If Cardiff City players don't respond to Neil Harris' strong words the manager may have sealed his own fate
Says Scott Johnson
Tuesday 3rd November 2020
One of the toughest aspects of parenting is providing discipline for your children.
When they test you and your boundaries, and they will test you, how do you deal with it? If you go too big, too soon, you set a difficult precedent for yourself, yet if you don’t go big enough, any punishment may not act as a sufficient deterrent. Consistency is key, but everyone gets it wrong from time to time.
Neil Harris disciplined his players at the weekend and he went all in. He was really cross and understandably so after a truly insipid first half display. His post-match press conference had to be seen to be believed.
"I'm here to win games of football as Cardiff City manager and I expect my players to be the same," Harris exclaimed. "I expect the same mentality. I keep sugar-coating it, but we've got to be better. They've got to bounce back. That's their jobs. If they're not going to do it, they're not going to be in my team.
"You can tell from the tone of my voice, I am never this angry talking to you guys after a game," he continued. ‘"I said in my interview, on my first day I took the job at Hensol Castle and I said it after the play-off semi-final; I've come here to be successful and win games of football. If my players don't want to do that, then they don't play. It's as simple as that."
It was quite the blow out and whether or not it was well judged will become clear soon enough.
Harris also alluded to the fact that he tore strips off his players at half-time too. Now we all know that ‘the hairdryer treatment’, as it is commonly known thanks to the apocalyptic rages of Sir Alex Ferguson, is fairly common place, but taking it outside the dressing room is another matter.
You could see it bubbling up for a few weeks, with Harris having to field the same questions about the same mistakes. Switching off, conceding first, goals from set pieces, it was all getting his goat.
Then they got both barrels.
If Harris gets a reaction from his players on Tuesday and Cardiff are much improved against Barnsley, it will be chalked down as good man management. If current form continues though, or heaven forbid, they’re somehow even worse, then he has a real problem on his hands.
Cardiff’s poor form had not gone unnoticed, but Harris has now shone a great, big spotlight on it. He is frustrated, feeling the pressure you would expect and has made his feelings very clear. Over to you boys.
If Cardiff continue in the same vein, Harris’ outburst may come back to haunt him. He may well have accelerated the situation and over time, sealing his own fate.
It must be difficult managing in the current circumstances and I do feel for Harris. It must be hard to judge the current mood when you’re playing behind closed doors, which I imagine has both its upsides and its downsides.
Whether or not you agree with this sort of thing, Cardiff would almost certainly have been booed off at half-time on Saturday. You imagine that that sort of thing gives a manager’s words more substance and impact.
Conversely, I think it’s a shame that Harris and his players missed out on the gratitude and goodwill amongst fans for their play-off challenge and brilliant end to last season. That support may have given them that extra push to find a way past Fulham too. Alas, we’ll never know for sure.
I’m rather fond of Harris and think he has done well, all things considered, but Cardiff do not look right this season. The nature of the goals conceded has also masked just how poor their overall play has been. They look physically and mentally tired, with last season’s fine form a distant memory.
The schedule this season is ridiculous and extreme, but everyone is in the same boat. It will be survival of the fittest this year, as opposed to a talent contest. Cardiff have the ability and depth to be as good as anyone, but they just don’t look up to the challenge and that is a real cause for concern.
They’ve been unlucky with injuries, but so has everyone else and they’ll have to get used to that, unfortunately. Harry Wilson has been a big loss in the last few games, but he alone can’t drag Cardiff back up the table.
Harris is frustrated at individual errors, but fans are frustrated at the collective approach. It is all far too timid and lethargic. Being so conservative is clearly not working and is not going to dig them out of this hole either.
They may be way down the table, but they are far from out of reach in terms of where they want to be. The powers that be have made quite clear that the top six by Christmas is the target and that will be a clear marker of success or failure.
Harris was in a far more jovial mood during his press conference on Monday and played down his outburst to some extent, but his words, and the force of his words, will linger. The next two games have taken on added significance as a result and the second of those is against Bristol City, who were the final opponents of his predecessor at a similar stage of the season.
The Cardiff players are on the naughty step, but it remains to be seen if they’re ready and willing to come off it.
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