‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:02 pm
Always negative from Blakey, yes Harris was not my choice either, but let’s totally move on and fully back Neil Harris.
Nathan Blake, Never ever been a Manager.
Cardiff City's massive missed opportunity over Chris Hughton and what new boss Neil Harris needs to do next
Bluebirds legend and fans' favourite Nathan Blake would have chosen former Newcastle boss Hughton as Neil Warnock's successor
By NATHAN BLAKE
Thursday 27th 2019.
Nathan Blake would have chosen former Newcastle boss Hughton as Neil Warnock's successor
Two games in, one win, one draw and it's still far too early to make judgement on Neil Harris.
As Cardiff City's chosen man he deserves our support, as would anyone the Bluebirds appointed as manager.
That said, there was a lot of understandable disquiet over the club's decision to go for Harris and, as such, he will quickly need to turn around results and performances to win over the doubters.
Will he be able to do that? Look, only time will tell on that. There are certain things Harris can do in training behind the scenes straight away which can greatly benefit this squad of Cardiff players.
More of that in a moment.
If I'm honest, I personally see this as something of a missed opportunity for the Bluebirds and would definitely have gone for Chris Hughton.
Listen, I've been saying that for 18 months. No disrespect is meant to Harris, I've just felt Hughton was the obvious candidate to take Cardiff to the next level.
Why? He ticks any manner of boxes.
The first thing a new manager needs is the instant respect from the players. Yes, they might say the right things in public, but inside the dressing room the mood can sometimes be entirely different.
It's the reason, I believe, that things never worked out for Nathan Jones at Stoke. Almost a 'You've only come from Luton' kind of attitude. I felt he was never going to succeed there from day one and so it duly proved.
Sadly.
I hope Harris gets the full respect he deserves from inside the Cardiff dressing room, but I know for certain Hughton would most definitely have had no problems whatsoever in that respect.
Blakey would have gone with Chris Hughton to replace Neil Warnock at Cardiff City.
Why? Because his record commands that, in the Premier League and the Championship.
Hughton's professionalism and knowledge is huge and he's done a good job wherever he has managed. Yes there may have been grumblings after a while at Newcastle and Brighton fans, but it was almost as if they appreciated what he had done even more after he had left those two clubs.
Another reason I felt Hughton would have been better than Harris is because his style of football is exactly what is required to transition Cardiff gradually from route one team under Warnock, to the more easy on the eye passing style at pace approach so many fans have begun to covet.
Hughton didn't play expansive football at Brighton, was accused of being too defensive. But he knew they weren't Liverpool or Manchester United. It was a reserved control approach, if I can put it that way. Keep it tight at the back, get the ball up to Glenn Murray and play off him to produce really good football in the final third.
Which is what Brighton by and large did.
A bit like Ryan Giggs' Wales and Kieffer Moore, dare I suggest.
Cardiff couldn't just go from Warnockball to free-flowing football. They tried that before by jumping from Malky Mackay's defensive approach, to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's go-for-it attitude, then Russell Slade's direct game.
Sometimes you just need slow transition, not expect to jump from stage three to stage one by missing out the important bit of stage two.
Hughton was the perfect fit for that transition. I was the first to say he should be Cardiff's next manager, yet so many told me 'No Blakes, we don't want him'.
Suddenly those same people are saying 'Yes, I'd have liked Hughton.' As opposed to Harris, they mean.
You don't need to be Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, roll it out, roll it out, pass, pass pass.
Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp is a better model for Harris to follow at Cardiff. Be strong defensively, keep the ball much better, get it up quickly when necessary to a centre-forward who links play, have wingers and full-backs who can bomb on. Most importantly, hit with stunning pace on the counter, which Liverpool do so effectively.
Harris has wingers at his disposal in Junior Hoilett, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Josh Murphy who can do that, but the muscle memory for Cardiff's players has been lump it upfield for far too many months and years.
Harris needs to change that mindset because the team have been lacking tactically. Offensively and defensively.
Look at Charlton's second goal last weekend. Leandro Bacuna and Marlon Pack needed to slow up the move, but dived in. Lee Peltier was too far to the right, Curtis Nelson came out trying to cover Pack, who was chasing Jonathan Leko. As such Leko got into position to score, with Peltier not in the correct position to stop it as final cover.
Some may say it was a swift Charlton move, but we beat ourselves there.
Harris needs to identify that and in the coming weeks spend two sessions a day doing mundane tactical work, positional play, in and out of possession of the ball, so that come Saturday that work comes to fruition and you are as one as a team. That's when you see the benefits.
Spend training working on passing drills, then more again. Do this for five to six weeks and by the end of January I feel you will see a very different and far more effective Cardiff City.
I don't want to see full-backs man marking and following into midfield any more. That's 1990s football. They're following someone who simply acts as a decoy to create space for another team-mate who runs into the space vacated and causes problems.
