“ Craig Bellamy v Danny Murphy “

Bellamy v Murphy

There was a compelling debate on Sky Sports last night, as Cardiff City legend Craig Bellamy and ex Fulham star Danny Murphy went head to head on the promotion battle.

Here’s what was said.

Murphy: “Look, Neil Warnock, love him or hate him, you have to take your hat off to him. To keep getting promotions and do it over a period of time when people say the game changes, credit to him.
“Hat off to the Fulham manager too because he’s got a lovely mix of experience and young players and playing the right way.”




Bellamy: “Stop saying ‘right way’, there’s no wright or wrong way!”
Murphy: “I didn’t finish the sentence! I mean playing the right way for the Fulham supporters, because that’s what they want to see.
“But either one is going to be very disappointed. They’re going to end in a play-off scenario and just missing out is deflating.”

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Bellamy: "The Derby result was obviously disappointing but with Hull away and Reading at home, I always fancied us because the style of football we play, the directness, will be too much for them. We're very difficult to play against, we really are.

"I've watched a lot of Championship football this year.

"A lot of teams will have the ball against Cardiff, they're comfortable with it, it's not a problem to them. But can you deal with the ball coming into your box from every area of the football pitch?

"It's not pretty but they do it for a reason — because they get results from it. They're a difficult, difficult team to play against."


Craig Bellamy

It's not in Fulham's hands, but they're on a roll now?

Murphy: "I think Fulham will get the win but I thought for Cardiff to go to Hull and win was a tremendous performance. I was at Fulham on Friday and they were a bit nervy (against Sunderland) but they got over the line and put the pressure on Cardiff, which was all they could do.

"That last minute equaliser against Brentford two weeks previous was a killer, but what's fascinating about the Championship is the extremes of these two teams.

"They're very different, but I like that because it shows you can get success in different ways. You don't always have to be pretty and play it out from the back. I like Fuham, the manager and the way they play."



Bellamy: " You couldn't come across two more opposite teams in terms of how they play football. But they're both having huge success from it.

"There's become a snobbery in football, I keep hearing the words 'right way of playing' — but there is no right and wrong way of playing. You just have to get results and Cardiff knew what they were doing when they brought Neil Warnock in.

"We knew what we were going to get and that's what he's been promoted on more than one occasion.

"This club, like every other club in the Championship, was desperate for promotion. Financially, we need it. If Neil Warnock is available, which he was at the time — which was crazy — why wouldn't you go and get him?

"Look what he's done in the space of a year and a half!

"And it's not rocket science, it's route one and whether people like it or not — and opposition fans might want to boo it — they would much rather sit on our points... we're one win away from being in the Premier League.

"People say you can't play like that in the Premier League, but we'll deal with that later."

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Can Cardiff play survive playing like that in the Premier League?

Bellamy: "I don't know, that's the honest truth!"

Murphy: "Stoke survived that way for years, not exactly the same but a similar philosophy and built a squad to do it.

"And going there was tough, in the Premier League your home form is what keeps you up.

"Look, Neil Warnock, love him or hate him, you have to take your hat off to him. To keep getting promotions and do it over a period of time when people say the game changes, credit to him.

"Hat off to the Fulham manager too because he's got a lovely mix of experience and young players and playing the right way."

Bellamy: "Stop saying 'right way', there's no right or wrong way!"

Murphy: "I didn't finish the sentence! I mean playing the right way for the Fulham supporters, because that's what they want to see.

"But either one is going to be very disappointed. They're going to end in a play-off scenario and just missing out is deflating."

Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic and Cardiff boss Neil Warnock (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
Do you have a concern that Fulham's momentum will be stopped if they drop into the play-offs?

Murphy: "I think it'll be hard, it's always a worry because you kind of feel you shouldn't be there.

"I also think we should look at the play-offs differently. Maybe the team who finishes third just plays the game at home? Rather than another two games, they've already played 46 games in the Championship. It's a slog.

"And there's no advantage of finishing third."

Bellamy: "I think Cardiff will go up just due to the fact that nerves won't get in the way, don't worry about that.

"There's been a couple of teams who have worked Cardiff out this season. The best team I've seen go to Cardiff was Fulham when they won 4-2 and it could have been more. Fulham were outstanding and that's when they upped their gear after Christmas.

"I like this Fulham team and if they do go into the play-offs, I hope they go up because the players they have with (Ryan) Sessegnon, who as a young player is one of the best I've seen in a long time."

Murphy : "Last year, losing in the play-offs, Fulham must learn from that. They didn't take their chances and threw it away in the end. These are big games and hopefully the players have learned.

"Anything can happen on the last day of the season but I'm with Craig, I can't see a different outcome than Cardiff absolutely battering Reading into the ground."

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"You just have to get results and Cardiff knew what they were doing when they brought Neil Warnock in."

Just how much did they allow it to get bad before bringing in Warnock did it get? Warnock was available when Trollope got the managers job. Trollope was Tans choice and he went on Trollope achievement with Wales at the Euro 2016. This to me showed Tan knows nothing about football or should I say even less than what I thought he already knew.

So who knew what they were doing? Well I have my ideas who it was and they also knew how bad it had to get before they could tell Tan stop being a pillock and let those who know best decide.

It's on now Sky Sports PL

I cannot stand Murphy. He ruins every game he co commentates on.

I like listening to Bellamy on tv. He comes cross as educated and erudite.

"You just have to get results and Cardiff knew what they were doing when they brought Neil Warnock in."

Just how much did they allow it to get bad before bringing in Warnock did it get? Warnock was available when Trollope got the managers job. Trollope was Tans choice and he went on Trollope achievement with Wales at the Euro 2016. This to me showed Tan knows nothing about football or should I say even less than what I thought he already knew.

So who knew what they were doing? Well I have my ideas who it was and they also knew how bad it had to get before they could tell Tan stop being a pillock and let those who know best decide.

Was it Tans choice, always seemed more of Choo and Dalman combination. Bad appointments happen at pretty much all clubs. I could see why Trollope was given the chance, the key was acting quickly when it didn't work and replace him with someone experience which the club did

If appointing trollope shows he knows nothing does it mean appointing Warnock show he now knows a lot about football?

People said this about MM and his type of football,but he got us further than any other manager and most were happy.

NW - Has used his way to get the best out of his squad and is 90 mins away from doing the job.

Good Luck to him - The team - it's all about results and points