NEIL HARRIS:"I CAN ONLY APOLOGIES / WE WERE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

'I hate this feeling' – Distraught Neil Harris apologises to Cardiff City fans and makes selection admission after Swansea City loss

Cardiff City fell to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Swansea City courtesy of two goals from Jamal Lowe in the South Wales derby


Saturday 12th December 2020


Cardiff City manager Neil Harris has apologised to Bluebirds fans after Swansea City defeat (Image: Getty Images)
A gutted Neil Harris apologised for not giving Cardiff City fans something to cheer about during a difficult time as his team limped to a 2-0 South Wales derby defeat.

The Bluebirds were comprehensively outplayed against Swansea City, and Harris admitted as much, as two goals from Jamal Lowe consigned Cardiff to their third derby defeat in the last four attempts.

And what will hurt City fans most is that there was an air of confidence following their team's tremendous run of form of late, which had seen them win their last four games on the bounce in impressive fashion.

But Swansea ran them ragged at Cardiff City Stadium and were worthy victors in this first derby of the season and a visibly distraught Harris could only apologise for the performance.





NEIL HARRIS:


"However much I am hurting, the initial response can we one of disappointment and aggression towards the group," the Bluebirds manager said after the match..



"We weren't good enough today, but I have to remember what the players have achieved over a four-game winning run.
"I can only apologies."

"It doesn't make today right - 'OK we lost to Swansea lets move on to the next one' - it does matter. I understand that.

"My record as a player and manager in derbies is extremely good and I hate this feeling. I am gutted for the fan base that need some cheer at the minute and we've not given it to them.

"So, a huge apology to our Bluebirds at the moment."

Harris selected the same team for the fifth game in a row, hoping continuity from the the previous four victories would bear fruit on derby day.

But in truth, the system suited Swansea down to the ground and they gained control in key areas of the field, particularly when they outnumbered the Bluebirds in the middle of the pitch.

And the manager held his hands up and admitted that, in hindsight, selecting the same team might have been the wrong decision.

“It’s my team and we’ve been on a great run. I take responsibility for the performance and result today," Harris added.

“I look at myself more than anything and think, ‘Did I make the right team selection?’ Fifth game in a row, did we have the energy levels?' I look at myself for that, for sure.

“It’s a very difficult one, I know there is going to be some fatigue and you’re playing in a big game.

“Swansea played a back five and three holding midfield players to combat strengths of ours, being more front-foot and aggressive.

“We stuck with the same team, a front four, and it didn’t really happen for us. We picked up a couple of injuries and a red card.

“But hindsight is wonderful. We all wish we had a crystal ball. Even though we had won four games before that, I look at myself with that.”

It is important, of course, that this defeat doesn't burst the momentum bubble entirely.

Cardiff have shot in the table in the last two weeks, having strung those four victories together, and the games keep coming thick and fast.

While, yes, this defeat is different and it hurts more, it is crucial that the Bluebirds continue on that upwards trajectory and bounce back strongly against Birmingham City on Wednesday.

"The players have been excellent for the 14 days leading into today, but it's about the response on Wednesday," Harris added.

"We got it wrong today, I accept that, the group does, I hold my hands up, but all the good work we have put in over the last few weeks can't be thrown out the window.

"We have to take solace in that and move on to Wednesday and look forward to that."

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Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

dear nob head harris, why did you play someone born in swansea who had no interest in taking part against his home town club?

dear nob head harris, why did you play someone born in swansea who had no interest in taking part against his home town club?

mores the point..why did you have a midfielder stripped and ready. at 0-1..Ralls gets the red and instead of still bringing him on decide yo forfeit the game...

Wasnt hindsight at all he had a player to come in with benkovic that would release bacuna to midfield Wilson then to central place with glatzel instead of Harris simple really without hindsight...

Why can't he just say "I fucked it up".

Oh and while I'm at it Tan Out.

Not good enough in the context of the match (South Wales derby)
Outplayed all over the park and not much effort put it.
The last four results have been better (12 points from 12) and didn't we need those points.
We were on the back foot from the whistle and the match was as good as over in 6 minutes.
It was a massive game for the fans and I saw no spirit no fight absolutely nothing.
Thank God we got those 12 points banked as they could be precious come May.

dear nob head harris, why did you play someone born in swansea who had no interest in taking part against his home town club?

One of the most ridiculous comments of 2020.Did you kick the cat as well?

Just get out of our club, absolutely inept.

It's all very well saying we should have made changes but what changes should Harris have made before the match. If we were worried about being overrun in midfield should we have played three midfield presumably with Pack in place of who? pontential match winners Ojo or Wilson. Or played Benkovic? A guy who has never played a game for us and not played a competitive game this season? Throw him in at the deep end in a local derby. Or changes up front? What changes we only have three strikers and all three played.

Let's face it if we had made a few of those changes and lost the same people criticising Harris for not making changes would be castigating him for changing a winning team. Captain hindsight is a great manager. We have to face up to the fact it we are not quite as good as a four game winning streak suggested. Just count yourself lucky that you weren't tempted to have a tenner on us at 40-1 to win the championship that really would have been a bad decision.

Just shut up and piss off out of our club and take half the players with you. Overpaid bastards.

Tactically inept. Apologise. Yes.

Dock all their wages and yours.

Shame on you all.

Guts. Fire. Passion. None shown.

Pathetic.

It's all very well saying we should have made changes but what changes should Harris have made before the match. If we were worried about being overrun in midfield should we have played three midfield presumably with Pack in place of who? pontential match winners Ojo or Wilson. Or played Benkovic? A guy who has never played a game for us and not played a competitive game this season? Throw him in at the deep end in a local derby. Or changes up front? What changes we only have three strikers and all three played.

