NEIL HARRIS BEING COMPARED TO RUSSELL SLADE?

Just eight games into his reign as Bluebirds boss Harris is earning unfair comparisons with Russell Slade, but there are quick-fixes he needs to implement to boost Cardiff City's prospects


Friday 27th December 2019

By Glen Williams

In a few weeks' time Cardiff City will begin asking fans to buy season tickets for the 2020-21 campaign.

The Bluebirds, and Welsh football, cannot afford for there to be a significant drop off in numbers.

As such, the onus is upon Neil Harris to produce a speedy turnaround in performance levels following a dismal Christmas which has seen his side scrape dreary home draws with Millwall and Preston.

Which he is more than capable of doing even though already, just eight games into the job, comparisons are being made by some supporters between Harris and Russell Slade.

A little unfair, perhaps, because Harris is a cut above the man who held the Cardiff hot-seat two eras before him.

But the analogy is nonetheless a concerning early development, given Slade's football was a turn-off and led to many fans walking away, some reckoning the football on show was the worst since the dark days of Alan Durban during the 1980s.

The problem for Harris is that Cardiff followers were told, during the Premier League season and then in the summer, that if the side were relegated, they would have a squad more than capable of coming straight back up.

Expectations were raised. Neil Warnock stated mirroring Burnley, who went up, came back down, then won the Championship, would be the Cardiff mantra.

Yet the summer sales of Bobby Reid, Kenneth Zohore and Bruno Manga kind of contradicted that theory and instead of challenging for the top two, Cardiff are languishing mid-table and have changed their manager.

And that leaves Harris in the awkward position of having to instantly turn around results and make the Bluebirds more aesthetically pleasing on the eye at the same time.

It's a terribly raw deal in some ways, but goes with the territory of being Cardiff City manager right at this moment in time.

There are, however, some potential quick fixes, if Harris is bold enough to go with them.

The comparisons with Slade

Whilst unfair, these are also unfortunately apt. Harris has actually lost just one of his first eight games, yet the lack of any fluency, creativity or goal threat against Preston and Millwall, and a route one approach, is what alarmed fans.

Slade won his first four home matches in charge - against Nottingham Forest, Ipswich, Leeds and Reading - yet still the natives were restless because of the boring style of football.


Former Cardiff City manager Russell Slade (Image: Getty Images)
A 0-0 home draw with Rotherham was the nadir, followed by a 2-3 home defeat to Brentford.

Three days after Christmas, and only 13 games into his reign, Slade faced calls of 'You're being sacked in the morning' from his own supporters as Cardiff crashed 2-4 at home to Watford.

The Bluebirds returned to blue for the next game, a 1-0 win over Fulham and a new buzz was created. But many simply never accepted Slade and voted with their feet.

It's essential that doesn't happen with Harris, who has inherited a team ingrained in Warnockball - a no frills, lump it up the field ASAP approach.

Which is fine when it works. When it doesn't, it creates the kind of disquiet we saw post-Millwall and which we witnessed for some of Slade's reign.

No-one is advocating going from Warnockball to tiki-taka or split centre-halves at goal-kicks, but there are quick fixes Harris can nonetheless consider implementing with immediate effect.

Why is Pack so deep?

Marlon Pack was a decent summer signing. Marry his physical attributes with composure in possession and leadership skills, and many hoped Cardiff had found the kind of dominant, ball-playing midfielder they lacked for years.

Yet Pack is part of the problem - and the solution.

For many, he sits 10 yards too deep and is coming back almost level with the centre-halves to collect the ball to try to get things going.

This is something Cardiff can change with immediate effect. Should the centre-backs not be telling Pack to get out of there and be playing those simple passes themselves?


Pack could then work from further forward, closer to the front four, meaning gaps are closed up and the team looks more compact.

It's commendable that Pack wants to come back and help out, but it's not working. He has to provide midfield drive, not do a centre-back's basic passing for him.

An easy fix, surely?

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I think the comparison is along the lines of loads of deadwood to clear out ts hardly his squad now is it,I feel a bit for him,probably thought because we had basically the elements,but needed to change style.thing is you can lead a horse to water (players)but you can't make it drink" springs to mind,seems as if the players cannot change their mindsets

Change their mind sets ???? Pack sitting so deep is a managers mind set surely ?? Not the players

Lets not try to gloss over this appointment, every single game has been dire to watch, the draws mind numbingly hard to watch.
NH was brought in to cut the cloth accordingly and exactly the same as Slade.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

If the STs numbers drop they only have themselves to blame. Uninspiring appointment in Harris and turgid football to match.

