015. Eight goals in 16 Championship starts for the Totters anyone? But the Lancashire club were too poor to buy him of course.



Then came that season-long loan at Molineux, brought to an end by Wolves’ boss Kenny Jackett this week, and again, for whatever reasons, it proved highly-unsatisfactory. With 26 Championship appearances last term, 16 of those from the bench, and three goals to his name, it comes as perhaps no surprise that the Midlands-club are not beating down the door to sign him.



So the Le Fondre issue becomes Cardiff’s issue once more. The striker still has one year left on his contract in the Welsh capital.

Now, in a way, things seem kind of straight-forward, serendipitous almost. What did Russell Slade’s Bluebirds lack greatly last term? What were they crying out for? Why, some goals and a striker to supply them, of course.

With Cardiff poised to appoint a new Head Coach to oversee first team affairs after Slade was moved upstairs, there is a strange urge to believe that maybe Le Fondre’s time in Wales has at last come. Is the biggest comeback since The Beach Boys last retired on the cards?

The simple answer though seems, no, not a chance. Le Fondre himself seems to have written off such a dramatic return to grace.


Speaking last summer, the front man effectively burned what few bridges he had constructed between himself and the Bluebirds.

“We’ve come to an agreement where I won’t be playing my football at Cardiff anymore,” said Le Fondre then.

“I’m just waiting for the perfect opportunity and the right club for me to go to. I don’t regret my decision to join Cardiff, but my performances have not been good enough. It’s probably a little bit of a black mark for me on my career.” An understatement indeed.



But it all seems to indicate that one of the first tasks for the Bluebirds’ new manager will be shipping Le Fondre out rather than signing him up. In the end, all we are left with one of the most intriguing cases of ‘what might have been’ in recent Bluebirds’ history.

I think ALF is going to be in beggars can't be choosers territory this season. Unless Reading go all nostalgic I can't see a queue forming for him.

It might be better pointing out to him that at 29 his time is running out with only 1 year left on a well paid contract. If he was looking beyond that either here or elsewhere then he should get his finger out and start scoring some goals.

First of all he needs to pull his head out of his own arse.

Then get his head into serious training, fitness, mind and study.

He is marked as a bit part player and no one will want that expensive luxury in the championship after his failure at Wolves and Cardiff.

Only he can resurrect himself and it starts with his complacency and ego.

They need to sort out a manger first then management need to pull him in, see what his gripe is and if they cant get a 100% committment out of him then get rid of him.
Cardiff City needs to have players who wants to play for this club and be proud of putting on the Blue shirt.
If a player disrupts the rest of the team then get them out..

They need to sort out a manger first then management need to pull him in, see what his gripe is and if they cant get a 100% committment out of him then get rid of him.
Cardiff City needs to have players who wants to play for this club and be proud of putting on the Blue shirt.
If a player disrupts the rest of the team then get them out..

Agree.

They need to sort out a manger first then management need to pull him in, see what his gripe is and if they cant get a 100% committment out of him then get rid of him.
Cardiff City needs to have players who wants to play for this club and be proud of putting on the Blue shirt.
If a player disrupts the rest of the team then get them out..

Couldn't put it better myself.

Is his championship record that good ?

Players like him rely on super quick reactions almost a sixth sense that can't be taught or trained.

IMO, He has simply lost that edge, he always put a shift in.

He needs to sort his head out, get fit, and hopefully our New Manager can get the best out of him, using players who can create chances, We need a Striker maybe we already have one, However that said he wants to get as far away from us as possible,

First of all he needs to pull his head out of his own arse.

Then get his head into serious training, fitness, mind and study.

He is marked as a bit part player and no one will want that expensive luxury in the championship after his failure at Wolves and Cardiff.

Only he can resurrect himself and it starts with his complacency and ego.

Good post totally agree with you!

He needs to sort his head out, get fit, and hopefully our New Manager can get the best out of him, using players who can create chances, We need a Striker maybe we already have one, However that said he wants to get as far away from us as possible,

I think he's running out of options now! I can't see anyone paying his wages with his recent record!

He needs to sort his head out, get fit, and hopefully our New Manager can get the best out of him, using players who can create chances, We need a Striker maybe we already have one, However that said he wants to get as far away from us as possible,

I think he's running out of options now! I can't see anyone paying his wages with his recent record!

Yes i agree, pity because he was a decent player

I think Reading will come in for him - and we should offload.

Let's try playing him

What should Cardiff City do with Adam Le Fondre?


Tuesday 10 May 2016


Media Wales

The Le Fondre issue is Cardiff’s once more with the striker still having a year left on his contract in the Welsh capital


It’s apt, of course, the 29-year-old striker is on his way back to Cardiff City after becoming unwanted anymore at Wolves following his season-long loan spell there.