Cardiff also need to significantly improve their possession stats, something I've called for over many months. If you have the ball, the opposition can't score. It's quite simple.
There have been major flaws in the tactics this season. However, new manager, new tactics, new hope.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and wait and see.
Nathan Blake, Never ever been a Manager.
Cardiff City's massive missed opportunity over Chris Hughton and what new boss Neil Harris needs to do next
Bluebirds legend and fans' favourite Nathan Blake would have chosen former Newcastle boss Hughton as Neil Warnock's successor
By NATHAN BLAKE
Thursday 27th 2019.
Nathan Blake would have chosen former Newcastle boss Hughton as Neil Warnock's successor
Two games in, one win, one draw and it's still far too early to make judgement on Neil Harris.
As Cardiff City's chosen man he deserves our support, as would anyone the Bluebirds appointed as manager.
That said, there was a lot of understandable disquiet over the club's decision to go for Harris and, as such, he will quickly need to turn around results and performances to win over the doubters.
Will he be able to do that? Look, only time will tell on that. There are certain things Harris can do in training behind the scenes straight away which can greatly benefit this squad of Cardiff players.
More of that in a moment.
If I'm honest, I personally see this as something of a missed opportunity for the Bluebirds and would definitely have gone for Chris Hughton.
Listen, I've been saying that for 18 months. No disrespect is meant to Harris, I've just felt Hughton was the obvious candidate to take Cardiff to the next level.
Why? He ticks any manner of boxes.
The first thing a new manager needs is the instant respect from the players. Yes, they might say the right things in public, but inside the dressing room the mood can sometimes be entirely different.
It's the reason, I believe, that things never worked out for Nathan Jones at Stoke. Almost a 'You've only come from Luton' kind of attitude. I felt he was never going to succeed there from day one and so it duly proved.
Sadly.
I hope Harris gets the full respect he deserves from inside the Cardiff dressing room, but I know for certain Hughton would most definitely have had no problems whatsoever in that respect.
Blakey would have gone with Chris Hughton to replace Neil Warnock at Cardiff City.
Why? Because his record commands that, in the Premier League and the Championship.
Hughton's professionalism and knowledge is huge and he's done a good job wherever he has managed. Yes there may have been grumblings after a while at Newcastle and Brighton fans, but it was almost as if they appreciated what he had done even more after he had left those two clubs.
Another reason I felt Hughton would have been better than Harris is because his style of football is exactly what is required to transition Cardiff gradually from route one team under Warnock, to the more easy on the eye passing style at pace approach so many fans have begun to covet.
Hughton didn't play expansive football at Brighton, was accused of being too defensive. But he knew they weren't Liverpool or Manchester United. It was a reserved control approach, if I can put it that way. Keep it tight at the back, get the ball up to Glenn Murray and play off him to produce really good football in the final third.
Which is what Brighton by and large did.
A bit like Ryan Giggs' Wales and Kieffer Moore, dare I suggest.
Cardiff couldn't just go from Warnockball to free-flowing football. They tried that before by jumping from Malky Mackay's defensive approach, to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's go-for-it attitude, then Russell Slade's direct game.
Sometimes you just need slow transition, not expect to jump from stage three to stage one by missing out the important bit of stage two.
Hughton was the perfect fit for that transition. I was the first to say he should be Cardiff's next manager, yet so many told me 'No Blakes, we don't want him'.
Suddenly those same people are saying 'Yes, I'd have liked Hughton.' As opposed to Harris, they mean.
You don't need to be Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, roll it out, roll it out, pass, pass pass.
Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp is a better model for Harris to follow at Cardiff. Be strong defensively, keep the ball much better, get it up quickly when necessary to a centre-forward who links play, have wingers and full-backs who can bomb on. Most importantly, hit with stunning pace on the counter, which Liverpool do so effectively.
Harris has wingers at his disposal in Junior Hoilett, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Josh Murphy who can do that, but the muscle memory for Cardiff's players has been lump it upfield for far too many months and years.
Harris needs to change that mindset because the team have been lacking tactically. Offensively and defensively.
Look at Charlton's second goal last weekend. Leandro Bacuna and Marlon Pack needed to slow up the move, but dived in. Lee Peltier was too far to the right, Curtis Nelson came out trying to cover Pack, who was chasing Jonathan Leko. As such Leko got into position to score, with Peltier not in the correct position to stop it as final cover.
Some may say it was a swift Charlton move, but we beat ourselves there.
Harris needs to identify that and in the coming weeks spend two sessions a day doing mundane tactical work, positional play, in and out of possession of the ball, so that come Saturday that work comes to fruition and you are as one as a team. That's when you see the benefits.
Spend training working on passing drills, then more again. Do this for five to six weeks and by the end of January I feel you will see a very different and far more effective Cardiff City.
I don't want to see full-backs man marking and following into midfield any more. That's 1990s football. They're following someone who simply acts as a decoy to create space for another team-mate who runs into the space vacated and causes problems.
