' Losing him now is a big blow for Paul Trollope '
Thursday 11th August 2016
BY PHIL SMITH
The Brazilian will seal a £2 million switch to Teesside imminently
Fabio has been a key part of the pre-season plans
Fabio's move to Middlesbrough is imminent.
As Paul Trollope has alluded to, it can be difficult to prevent these situations occurring once a move is on the table and a release clause is met, while it's understandable that a former Manchester United player would want to get back to the highest level.
With parachute payments winding down, Cardiff have really not had too many options since the Riverside outfit made their interest clear.
Yet with all that in mind, this transfer will still feel like a kick in the teeth when it goes through.
Why? Well, much of this last summer was all about how Cardiff could cut the gap to the play-offs. Most of the squad were clearly good enough, so it was all about making adjustments that could have a big impact.
Fitness and conditioning was a big element of that, hence the arrival of Performance Director Dr Ryland Morgans.
Part of it was also in finding a more dynamic, flexible approach when it came to the team's tactics. The switch to a 5-3-2 was clearly a key part of that.
On every level, Fabio looked to be one of the talents who could grow and flourish as a result of the changes.
Playing as a wing-back not only allowed him to attack with abandon but it also brought the best out of his defensive game. The Brazilian loves harrying opposition ball-carriers and found it much easier to do so when the third centre-back was there to cover should he be pulled out of position. Lee Peltier would have been the perfect foil in that sense.
He also gave Paul Trollope some crucial flexibility, able to play off either flank.
That made him virtually omnipresent in pre-season and his qualities were obvious. There was a delightful cross to tee up Frederic Gounongbe against Vfl Osnabruck, and a series of enterprising performances.
Of course, he is not irreplaceable and the excellent form of Declan John softens the blow considerably. After all, it was some brilliant work at the byline from the left wing-back that should have given the Benin international his first competitive goal.
Whether it is down to the player himself or the system he was playing in, the end product wasn't always there last season, even allowing for that astonishing strike against his soon to be new employers.
Still, the smart switch to 5-3-2 already looks a little less canny in his absence.
Lee Peltier and David Tutonda are both very capable at full-back but how much they can offer in the wing-back role remains unclear. Peltier is by his own admission not an attacking force. For the 5-3-2 it is absolutely imperative that the wing-backs provide pace and width, otherwise the team can easily be pinned back deep in their own half. John and Jazz Richards can do that but not for 46 games in season.
The Head Coach has always said that he is not wedded to the 5-3-2 and will switch around but there is surely little doubt that he saw Fabio as a big asset.
If nothing else, the 26-year-old's dynamism and enterprise was enjoyable to watch and as well as finding some goals, Cardiff need to offer their fans some of that flair.
This was a fairly inevitable transfer that suits all parties to an extent. Fabio will likely start as a back-up to George Friend but will get the chance to prove test himself against the best.
Cardiff are able to ease the financial burden and will hope that they can now prioritise areas where they really need investment.
But the pervading sense of the next few days will undoubtedly will one of disappointment as an albeit small part of that pre-season optimism is burst. The challenge now is to recruit well and secure some key wins.
Football is a fickle game and no player is irreplaceable so long as progress is made in their absence.
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