' ISAAC VASSELL '

The painstaking road to recovery for the Cardiff City star who is just desperate to catch a break

The Bluebirds striker announced himself with a match-winning header, but has rarely featured since owing to a succession of injuries

Tuesday 7th July 2020


It was about as good a debut as any player could wish for.

Isaac Vassell, a deadline-day signing from Birmingham City by Neil Warnock, made his Bluebirds bow in the 91st minute of the August Championship clash with Luton Town with the game deadlocked at 1-1.

Vassell, had been out injured with Birmingham City for over 18months when Cardiff City signed him.

Four minutes later, Junior Hoilett cut in from the left-hand side and whipped in a trademark, pinpoint cross towards the penalty spot and Vassell seized his moment.

He leapt and headed home, against his former club, and bedlam ensued in Cardiff City Stadium as the fans erupted into hysteria.

Just when it looked as though a diamond had been unearthed, however, 10 months of bona fide injury hell was to follow.

At first Warnock said his quad injury, sustained back in September, would sideline him for only two months. But he has not made a first-team appearance since the Carabao Cup defeat by the Hatters on August 27.

We thought he might be on the road to recovery before the country was put into lockdown, when it emerged he would be making an appearance for Steve Morison's under-23s at the beginning of March.

Just 25 minutes in, though, disaster struck.

Brad Smith, Cardiff's January loan signing, slid through Vassell for what looked to be a one-on-one with the Watford goalkeeper.

But, in sprinting for the ball, he pulled up, feeling the top and side of his leg. He had been sidelined with a torn quad and it looked like flare-up of that very area.

He subsequently pulled his shirt over his face in clear agony and limped towards Morison before Neil Harris came from the stands to greet and console the player, who furiously hit the hurdles at Leckwith's sports park on his way down the tunnel.



Harris put his arm around Vassell's shoulder as they both disappeared down the tunnel.

It was just the latest in a succession of horrendous injuries which have stunted the 26-year-old's career to date - he was out for a year with a torn ACL at Birmingham - and now Harris is determined to get to the bottom of it.

"Isaac, as we know, a quad injury again, very unfortunate," the manager said.

"He's in being tested, so he is in The Vale every day and he is in the gym. He comes out and has a walk around the pitch and sees the players. It's always nice to see him. He's a good lad.

"We know it's a long road with him. But what we really have to do is get to the bottom of why he has had so many injuries.

"That's the key one. It's not just about preparing the injuries he has had in quads, ankles, hamstrings, whatever else he has had.

"It becomes about biomechanics. The working of his body, the balance of his body, his hips and his back and just making sure we can get as much detail on him as possible.

"Sometimes it can be quite simple to fix, you just have to look in the right areas."


Cardiff's striker options have certainly diminished while Vassell has been at the club, with both Gary Madine and Omar Bogle having been shipped on to pastures new.

Danny Ward, who scored a scintillating winner in the 1-0 triumph over Bristol City last weekend, sees his contract expire at the end of the campaign and it is as yet unknown whether he will be offered fresh terms.

Should Ward leave, although there are many fans and those at the club hoping that will bot be the case, it will leave only Robert Glatzel, Callum Paterson, Vassell and youth product Mark Harris, who is yet to make a first-team appearance, as the recognised strikers.

Still only 26, Vassell arguably has his best years ahead of him, but he needs game time, of that there is no question.


And any talk of him leaving Cardiff City Stadium seemed to be quashed when Harris revealed the reason the club are working so hard in the background is so that, at some point, Vassell can pay them back on the pitch.

"We are trying to help him so that he can help us in the future," he said.

Bluebirds up and down the country, as well as the player himself, will be praying that is the case, sooner rather than later.

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On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

That has been made clear of late and lets hope he does the same for Vassell.

This break has given Harris the chance to implement his training scheme. Of late we have had the old school management training style of Dave Jones, Mackley Mackey, Russell Slade and Neil Warnock. Harris is one of the new breed and for me it seems to be working a lot better.

On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

That has been made clear of late and lets hope he does the same for Vassell.

This break has given Harris the chance to implement his training scheme. Of late we have had the old school management training style of Dave Jones, Mackley Mackey, Russell Slade and Neil Warnock. Harris is one of the new breed and for me it seems to be working a lot better.

Good point hadn't thought of that

To injury prone, waste of a wage

Get rid and bring someone else in

On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

Three is nothing "on the face of it" about Vassell being another injury prone striker he just is.The really annoying thing is most of us on here thought that would be the case and we never should have signed him in the first place. Arguably Warnocks worst ever signing and on a ludicrously long contract too.

As for Harris making the best out of him he maybe could but not if his never fit to play for us.

On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

Three is nothing "on the face of it" about Vassell being another injury prone striker he just is.The really annoying thing is most of us on here thought that would be the case and we never should have signed him in the first place. Arguably Warnocks worst ever signing and on a ludicrously long contract too.

As for Harris making the best out of him he maybe could but not if his never fit to play for us.

I concede you have a valid and strong point of view.

However, I can remember the exact same things being said about Lee Tomlin and now he is considered integral to our promotion push.

If Neil Harris believes he can turn Vassell's injury hell around and make him a productive part of our squad then I am willing to give both a chance to do that.

On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

Three is nothing "on the face of it" about Vassell being another injury prone striker he just is.The really annoying thing is most of us on here thought that would be the case and we never should have signed him in the first place. Arguably Warnocks worst ever signing and on a ludicrously long contract too.

As for Harris making the best out of him he maybe could but not if his never fit to play for us.

I concede you have a valid and strong point of view.

However, I can remember the exact same things being said about Lee Tomlin and now he is considered integral to our promotion push.

If Neil Harris believes he can turn Vassell's injury hell around and make him a productive part of our squad then I am willing to give both a chance to do that.

This is a view I can agree with.

Nearly everybody on here including myself wanted Tomlin moved out.

I’m willing to give Vassell a chance although I’m sure it’ll be next season before we see him on the pitch (hopefully)

On the face of it Vassell is another hopeless injury prone striker.

However, Harris is making a name for himself for getting a tune out of Neil Warnock signings. Tomlin, Vaulks, Glatzel, Bacuna and even Nelson.

Maybe he feels he can do the same with Vassell, lets hope so.

Three is nothing "on the face of it" about Vassell being another injury prone striker he just is.The really annoying thing is most of us on here thought that would be the case and we never should have signed him in the first place. Arguably Warnocks worst ever signing and on a ludicrously long contract too.

As for Harris making the best out of him he maybe could but not if his never fit to play for us.

I concede you have a valid and strong point of view.

However, I can remember the exact same things being said about Lee Tomlin and now he is considered integral to our promotion push.

If Neil Harris believes he can turn Vassell's injury hell around and make him a productive part of our squad then I am willing to give both a chance to do that.

This is a view I can agree with.

Nearly everybody on here including myself wanted Tomlin moved out.

I’m willing to give Vassell a chance although I’m sure it’ll be next season before we see him on the pitch (hopefully)

Cant argue with that mate

I wanted Tomlin & Patterson out

But Vassell is so injury prone, I feel his wage could go on

Someone more beneficial to us.

The fact is we signed an injury prone player yet again.

The fact is we signed an injury prone player yet again.

As much as Warnock done wonders here

Some of his transfers were very dubious

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