Cardiff also need to significantly improve their possession stats, something I've called for over many months. If you have the ball, the opposition can't score. It's quite simple.
There have been major flaws in the tactics this season. However, new manager, new tactics, new hope.
Let's keep our fingers crossed and wait and see.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:26 pm
that headline winds me up every time " Cardiff legend " what a joke a legend is like Robert Earnshaw certainly not Blake
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:28 pm
I like Blakey, but not happy with part of this article. We should not undermine our new manager. Cardiff players whatever they think are not premership class and have no reason to look down on Neil Harris.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:31 pm
Can’t argue with most of that and he does say Harris deserves the support.
Never been a manager? Since when has that stopped anyone from giving their opinion?
I’m not a particular fan of Blake and laugh when he’s described as a legend but he’s been there and done it as a player at a very high level.
Never been a manager? Since when has that stopped anyone from giving their opinion?
I’m not a particular fan of Blake and laugh when he’s described as a legend but he’s been there and done it as a player at a very high level.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:34 pm
valleyrambill wrote:that headline winds me up every time " Cardiff legend " what a joke a legend is like Robert Earnshaw certainly not Blake
I always edit the Legend, as in my eyes 100% Not a Cardiff Legend .
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:44 pm
valleyrambill wrote:that headline winds me up every time " Cardiff legend " what a joke a legend is like Robert Earnshaw certainly not Blake
Agree!
Blakey scored a legendary goal (v Man City) and did well for Cardiff City in his limited time here...but a playing 'legend' is stretching it a bit!
As for his comment? He gets paid to be controversial and he does his best to please his paymasters, which I guess is far better than robbing Fruit Machines for a living...something else I just recalled he is legendary for!!
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:47 pm
Hughton waiting for the Prem jobs to come up.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:49 pm
Totally agree with you Annis, a pointless article by Blake.
He was a good player for us but can't stand him as a pundit or whatever he wants to be called. Terrible.
He should spend his time supporting Neil Harris, who has had a good start.
He was a good player for us but can't stand him as a pundit or whatever he wants to be called. Terrible.
He should spend his time supporting Neil Harris, who has had a good start.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 2:55 pm
Forever Blue wrote:valleyrambill wrote:that headline winds me up every time " Cardiff legend " what a joke a legend is like Robert Earnshaw certainly not Blake
I always edit the Legend, as in my eyes 100% Not a Cardiff Legend .
Me too Annis, makes me cringe when the term legend is given to people in journalism, it's us fans that dole out that accolade,not lazy story writers
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 4:02 pm
I think it was very clear Hughton was not interested in a job with a Championship club. He turned down Stoke for that reason. Don't think he would ever have come to Cardiff. Not sure he will get a premier league club ha had a pretty poor last season with Brighton if we had got a bit more about us we would have stayed up and they would have gone down.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 4:09 pm
I dont even bother reading his articles you can count on it that's it gonna be bullshit
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 4:11 pm
"Legend" hardly any cardiff fans like him hes full of shit
hardly any cardiff fans like him hes full of shit
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 6:30 pm
He’s more of a legend at Sheff utd and Wolves than Cardiff,scores a great goal against Man City and dined out on it for years to come,but being controversial pays the bills eh ?
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Thu Nov 28, 2019 10:36 pm
Logie wrote:Hughton waiting for the Prem jobs to come up.
Might be a few coming up soon
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Fri Nov 29, 2019 1:22 am
For me Blakey is a legend! He played a massive part in our promotion year of 93 and scored that goal v Man City. He’ll always be a legend in my eyes.
Saying that, I don’t like what he said in that article and this is the same Blake who was touting Sol Campbell as Warnock’s successor a few months back. Campbell has done virtually nothing in management to warrant a job at Championship level.
Saying that, I don’t like what he said in that article and this is the same Blake who was touting Sol Campbell as Warnock’s successor a few months back. Campbell has done virtually nothing in management to warrant a job at Championship level.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Fri Nov 29, 2019 4:27 pm
I don't mind Blakey but its not the best football podcast to listen to. Much prefer Ellis James feast of football (EJFOF) which is a great listen to with Ellis James, Iwan Roberts and Daniel Gabbidon. The banter between them is brilliant.
Re: ‘ Blakey is at it again ‘
Fri Nov 29, 2019 11:43 pm
Ray Bishop wrote:For me Blakey is a legend! He played a massive part in our promotion year of 93 and scored that goal v Man City. He’ll always be a legend in my eyes.
Saying that, I don’t like what he said in that article and this is the same Blake who was touting Sol Campbell as Warnock’s successor a few months back. Campbell has done virtually nothing in management to warrant a job at Championship level.
legend in my eyes too...he did things on the pitch we hadn't seen a City player do for a long long time , played a huge part in that Eddie May/ Rick Wright era where at long last there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel.
no idea why he seems to be trying to be controversial.. bit of common sense is whats needed to stand out amongst the dregs of journalism churning out daily shit..