Warnock will sell the Cardiff dream to these five players

Neil Warnock will sell the Cardiff City dream to these five players — but it won't be easy to sign them


By Nathan Blake

Friday 12th May 2017

Free transfers Cardiff could target in the Summer


People like Fraizer Campbell and Wayne Hennessey have been talked about regarding a move to Cardiff City in recent weeks.

And even though the pair are not on ridiculous money compared to many Premier League players, the new TV deal has increased the average top division salary by a minimum of £20,000-per-week. Even a relatively "cheap" player's wage has inflated and now the gap to the Championship is widening dangerously.

So it's difficult to see Cardiff — or any other mid-table Championship team for that matter — signing a player on £60,000-per-week, unless a loan deal can be agreed whereby the parent club pays a percentage of the wage.

If you take into account compliance with financial fair play and Cardiff's parachute payments running out as well, the Bluebirds' situation becomes even more difficult.

It's all very well fans calling on the club to sign big name players, but it's all relative and it's got to be done within the pay structure. We all know Cardiff are now operating with a limited budget and a smaller wage bill.

Things have gone wrong in the past at Cardiff City Stadium. People went crazy with the money and it's taken years to sort that out. It may still take more years to come.

What you find in football — and what Cardiff found — is that money is by no means a guarantee of success, and paying big bucks for a player doesn't mind you've signed a diamond. You can pay a player £100,000-per-week and he could have a stinker every week.





The players Cardiff could attract

And yet signing players like Campbell, Hennessey, David Marshall, Joe Ledley and Charlie Adam — players that Cardiff fans would love — isn't beyond the realms of possibility if you sell them the dream. Sell the idea of what you're trying to build, like Warnock will.


Joe Ledley and Wayne Hennessey celebrate in the changing room after the match (Photo: David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Because if you're a player with a year left on your contract and there's no chance of staying in the Premier League, then say a club like Cardiff come in with an offer of half your wages, you'd still consider it.

Promotion incentives can be included in contracts and Warnock will be able to attract established names.

Would those players rather be at Cardiff City earning £25,000-per-week or left in the doldrums searching for a club who might pay big money? Ultimately, a player could actually lose money by cutting their nose off to spite their face. Look at the calibre of players Warnock signed in October on free transfers — they were all relatively cheap because they were all desperate to find a club.

But what Cardiff must do is get their wage structure right and allow Warnock to sell that dream.


That's where your training ground and your facilities are important. As a player you want to sign for a club with a professional set up, with proper medical facilities. Those things are important to players, they always have been ever since my playing days.

For me, identifying a plot of land and having their own purpose-built training ground is paramount for the future progress of the club. It serves your youth sides and grows into a hub that produces footballers.







So will the big names come?

I think Warnock might just be the factor that decides it, especially when it comes to players like Campbell, Hennessey, Lee Camp — people who have played under the veteran Yorkshireman in the past — whose heads could be turned.

Because I know, as a footballer, that's how you think. I think back to my own career and a manager like Dave Bassett; it didn't matter where he was, at which level he was managing, I loved to play under him so I'd sign for him whatever. I wanted to work for him. Colin Todd and Eddie May were the same.


And then there were managers who could have been at Manchester United.. and I still wouldn't have signed for them.

Warnock is definitely the carrot for Cardiff to dangle, so to speak.

We've already seen it with Greg Halford, Sol Bamba and Junior Hoilett.

And while Halford hasn't pulled up any trees , he's a Jack of all trades who you need in your squad. Bamba and Hoilett have both been very good.

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Come off it they are all over 30 and would want stupid wages. Can we really afford to buy 5 Zimmer frames.

Come off it they are all over 30 and would demand stupid wages, Can we really afford 5 Zimmer frames.

Pie in the sky this article apart from camp no one knows if Warnock wants the rest

I would take Hennessy that's it, the rest can draw their pension.

I agree the players mentioned might be too ambitious or simply the wrong end of their careers for us but I do get Blakey's point. That is NW has many contacts in the game and widespread respect as one of the best managers around who players would want to play for. This could be a vital tool in attracting players to CCFC.

Compare that to last season when the only real contact Paul Trollope had was Rickie Lambert and we know how that turned out.

We don't have to spend a fortune to get a good team.
The best team I have seen in 40 years included Jay,chops,super kev , scimeca, all cost relatively little.

Great to see some of the players linked on free transfers, they will be looking to improve and step up as well.

Loovens free , Roger Johnson 100k they are out there and we have the right manager to identify them.

Isn't Hennessey contract up this summer he'd be a freebie so to speak aside from wages. For him closer to home too.

Does anyone think Ledley is good enough anymore? Not for me, even if he was interested.

Does anyone think Ledley is good enough anymore? Not for me, even if he was interested.

Not playing for palace and barely makes the 60minutes Mark with Wales. No thanks.

Love the top bit, Warnock will sell the dream then later on when you read it it's just players Blake would like to see City go for...

Don't tell me Blake gets paid for spouting this shit !!!!!

I trust Warnock to dig out a couple of decent players from playing against, playing with or a decent network of scouts of informed friends to point us in the right direction.

Surely after this seasons old expesive flop we have learned our lesson