BREAKING NEIL HARRIS: " UPDATES CARDIFF CITY FANS "

NEIL HARRIS TODAY UPDATES CARDIFF CITY FANS

Friday 29th November 2019




NEIL HARRIS:


Bobby Reid’s situation

"As far as I know, Bobby Reid’s deal was based on appearances to turn into a permanent.
It’s a player I fully respect and know his talent, but that’s a deal that’s been done in the summer."



NEIL HARRIS:

Joe Ralls?

"Yeah he’s not training yet."



Nice start?

"Points return I’m pleased. Performance was pleasing in two aspects. Defensively really solid and reliable and limited some talented players at Stoke. At Charlton, aspects of the first half were really excited and should have won the game.
Biggest thing is the application of players and drive they’ve shown to implement what I want.
I couldn’t have had much tougher start, looking at the fixtures coming up. If we are taking one game at a time, then Forest is a monumental challenge in itself."

"We want to keep the momentum going but we know they are on a roll as well."




On fitness levels

"Better all the time. Players are getting closer, I have to look at some this morning. If some don’t make this weekend then definitely next week."



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NEIL HARRIS:



On Forest

"What Forest have added this year is the defensive mindset. They’ve been searching for that and they’ve done well defensively."

"They look like a good, all-round team. I know some players quite well, Lewis Grabban for example, I played with at Millwall a while ago."
We have to make sure we deal with their threats as we did against Stoke. We have to find ways of hurting them and that’s where teams have struggled.
They can play quite deep and narrow."

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NEIL HARRIS:


How is squad comparing to what you thought preparing for the job?

"I’ve been fortunate enough in my previous role to play against Cardiff and I know their capabilities."

"Working out the players and how I want to implement my style of play, who can do that is the key one."

"Giving players an opportunity to perform you just don’t know, so patience with players. But on a whole I’ve been really impressed with the group."

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NEIL HARRIS:


On leaving Cardiff for Forest as a player

"I was careful not to disrespect Forest (in my first presser), I was talking purely in a football perspective, Cardiff would have been a better fit for me.
It’s a great club, rich in history.
But my focus is on Cardiff City and getting points tomorrow."

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NEIL HARRIS:



Danny Ward available again?

"We have yeah. Gary has had two starts and is looking better all the time. Robert Glatzel is a bit of a risk to involve this weekend and maybe it’s one worth taking."

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NEIL HARRIS:



Gavin Whyte, injury and situation?

"He got a strained hamstring while he was away with Northern Ireland. It’s an accumulation of him adjusting to Championship football and workloads."

"He’s getting closer all the time and getting stronger, he’s back training with the group. He’ll train today but tomorrow might just come a little bit too soon."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Who impressed the u23s?

"Some of the young lads did really well. The senior players were excellent. Joe Day, Sol, Jazz and Danny Ward, their attitude was outstanding and that rubs off on the younger players."

"In Joel and Taz, two under-18s players, down that left-hand side, they were very, very good.
Sam Bowen in the middle of the park was very, very good, so some good individual performances, the challenge of those lads is the consistency."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Bobby Reid’s situation

"As far as I know, Bobby Reid’s deal was based on appearances to turn into a permanent.
It’s a player I fully respect and know his talent, but that’s a deal that’s been done in the summer."

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Nice start?

NEIL HARRIS:

"Points return I’m pleased. Performance was pleasing in two aspects. Defensively really solid and reliable and limited some talented players at Stoke. At Charlton, aspects of the first half were really excited and should have won the game.
Biggest thing is the application of players and drive they’ve shown to implement what I want.
I couldn’t have had much tougher start, looking at the fixtures coming up. If we are taking one game at a time, then Forest is a monumental challenge in itself."

"We want to keep the momentum going but we know they are on a roll as well."

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NEIL HARRIS:

How have the players responded to change?

"Hugely impressed. Me, Dave Livermore, James Rowberry.
It is a shift in mindset but the players have embraced it and been great. A lot of video analysis and you wonder how players are going to take that on board.
Finding different ways of learning is key."

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NEIL HARRIS:


On Lee Tomlin

"What Tommo gives you is a real cleverness with and without the ball. Fans might underestimate how clever he is without the ball."

"How good our shape was without the ball. So it’s not just what he gives with the ball, the flair, excitement, dribbling, the clever pass, there’s a huge part for him to play."

"If he’s working hard and defensively sound, he becomes very important."

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NEIL HARRIS:



January, who might be going out?

"It’s far too early still. Fans are doing no different to what I’m doing, sitting there thinking ‘Oh, I’ve used him and him’ etc. But it’s nothing like that at the moment."

"Everyone is getting an opportunity and until you give people an opportunity on the pitch, you really don’t know about them, other than their character within the training ground."

"It’s too early to make judgment and talk about January, but what I do know is the squad is a big squad and if I want to bring anyone in then players will have to leave."