Let's face it if we had made a few of those changes and lost the same people criticising Harris for not making changes would be castigating him for changing a winning team. Captain hindsight is a great manager. We have to face up to the fact it we are not quite as good as a four game winning streak suggested. Just count yourself lucky that you weren't tempted to have a tenner on us at 40-1 to win the championship that really would have been a bad decision.

Fans responding to his admission thats all! Yes he would get criticism if lost after changing team but that could been offset by telling fans he will make changes for todays game ? Fans would understand his rationale but now he will change team for Tues night a game to late in most fans view.

Relieved we won the previous 4 but today was dire.

Those 12 points saves our relegation.

you could see after 20 mins that he made the wrong tactical selection ...so why did he stick to it... change it then

He is incapable of any tactical awareness.

Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

i have huge reservations about Harris but he was damned either way today... change the team = get slaughtered for not sticking with a winning team if we lose... Stick with the same 11 = slaughtered for not changing the team if we lose...

Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

i have huge reservations about Harris but he was damned either way today... change the team = get slaughtered for not sticking with a winning team if we lose... Stick with the same 11 = slaughtered for not changing the team if we lose...

Yes i agree to a point, but HT was the time to change to midfield three.
Joe was persistently fouling before his sending off, frustration as he cares i guess, but should have been pulled off.
Poor management again from NH.

Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

i have huge reservations about Harris but he was damned either way today... change the team = get slaughtered for not sticking with a winning team if we lose... Stick with the same 11 = slaughtered for not changing the team if we lose...

Your right but simple answer was to pre-empt the criticism but saying day before that he will make changes because of amount of games players have had? Could played benkovic moved bacuna dropped Harris put Wilson behind Moore that would have boosted midfield..... everyone would have accepted those changes before game and if lost so be it as changes were needed! After all cooper changed his team to counter our game bolstering his team with physically stronger players and that worked just right.

Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

i have huge reservations about Harris but he was damned either way today... change the team = get slaughtered for not sticking with a winning team if we lose... Stick with the same 11 = slaughtered for not changing the team if we lose...

Yes i agree to a point, but HT was the time to change to midfield three.
Joe was persistently fouling before his sending off, frustration as he cares i guess, but should have been pulled off.
Poor management again from NH.

i thought Joe was in danger of seeing red too... maybe Harris did .. as Pack was stripped down stood on the line waiting to come on when he got carded... he then tells Pack to sit back down.. i was mystified by it... he obviously thought of either sacrificing an attacking player for an extra body in the middle or taking Ralls off in a straight swap... how come his thinking changes ?

dear nob head harris, why did you play someone born in swansea who had no interest in taking part against his home town club?

I'd like to think you don't mean that seriously?

Mark Harris no worse than certain other players and made a couple of decent runs without gaining an end product; partly thanks to other players inability to keep up in the game

Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

i have huge reservations about Harris but he was damned either way today... change the team = get slaughtered for not sticking with a winning team if we lose... Stick with the same 11 = slaughtered for not changing the team if we lose...

Your right but simple answer was to pre-empt the criticism but saying day before that he will make changes because of amount of games players have had? Could played benkovic moved bacuna dropped Harris put Wilson behind Moore that would have boosted midfield..... everyone would have accepted those changes before game and if lost so be it as changes were needed! After all cooper changed his team to counter our game bolstering his team with physically stronger players and that worked just right.

nobody was going to accept losing Allan thats just wishful thinking im afraid...its win or be damned...

Hindsight? Rubbish! It was obvious to any amateur what they would do and that our team needed fresh legs today after Stoke. Abject management. Sky pundits all called it before the game too. Apologies dont cut it with me as this could have been avoided or at the very least we could have competed. We handed it on a plate to them. Harris does not have a 'big game' winner in him.

i have huge reservations about Harris but he was damned either way today... change the team = get slaughtered for not sticking with a winning team if we lose... Stick with the same 11 = slaughtered for not changing the team if we lose...

Your right but simple answer was to pre-empt the criticism but saying day before that he will make changes because of amount of games players have had? Could played benkovic moved bacuna dropped Harris put Wilson behind Moore that would have boosted midfield..... everyone would have accepted those changes before game and if lost so be it as changes were needed! After all cooper changed his team to counter our game bolstering his team with physically stronger players and that worked just right.

nobody was going to accept losing Allan thats just wishful thinking im afraid...its win or be damned...

Yes I know but Harris hasn't helped himself adear to city fans with his statements ? At least with announcing changes before game if lost game he had an argument to put forward which most understood,
instead he had nothing but a weak appology to give us.

Why can't he just say "I fucked it up".

Oh and while I'm at it Tan Out.

Tbf to him, I think he’s saying that (in another way)

Why can't he just say "I fucked it up".

Oh and while I'm at it Tan Out.

Tbf to him, I think he’s saying that (in another way)

Yep. I was highly pissed off when I made that comment.

In fairness he has apologised which is more than any other manager we have had over the last decade. Then again he had no choice as that was the worse performance we had done in the last decade and add that to the occasion then the club deserves all the criticism its going to get.

I feel its going to be a long long time before the fans support get confidence back in the club. When the boards comes out with statements like we are aiming for Premier football that is going to take a lost of convincing. Personally I don't think the board realise or care how much this is hurting for the fans and I think the boards attitude is rubbing down onto the players. Neil Harris has now got a heck of a job to do and time will tell if he is up to it. I personally hope he does pull it around as he has had the decency to apologise but I have my reservations now.

If Harris and the players do care then they had better start turning it around like now. They have Wednesday night to stop the criticism and if they get the 3 points I hope they don't think that will be the end of it. They have a long way to go before regaining the supporters trust.

The last 4 results prior to Swansea mean nothing unless we finish in top 6 now.