" NEIL HARRIS SAYS ALL THE PRESSURE IS ON FULHAM "

By Glen Williams

Wednesday 22nd July 2020



Cardiff City manager Neil Harris believes all the pressure is on Fulham in their play-off tie.

Cardiff City manager Neil Harris believes all the pressure will be on Fulham when the pair meet in the play-offs next week.

The Bluebirds ensured their spot in the post-season with a convincing 3-0 win over Hull City on Wednesday night, securing fifth place on a crazy night in which Swansea City ousted Nottingham Forest from the top six.


It means City will now face fourth-placed Fulham at Cardiff City Stadium on Monday evening before playing the return leg on Thursday for the right to feature at Wembley on August 4.

But Harris believes the pressure is firmly on Scott Parker's men with the two sides come to blows next week.

"The message is clear: we get into the play-offs when everyone else is on holiday and that's for one reason, that’s to win", he said after the win over Hull. "No other reason.

"We are not going in to make the numbers up, we are going in because we deserve to be there, we deserve to be fifth in the league.

"There is a bit of pressure on us, bit there is huge pressure on Fulham playing against us - a team that should be in the Premier League, given the money they have spent and are now spending .

"We will go and enjoy it."

Talk, of course, will turn to the prospect of an all-Welsh final, given the Swans will have their own play-off tussle with Brentford.

The City boss wouldn't be drawn on a south Wales derby final, but admitted the prospect of having both rivals still in the mix in the play-offs was something he never believed was on the cards.

"I didn’t see that happening, that we would both get in the play-offs," he added. "I just couldn’t see it. But both Welsh clubs deserve it."

Harris, though, did have one tinge of regret following the victory against Grant McCann's side, who were relegated after the defeat.

He was sad that thousands of City fans weren't there to witness it.

"I would have liked our fans to have been there tonight," Harris said. "We would have had a sell-out tonight and they would have carried us through.

"They deserve a special mention. My message to them is have faith, because we are building.

"We have the most passionate fan base of the teams in the play-offs, but we have coped admirably well without them. We have found a way of building our own passion."

They will need that passion against Fulham, of course, and those thousands of Bluebirds fans will doubtless be cheering them on just as loudly from their sofas next week as they would if they were packed inside Cardiff City Stadium.

Fulham unfortunately are the team I did not want to play. I would have been far happier playing a less experienced Brentford who have just missed out on automatic. In my view whoever wins this game will get promoted. Read the Fulham forum and they already think they are in the final. They are unbelievably disrespectful and arrogant. City in the last three games have really improved and whilst underdogs we quietly can cause a surprise. Lets hope a lady luck shines on City this time.

We have a very recent example of how this might go, so im not surprised Fulham fans are confident.


I thought we played well in fairness, gave away a sloppy needless goal from a penalty, and we hopefully wont be making mistakes like that again.

Changes from that game will see Glatzel and Tomlin on from the start, and both are looking better and better for me.

For Fulham, Harrison Reed was superb when we played two weeks ago, i notice he didnt play last night so not sure if injured. Cairney is obviously a different player but i think we will get more opportunities without reed in the team


Pack will, imo be back on the bench, with Ralls and Vaulks in the middle.

For Fulham bobby reid probably wont start considering how well Kabano has been the last couple of games.

We have a very recent example of how this might go, so im not surprised Fulham fans are confident.


I thought we played well in fairness, gave away a sloppy needless goal from a penalty, and we hopefully wont be making mistakes like that again.

Changes from that game will see Glatzel and Tomlin on from the start, and both are looking better and better for me.

For Fulham, Harrison Reed was superb when we played two weeks ago, i notice he didnt play last night so not sure if injured. Cairney is obviously a different player but i think we will get more opportunities without reed in the team


Pack will, imo be back on the bench, with Ralls and Vaulks in the middle.

For Fulham bobby reid probably wont start considering how well Kabano has been the last couple of games.

Agreed but I think we need our skipper to man mark their danger man Mitrovitch as he is a tricky customer as he showed in the last match where he conned Sanderson!

We have a very recent example of how this might go, so im not surprised Fulham fans are confident.


I thought we played well in fairness, gave away a sloppy needless goal from a penalty, and we hopefully wont be making mistakes like that again.

Changes from that game will see Glatzel and Tomlin on from the start, and both are looking better and better for me.

For Fulham, Harrison Reed was superb when we played two weeks ago, i notice he didnt play last night so not sure if injured. Cairney is obviously a different player but i think we will get more opportunities without reed in the team


Pack will, imo be back on the bench, with Ralls and Vaulks in the middle.

For Fulham bobby reid probably wont start considering how well Kabano has been the last couple of games.

Agreed but I think we need our skipper to man mark their danger man Mitrovitch as he is a tricky customer as he showed in the last match where he conned Sanderson!

yes indeed, im still puzzled how he ended up being marked by Sanderson tbh

I love it when they think like that hopefully it will filter through to their players, personally I think Fulham will bottle it,
2-1 to us with a sneaky 1-0 at our place.
3-2 to Brentford over two legs.
Us on pens in final.


As the man said " I have a dream "

I think if we start the away leg still level we have a great chance.
We don't want to go there chasing the tie.
I can see that being the scenario.

The Bluebirds will meet Fulham, the first leg in the Welsh capital on Monday, while bitter rivals Swansea will play Brentford.

"The message is clear," said the Eastwood based Harris who finished his playing career at Southend United.

"We get into the play-offs when everyone else is on holiday and that's to win. No other reason.

"There is a bit of pressure on us, bit there is huge pressure on Fulham. We will go and enjoy it.

"I have been through six, four as a player and two as manager and I love it. It's the best way to get promoted."