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NEIL HARRIS:



The Armand Traore situation

"The first week, Armand was excellent in training and I spoke to him and he came in under the radar, just because of the timing of it."

"The guys were probably thinking about Bennett maybe being the only recognised left back. But Armand came in and he is way off, fitness-wise."

"Armand came in and trained off the back of the couple of weeks he had before that and we’re just looking at putting a game on in the midweek coming up, for fitness for the lads to let him get up to speed."

"The lads who played the other day, like Sol, definitely, like Jazz, Armand and a few others would have been involved as well.
But unfortunately, Armand has picked up a calf strain and he will be out for a few weeks. But I am aware of his qualities as a player."

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NEIL HARRIS:



How are Sol and Jazz progressing?

"They were brilliant, Jazz is obviously a bit further off fitness-wise, but his abilities at right back are as good as anyone in this division."

"Can I be the manager who finally gets him fit and consistent in fitness levels? That’s my challenge with my staff."

"He’s a great lad and I’ve played against him and managed against him and he’s certainly a talented footballer."

"Sol was excellent in the week, so I think we are coming in with the intensity I want to train at and Sol has just realised he was getting there, but maybe he needs a couple more weeks to get up to speed."

"Sol has a huge part to play within the group, every day. In the team, on the bench, not up to speed yet. Him and Sean Morrison are huge characters and leaders, every day I lean on them for their leadership qualities."

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Andy Legg departure, any more details?


NEIL HARRIS:

"No, that decision was made before I came in. I met Leggy first day and it happened after that.
It’s not something I feel I should talk about because I was not part of the decision making. It was a club decision and I have to support that."

"Not an opinion either way other than to say it’s a good football man who has lost his job, which is a shame."

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Will you get a say on who becomes the next u23s manager?


NEIL HARRIS:

"I’ll have an input because it’s someone I want to work with very closely. The big thing for me is getting the relationship between the academy and the first team free flowing."

"It’s something I worked extremely hard at in my previous job and we were very successful bringing young players through.
The club is crying out for the opportunity for young players to be brought through. It’s not going to be overnight because of the size of the first-team squad, but over the next six to 12 months, I want to see that pathway develop.
I know James McCarthy, the head of the academy, wants to see that as well. And I know the club want to see it and the fans want to see it.
As ever, 100 percent clear and honest, if they are good enough they will get a chance to play.
So having that relationship with McCarthy is absolutely vital for me that we work together and that the under23 coach is involved in that.
I’m inclusive in the training ground. I like to watch the u23s and I like to work with them myself in the afternoons and things like that.
That’s something that might change the mindset of the academy.
But it’s a pivotal role."

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I assumed it was his decision to move Legg on.

Very interesting that the decision was taken before Harris came in and by the club.

I assumed it was his decision to move Legg on.

Very interesting that the decision was taken before Harris came in and by the club.

I was shocked Ned, about Andy Legg.

The returning Cardiff City star 'as good as anyone in the division' Neil Harris is desperate to get firing

The Bluebirds boss is hopeful some key returning players can have an impact in the coming weeks





' JAZZ RICHARDS '

Jazz Richards has endured some rotten luck during his time at Cardiff City.

The right back has been plagued by injuries and is yet to feature for the first team this season - in fact he has been forced to miss 62 games through injury in just three years at the club.

But he put in a stellar display on Monday for the under-23s against Charlton Athletic and Neil Harris, who was in attendance, was suitably impressed.

Harris's predecessor, Neil Warnock, was keen to include Richards back into the fold after he looked sharp in an academy game last month, but the defender suffered yet another setback with his hip.

Now, though, Harris appears excited by the prospect of the player's return.

The Bluebirds boss hopes he can be the man to harness Richards' ability and reserved some special praise for the Wales international.

"His abilities at right back are as good as anyone in this division," Harris said of Richards.

"Can I be the manager who finally gets him fit and consistent in fitness levels? That’s my challenge with my staff.

"He’s a great lad and I’ve played against him and managed against him and he’s certainly a talented footballer."





' SOL BAMBA '


Another senior figure fans have been dying to see involved in recent weeks is the talismanic Sol Bamba.

Bamba is also getting up to speed following his horrendous ACL injury back in March.

Harris believes the increase in intensity he has implemented since his arrival has perhaps pushed the Ivorian's return back a couple of weeks, but insisted he still has a massive part to play at the club.

"They were brilliant," Harris said of Bamba and Richards' performances on Monday, "Jazz is obviously a bit further off fitness-wise.

"Sol was excellent in the week, so I think we are coming in with the intensity I want to train at and Sol has just realised he was getting there, but maybe he needs a couple more weeks to get up to speed.

"Sol has a huge part to play within the group, every day. In the team, on the bench, not up to speed yet.

"Him and Sean Morrison are huge characters and leaders, every day I lean on them for their leadership qualities."