‘ Furious Cardiff City fans inspired Birmingham’

The walk past furious Cardiff City fans inspired Birmingham City comeback, reveals Neil Harris

The Bluebirds were forced to battle back from one goal down and ultimately could have won the game late on, but once again were victim to a sluggish start


Sunday 19th January 2020


The Bluebirds were forced to battle back from one goal down and ultimately could have won the game late on, but once again were victim to a sluggish start

Neil Harris believes having to walk past the furious Cardiff City fans after a lacklustre first half helped to inspire a second-half comeback at Birmingham City.


At half-time Cardiff fans booed and called for better from Harris and the Bluebirds.

The Bluebirds were dreadful before the break and allowed an unmarked Jude Bellingham to slot home from just a couple of yards out with four minutes on the clock to put the hosts ahead.

Birmingham went on to dominate the first half, prompting the travelling Bluebirds contingent to sing on three occasions: "Harris, sort them out, Harris, Harris sort them out."

And as the Cardiff players trudged towards the tunnel at half-time, Harris believes being subjected to the ire of thousands of visiting supporters was a big turning point for his side.


NEIL HARRIS:


"The best thing for us is that we had to walk past our fans, who were great and travelled in their numbers, got behind the team at every opportunity and you could sense the frustration in them, of course you can," Harris said after the 1-1 draw .

"We'd not played or competed against a physical Birmingham side.



"I said, 'Boys, we're a little bit caught in between what we're doing. We've got some fantastic footballers in the team, but we've got players who can play direct, and have been successful playing that way over a period of time, so we are going to go direct.'

"I can't praise my players enough after that."

The Bluebirds have made a habit of sluggish starts of late and the St Andrew's clash was yet another example of that.

It means City are always behind the eight-ball and have to work doubly hard to earn any points, especially on the road.

And Harris believes his side have to be stronger mentally when they play away from Cardiff City Stadium, otherwise they will never be able to force their way into those play-off spots.

"What do you put it down to? That's the £64million question," Harris said of the slow starts.

"That's 31 goals conceded away from home this season, it's not a good enough stat for us. I want to eradicate that.

"The goal we conceded was really poor from the set play. We switch off, they've got six in the box and we've got five markers, do the maths.

"That doesn't work. The ball finds that spare man and the ball is in the net.

"We can't be like that. We don't do that at home. We've been solid and conceded 10 goals all season.

"Away from home, we have to be stronger, mentally and physically."

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Harris is clueless. His remit seems to reduce the squad size. Spend no money and not to worry about where we finish or the style of football we play. He’s added nothing and another 18months will see all traces of creativity removed and a relegation battle. I honestly don’t know who I’m most annoyed with, Harris for being incompetent it Tan for appointing the cheapest option in the first place. Yes, the club must operate on sound business principles but our club must invest (in management and players) to prosper.

Harris is clueless. His remit seems to reduce the squad size. Spend no money and not to worry about where we finish or the style of football we play. He’s added nothing and another 18months will see all traces of creativity removed and a relegation battle. I honestly don’t know who I’m most annoyed with, Harris for being incompetent it Tan for appointing the cheapest option in the first place. Yes, the club must operate on sound business principles but our club must invest (in management and players) to prosper.

So hes clueless? Yet he as to reduce squad doesnt have money to buy players to change way we use to play! Yet he as lost 2 games in 14 far from clueless otherwise we would be in relegation position given way we were going under NW? Yes footy poor but have had signs of improvement possession and passing wise ! Did you know it takes miles to turn a super tanker well city are like that regarding playing style and not going to turn style around with this team this season that's for sure, blame NW not Harris for that

FB

Reply Peter Edwards:

Better let the fans go in and do the team talk before the game. These players need to get drummed into them what fans have to sacrifice to go to these games in money, time, and showing passion for their club.They deserve far better. Says a lot for Harris if they respond more to the outcry of supporters than him.

Hes had enough games to know his starting 11 to know the style of play but yet again it takes us getting batterd in the first half yest for a reaction why cant we play from the first minute for a change like at the games hes managed yes we have only lost 2 but boy we have been lucky with some of the games to get anything and I still say we only look any sort of threat when Tomlin plays if he got injured we would be nothing

FB

Reply Peter Edwards:

Better let the fans go in and do the team talk before the game. These players need to get drummed into them what fans have to sacrifice to go to these games in money, time, and showing passion for their club.They deserve far better. Says a lot for Harris if they respond more to the outcry of supporters than him.

Agreed

Harris is clueless. His remit seems to reduce the squad size. Spend no money and not to worry about where we finish or the style of football we play. He’s added nothing and another 18months will see all traces of creativity removed and a relegation battle. I honestly don’t know who I’m most annoyed with, Harris for being incompetent it Tan for appointing the cheapest option in the first place. Yes, the club must operate on sound business principles but our club must invest (in management and players) to prosper.

So hes clueless? Yet he as to reduce squad doesnt have money to buy players to change way we use to play! Yet he as lost 2 games in 14 far from clueless otherwise we would be in relegation position given way we were going under NW? Yes footy poor but have had signs of improvement possession and passing wise ! Did you know it takes miles to turn a super tanker well city are like that regarding playing style and not going to turn style around with this team this season that's for sure, blame NW not Harris for that

He’s trying to change the way we play and the first half happend he told the team to go back to how they used to play and the second half happens

Hes had enough games to know his starting 11 to know the style of play but yet again it takes us getting batterd in the first half yest for a reaction why cant we play from the first minute for a change like at the games hes managed yes we have only lost 2 but boy we have been lucky with some of the games to get anything and I still say we only look any sort of threat when Tomlin plays if he got injured we would be nothing

7 of them games against teams above us,and playing well too and I agree with the tomlin point,funny how the last manager didn't get the best out of him,yes he was unprofessional in being overweight etc, but it's the same player who came back fitter than ever,and as you put it,we would/will struggle when he's not playing.but does that mean that Harris has is currently managing to get the best out of him,it's a yes imho.but does he get any credit (harris) for doing so,imho no he doesn't! He is trying to change the way we play,with players who have been drilled to death to play a certain way,and some will not be able to in my eyes,but he was up against it from the very offset,and managed to win 3 of his first 4 games in charge,and has lost just 2 since,do you or others believe if we were 3-0 down at Leeds, we would have staged a comeback,or would Warnock of shut up shop,to avoid a hammering? My belief is the latter.

Harris deserves much more time to turn things round certainly well into next season. The thing that slightly worries me about him is Milwall. Overall he had a reasonable record there.Two playoff finals one leading to promotion and how kept them in the championship with relative ease. What is worrying is how well they are doing since he has left. They were I think three or four points behind us when he left Milwall they are now five points ahead of us and only one point off the playoffs that is quite a turnaround.

If you are a glass half full person you could argue that he lest Milwall with a good team for Gary Rowett to take over. If you are a glass half empty type you would say he was nowhere near getting the best out of his team. Jury is still out on him as far as I am concerned.