How are supporters meant to "wait" for promises of change and youth inclusion whilst watching route one football, excuse after excuse when it's obvious it's all flannel to keep people hooked and paying money out. The likeness to Slade is very apt, both are/were not what was needed other than to tread water and toe the party line.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

100% agree. It was a lazy appointment by the club and frankly put a man in charge who lacks the credentials that the club had said they wanted.

For all of the rhetoric and bluster from both the club and Harris, nothing has changed - are we more attacking (no), have youth got anywhere near the team (no), are we playing with a quality and fight (no), do we have more movement and energy (no), so we retain the ball better (marginally).

Easy to say he’s only had 8 games, but he is already blaming the players by saying he expects more from them - just more rhetoric to deflect attention from himself - the onus is on him to get more out of them both through motivation and giving them a platform to be effective. I don’t think this squad has the quality that some think, but getting the tactics right is entirely down to him - players playing too deep, lack of press, isolated forwards, are all things that are a managers gift to fix...regardless of the quality of player.

8 games in and I can’t for the life of me figure out what his vision is for how he wants us to play - the next few weeks will hopefully give a clearer indication but I don’t expect much to change from the pattern that we’ve already seen as nothing in his past suggests it will. II hope I’m wrong.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

100% agree. It was a lazy appointment by the club and frankly put a man in charge who lacks the credentials that the club had said they wanted.

For all of the rhetoric and bluster from both the club and Harris, nothing has changed - are we more attacking (no), have youth got anywhere near the team (no), are we playing with a quality and fight (no), do we have more movement and energy (no), so we retain the ball better (marginally).

Easy to say he’s only had 8 games, but he is already blaming the players by saying he expects more from them - just more rhetoric to deflect attention from himself - the onus is on him to get more out of them both through motivation and giving them a platform to be effective. I don’t think this squad has the quality that some think, but getting the tactics right is entirely down to him - players playing too deep, lack of press, isolated forwards, are all things that are a managers gift to fix...regardless of the quality of player.

8 games in and I can’t for the life of me figure out what his vision is for how he wants us to play - the next few weeks will hopefully give a clearer indication but I don’t expect much to change from the pattern that we’ve already seen as nothing in his past suggests it will. II hope I’m wrong.

Its 8 games in, just how quickly do you expect him to assess the senior squad he has (bearing in mind the injuries too) and assess the youth potential?

Neil Harris was not my favoured appointment but let's give the man a chance. 8 games in, limited training time with players to learn a.new style and not even had a transfer window....

I have seem glimpses of progress but to change a style of.play will take time....

Slade got a much worse squad than this to 8th position - ironically only really out of the playoff picture following an away defeat to today’s opponents. In that season we had done exciting games including a win over a very good derby side in front of a home sell out. Granted it was an offer at the time but we looked a good side at times. Other notable big wins v Leeds and Brighton under his tenure where we played much better than anything served up this season so far

Neil Harris was not my favoured appointment but let's give the man a chance. 8 games in, limited training time with players to learn a.new style and not even had a transfer window....

I have seem glimpses of progress but to change a style of.play will take time....

Far too sensible a post mate

Neil Harris was not my favoured appointment but let's give the man a chance. 8 games in, limited training time with players to learn a.new style and not even had a transfer window....

I have seem glimpses of progress but to change a style of.play will take time....

What changes have you seen? I’ve seen nothing new and the football has become worse since Warnock’s departure which says a lot

Well Harris was always going to be a target as not the name many wanted.
As for Slade, he nowhere near as bad as Ole or Trollope.
Don’t know what was going through Warnock mind this summer but his signings so poor, Harris has been slept a squad that needs to be re built, that won’t happen this season but over the summer.
This time next year time to judge him.
Ironically Warnock left us in a similar position to the team he started with .

We missed our opportunity for a forward thinking manager. Millwall are playing much better since Harris left them.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

100% agree. It was a lazy appointment by the club and frankly put a man in charge who lacks the credentials that the club had said they wanted.