The tale of Le Fondre in the Welsh capital is a mysterious and frustrating one, even by the standards of the Bluebirds, who for decades have specialised in the more esoteric arts of the beautiful game.

The basic way things look right now is that, if they ever erect a gravestone to mark the death of Le Fondre’s career, the name Cardiff City will be writ large upon it.



Having made the breakthrough at hometown club Stockport, it was at Rochdale, Rotherham and Reading the frontman forged his reputation with very respectable goal-scoring stats. Then, calamity, then-Bluebirds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swooped for Le Fondre in May 2014 for an undisclosed fee and the rest is history. Rather sad history it has to be said.

The Bluebirds were hurting, fresh down from the Premier League, they needed goals in the Championship and they needed them fast, Le Fondre seemed just the man to supply them. Except he wasn’t.

You cannot say the striker was not given a chance under both Solskjaer and then Russell Slade, who arrived in the October and immediately installed Le Fondre and Frederico Macheda as his preferred strike partnership.

Le Fondre’s goal-scoring record in the Welsh capital is a poor one indeed. Three goals in 25 appearances for Cardiff lay testimony to a man who just never seemed to settle in the famous blue-shirt. There was talk of a problem with the player being separated from his family who were still based in the north of England, but whatever it was, Le Fondre was swiftly becoming the type of forward who couldn’t ‘hit a you know what with a you know what.’

Out of favour suddenly, a successful loan spell at Bolton came about at the start of 2015. Eight goals in 16 Championship starts for the Totters anyone? But the Lancashire club were too poor to buy him of course.



Then came that season-long loan at Molineux, brought to an end by Wolves’ boss Kenny Jackett this week, and again, for whatever reasons, it proved highly-unsatisfactory. With 26 Championship appearances last term, 16 of those from the bench, and three goals to his name, it comes as perhaps no surprise that the Midlands-club are not beating down the door to sign him.



So the Le Fondre issue becomes Cardiff’s issue once more. The striker still has one year left on his contract in the Welsh capital.

Now, in a way, things seem kind of straight-forward, serendipitous almost. What did Russell Slade’s Bluebirds lack greatly last term? What were they crying out for? Why, some goals and a striker to supply them, of course.

With Cardiff poised to appoint a new Head Coach to oversee first team affairs after Slade was moved upstairs, there is a strange urge to believe that maybe Le Fondre’s time in Wales has at last come. Is the biggest comeback since The Beach Boys last retired on the cards?

The simple answer though seems, no, not a chance. Le Fondre himself seems to have written off such a dramatic return to grace.


Speaking last summer, the front man effectively burned what few bridges he had constructed between himself and the Bluebirds.

“We’ve come to an agreement where I won’t be playing my football at Cardiff anymore,” said Le Fondre then.

“I’m just waiting for the perfect opportunity and the right club for me to go to. I don’t regret my decision to join Cardiff, but my performances have not been good enough. It’s probably a little bit of a black mark for me on my career.” An understatement indeed.



But it all seems to indicate that one of the first tasks for the Bluebirds’ new manager will be shipping Le Fondre out rather than signing him up. In the end, all we are left with one of the most intriguing cases of ‘what might have been’ in recent Bluebirds’ history.

Personally I'd wait and see what the manager thinks of him he may click with the new manager and be useful

They need to sort out a manger first then management need to pull him in, see what his gripe is and if they cant get a 100% committment out of him then get rid of him.
Cardiff City needs to have players who wants to play for this club and be proud of putting on the Blue shirt.
If a player disrupts the rest of the team then get them out..

spot on mate, what do u think hes worth? 1m?

part of our annual golden handhake 'mutual agreement' club. Him and Adeyemi are my tips for this summer

Let's try playing him

we did he was shit

its not impossible that he could have a good season for us next year. But at the moment im leaning towards him going.

Let's try playing him

we did he was shit

No he wasn't.

He was played out of position from our first league game onwards, and then when Slade came in and switched us to a 442, he made ALF the runner and Played him alongside such wonderful and energetic players such as Jones. ALF worked his socks off for us, and in return he got nothing - and fans like yourself, who seemingly can't actually read a football game properly, got on his back. If we'd played him in his rightful position, and not had him kill his legs every damn game, he might've scored more.

Instead, we shattered his confidence, and he's just not the player he was before we signed him. That's our fault, in my opinion, not his. Whether he wants to fight for his reputation and career though, that's on him - real test of character and drive for him.

You never know - the new manager may be able to get something out of him. Depends which other strikers we bring in (and get rid of).

I think if we get an offer he will be moved on.

However the decision should be down to the manager, it wouldn't surprise me to see him do well next season.

he had more chances than most and he was poor you can not blame the club for that one. Ole tried him in a different position yes but only 1 or 2 games he was just poor and Wolves he was poor there too.

Leave the new manager decide

If imagine someone like Warnock would get the most out of him.

Where as manybe a younger coach may want to go in another direction.