'Upset' Neil Harris

'Upset' Neil Harris aims subtle dig at Nottingham Forest's 'wrong' Albert Adomah decision as Bluebirds fans revel in rivals' capitulation

The City Ground outfit attempted to gain the upper hand on the Bluebirds by recalling the winger, but they crumbled on the final day of the season to drop out of the play-off spots

By Glen Williams

Thursday 23rd July 2020


Cardiff City manager Neil Harris aimed a subtle dig at Nottingham Forest over the Albert Adomah recall saga after the City Ground outfit missed out on a play-off spot on a dramatic final night of the season.

Sabri Lamouchi's Forest started the evening three points ahead of Swansea City and with a healthy five-goal goal difference cushion.

But the Swans' thumping 4-1 win over Reading coupled with Forest's 4-1 hammering at home to Stoke City saw Lamouchi's men drop out of the top six for the first time since Boxing Day - in the 91st minute.

It was a frenetic final night of the Championship, but for Cardiff, they took care of their own business.

The Bluebirds needed only a point to secure their place in the play-offs and coolly dispatched Hull City in clinical fashion with a 3-0 victory to claim fifth spot.

All without Albert Adomah, too, a player who had been so consistent for Cardiff City since his loan move on deadline day in January.

It was thought that Adomah, like Dion Sanderson and Brad Smith, would have his loan deal extended until the end of the regular season, given the elongated campaign owing to coronavirus, but it did not prove that straightforward.

Forest, seeking to get a leg-up over their play-off rivals Cardiff City, recalled the Ghana international on June 30, when his original loan deal was meant to expire, in the full knowledge he would be unable to play for Lamouchi's side.

Harris was furious at the time, believing it went against a gentleman's agreement between the clubs to see the loan deals completed until the end of the regular season, despite what time constraints had been placed on the original contracts.

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Neil Harris: Play-off pressure on Fulham, says Cardiff City boss

BBC


Neil Harris says the pressure is on Fulham ahead of their play-off semi-final clash with his Cardiff City side.

Cardiff finished fifth in the Championship after a 3-0 win over Hull and will face Fulham in the play-offs with the first leg in Cardiff.

Harris says the money taken to assemble Scott Parker's squad means Fulham must handle the weight of expectation.

"We are the form side in the play-offs, but the league table doesn't lie," he told BBC Sport Wales.

"The message is clear now. We get into the play-offs and extend our season when everyone else is on holiday and you do that for one reason only and that's to win. No other reason.

"There is a little bit of pressure on us but there is huge pressure on Fulham, a team that should be in the Premier League with the money that they have spent and even now are spending. We will go and enjoy it."

Swansea City boss Steve Cooper insists 'no celebration until promotion'
Cardiff could yet meet Welsh rivals Swansea in the play-off final after a remarkable climax to the regular season saw them sneak into the play-offs.

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