For all of the rhetoric and bluster from both the club and Harris, nothing has changed - are we more attacking (no), have youth got anywhere near the team (no), are we playing with a quality and fight (no), do we have more movement and energy (no), so we retain the ball better (marginally).

Easy to say he’s only had 8 games, but he is already blaming the players by saying he expects more from them - just more rhetoric to deflect attention from himself - the onus is on him to get more out of them both through motivation and giving them a platform to be effective. I don’t think this squad has the quality that some think, but getting the tactics right is entirely down to him - players playing too deep, lack of press, isolated forwards, are all things that are a managers gift to fix...regardless of the quality of player.

8 games in and I can’t for the life of me figure out what his vision is for how he wants us to play - the next few weeks will hopefully give a clearer indication but I don’t expect much to change from the pattern that we’ve already seen as nothing in his past suggests it will. II hope I’m wrong.

Its 8 games in, just how quickly do you expect him to assess the senior squad he has (bearing in mind the injuries too) and assess the youth potential?

8 games is plenty of time to at least be showing some difference in approach either mentally, physically or tactically, even if the execution doesn’t come off. My concern isn’t that he hasn’t got us winning games - it’s the complete lack of direction, a drop off in energy levels and tactics that would have our midfielder sitting in defence...all things he can control within a couple of games.

He will have (as he said he did) studied videos of our games before joining, so he has had more than 8 games to understand the strengths and weaknesses of this squad.

The point of bringing him in was that the squad wouldn’t have to get used to playing a totally different style, which would take time...so therefore surely the expectation of the board is that he would be able to get us progressing quicker to make a charge at the play offs which has to be the minimum aim.

At least Slade had a game plan, even if it was poor and always the same 442

Both terrible managers.

Sadly the last 2 games at home are the worst I have seen since Slade was in charge and the lack of atmosphere too.

Harris has a lot of work it is like the last time we got relegated we gone from a team in the premiership to a mid table championship team.

Sadly the last 2 games at home are the worst I have seen since Slade was in charge and the lack of atmosphere too.

Harris has a lot of work it is like the last time we got relegated we gone from a team in the premiership to a mid table championship team.

I really hope I'm wrong but I'm concerned for next season already.

The comparisons between Harris & Slade are easy to make; both were hired after one previous unsuccessful season in the Premiership, & both were given the objective of "sorting out" the problems created by the previous management.
Both appear to play unattractive football, but lets not forget that Harris still currently has players with the Warnock mindset.

Neil Harris has hinted that he looks at players body language & demeanour during training, so lets see what develops from that.

If I remember correctly, Russel Slade had three transfer windows during his tenure at City, & I think its fair to say that Neil Harris will be afforded the same, unless of course, the last few months of this season turn out to be a disaster?

Neil harris at the moment is mirroring slade but to be fair we need to see what happens in January,
But following the burnley model has not worked, perhaps we should have gone the wolves way 5th in the prem, foreign mananger different style with a lot of foreign flare, perhaps our new scout will source abroad, lets hope he is not bargain basment div 2/3, harris i must say needs to break up warnocks team but if he brings in the same dros type of players warnock brought in we know where we are going to be next season and its not going to be where wolves are .

The comparison for me is a perfectly valid one.

Both appointed as a cheap option
Neither has any pedigree in the Championship.
The football under both was/is dull and uninspiring.
Both have to get rid of players from a bloated squad.
Atmosphere at the ground is becoming turgid due to the football being played.
Both appointments made whilst still in receipt of parachute payments but with little or no money available to them.
Neither would have got any club above mid table in the Championship (lower for Slade) to even contemplate employing them as manager if they were serious about promotion.
Both appointed by the club with their fingers crossed hoping for a miracle such as happened with Warnock.

Lots in common between the two appointments as far as I can see and in my opinion it will lead to a rapidly dwindling attendance and a feeling of disillusionment with Harris in the same way it did with Slade.

I really hope I'm wrong.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

Go on then I’ll bite.

Explain that?

Cheap option,never done anything at this level to write home about as a Manager.
Comparisons to Slade are inevitable but that is how I see it.
We will chunter on this season finishing mid table,and I predict by October next season his job will be on the line.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

100% agree. It was a lazy appointment by the club and frankly put a man in charge who lacks the credentials that the club had said they wanted.

For all of the rhetoric and bluster from both the club and Harris, nothing has changed - are we more attacking (no), have youth got anywhere near the team (no), are we playing with a quality and fight (no), do we have more movement and energy (no), so we retain the ball better (marginally).

Easy to say he’s only had 8 games, but he is already blaming the players by saying he expects more from them - just more rhetoric to deflect attention from himself - the onus is on him to get more out of them both through motivation and giving them a platform to be effective. I don’t think this squad has the quality that some think, but getting the tactics right is entirely down to him - players playing too deep, lack of press, isolated forwards, are all things that are a managers gift to fix...regardless of the quality of player.

8 games in and I can’t for the life of me figure out what his vision is for how he wants us to play - the next few weeks will hopefully give a clearer indication but I don’t expect much to change from the pattern that we’ve already seen as nothing in his past suggests it will. II hope I’m wrong.

Its 8 games in, just how quickly do you expect him to assess the senior squad he has (bearing in mind the injuries too) and assess the youth potential?

8 games is plenty of time to at least be showing some difference in approach either mentally, physically or tactically, even if the execution doesn’t come off. My concern isn’t that he hasn’t got us winning games - it’s the complete lack of direction, a drop off in energy levels and tactics that would have our midfielder sitting in defence...all things he can control within a couple of games.

He will have (as he said he did) studied videos of our games before joining, so he has had more than 8 games to understand the strengths and weaknesses of this squad.

The point of bringing him in was that the squad wouldn’t have to get used to playing a totally different style, which would take time...so therefore surely the expectation of the board is that he would be able to get us progressing quicker to make a charge at the play offs which has to be the minimum aim.

In his time remember only 8 games he's yet to have a fully fit or available squad.

Hes had unavailable at times:

Ralls
Pack
Morrison
Bennett
Glatzel
Richards
Bamba
Hoilett
Vassell

So i think its fair to say his time so far has been hampered and not a fair reflection.

Honestly i think its madness for fans to start condemning a new manager 8 games in when he's lost 1 game.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

don't get a Wolves comparison... we did not spend Wolves type money. and did not have Mendes working with our club...
I wish we could compare...

Slade got a much worse squad than this to 8th position - ironically only really out of the playoff picture following an away defeat to today’s opponents. In that season we had done exciting games including a win over a very good derby side in front of a home sell out. Granted it was an offer at the time but we looked a good side at times. Other notable big wins v Leeds and Brighton under his tenure where we played much better than anything served up this season so far

I wasn't a fan of Slade but as you rightly point out he did get us within touching distance of the play offs ( even if that display at Wednesday was shocking considering the importance of it.) He has been unfairly judged as it cant be said he was a failure.

Totally different set up for him to NH! slade was brought in to stabilise team and to cut costs which he did and of course got us much closer to playoffs than expected! NH has got no such mandate in fact has he got any mandate? He has been left with a big under performing squad use to playing kick and rush football which he as got to change on both counts, but he'll need couple of windows to get in players to change way we play and bit time to see if any youngsters can make step up! It is not going to be a quick fix thats for sure.

Club only has itself to blame when it comes to ST renewal. 18,000 this year, average 31000 last. Time to run the club properly isn’t it? Look at wolves now for example.....

don't get a Wolves comparison... we did not spend Wolves type money. and did not have Mendes working with our club...
I wish we could compare...

Yep I’m after some form of explanation. Not even close to comparison.

Totally different set up for him to NH! slade was brought in to stabilise team and to cut costs which he did and of course got us much closer to playoffs than expected! NH has got no such mandate in fact has he got any mandate? He has been left with a big under performing squad use to playing kick and rush football which he as got to change on both counts, but he'll need couple of windows to get in players to change way we play and bit time to see if any youngsters can make step up! It is not going to be a quick fix thats for sure.

Thankfully NH had Warnock before him who didn’t over spend ridiculously.

Slade had Ole and Malky before him who had spent lots and we needed to cut back as Tan was withdrawing the support he had offered previously.

Harris left Millwall. Millwall. Who they? His interview pitch was either awesome or the board wanted a cheap option. His pitch could not have been awesome...he's achieved nothing as a manager. Vision, belief. Nah.