BREAKING NEIL HARRIS:

“ NEIL HARRIS TODAY UPDATES CARDIFF CITY FANS “

Tuesday 15th December 2020


Kieffer Moore out injured for a while

Joe Ralls out suspended.




NEIL HARRIS:


Can’t imagine you got much sleep?

No, or Sunday. Let’s be frank, I was honest afterwards, as usual, the better team won the game.

I can’t change that and I can’t affect that until March. It’s a long time to wait but it’s not forgotten.

We have to look forward to Birmingham tomorrow night.

Harris






“ READ ALL NEIL HARRIS UPDATES BELOW “

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NEIL HARRIS:


Derby defeat provokes strong reaction, have you had a chance to think and say anything to critics?







No. I don’t need to respond to critics. Critic is an opinion. Everyone is welcome to an opinion.

A lot of people had an opinion two weeks ago and then didn't have an opinion for two weeks when the players were winning.

You have to deal with that. Nothing more to say on the game, other than I can’t do anything about it now until we play in March.

Harris

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Sat Dec 12 CARDIFF CITY 0 SWANSEA CITY 2


7pm Wed Dec 16 BIRMINGHAM CITY H


12;30pm Sat Dec 19 Norwich City A



Sat Dec 26 BRENTFORD H

Tue Dec 29 Wycombe Wanderers A


Sat Jan 02 Rotherham United A


Sat Jan 09 FA Cup 3rd rd Nottingham Forest v Cardiff City 12pm live on BT


Sat Jan 16 NORWICH CITY H

Wed Jan 20 QUEENS PARK RANGERS H

Sat Jan 23 Barnsley A
Sat Jan 30 MILLWALL H

Sat Feb 06 Bristol City A
Sat Feb 13 COVENTRY CITY H
Tue Feb 16 Luton Town A
Sat Feb 20 PRESTON NORTH END H
Wed Feb 24 AFC Bournemouth A
Sat Feb 27 Middlesbrough A

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NEIL HARRIS:


Still got another four games until the end of the year, seems to be more pressure?

I think it has been this side of Christmas. The halfway stage is normally new year, which we will hit against Rotherham, then the second half of the season will be more stable.

It has been crazy and us, like everyone else, has paid the price for it.

That’s where you need a little bit of luck with the injuries.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:



Back in on Monday, what was your talk?

Derby games are one-offs. Fortunately for us you get a second bite at the cherry.

The dressing room was disappointed afterwards, we all feel that. It’s my job to deal with it, whether it’s to raise my voice or a calm manner, that stays between me and my players.

It’s about bleeding and responding and it all becomes about Birmingham.

Let’s be honest. That won’t be forgotten. It won’t be forgotten by my training ground for a long time.

But the players can now affect Wednesday. I won’t let all the good work heading into that Swansea game be dismantled.

It’s a great opportunity against a big club like Birmingham and I look forward to the challenge.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:



Are you surprised at the reaction after the derby?

No. Everyone wants to win and you don’t want to lose a derby.

I was clear in my opinion before the game about bragging rights and we got beat. Not surprised at criticism aimed at me or my players at all.

It’s my job to respond on the training ground and make sure the players respond on Wednesday.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:


Kieffer Moore update?

Kieffer will be out for a period of time. He has got a hamstring strain from the effort on goal.

At first I thought it was a cramp in the hamstring and just disappointment he didn’t score.

He has got a tear in his hamstring and will be out until the new year.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:




Have to change it up now?

Yeah, it’s difficult. If we could all manage with hindsight there would never be a change of manager because we would all be successful!

People should be champing at the bit to make a mark and they have got a quick chance to do that on Wednesday.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:




Opportunity for Glatzel now?

I think you’re right. Bobby will be the first to admit, he interviewed after Huddersfield and said he loves it here but he has not hit the levels he wanted to hit.

He is a goalscorer and he is gutted he hasn’t scored. Robert has been honest enough to admit he has not hit the levels on a consistent basis.

He has got to go out and play and enjoy himself. We all appreciate that there’s more to come from Robert Glatzel.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:




IFAB, implementing concussion substitutes, what is your take?

It’s a real tough one because it’s not really been mentioned. We had one nasty incident, Arsenal-Wolves and it shot to the limelight again.

Very difficult for doctors and physios to make decisions from the sideline. You are in the hands of the players sometimes and how they respond to questions.

Concussion substitutes, taking people off and bringing them back on again, then that sounds more dangerous.

The way the modern world goes and the way football is, we err on the side of caution and rightly so.

If it’s going to be a rule then five subs is the way forward.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:


MATHEW DAVIES
Birmingham are below you in the league, but it doesn’t matter in this league?

No, it’s top beats bottom, we don’t win for a period, win four in a row, lose to Swansea. I thought results across the weekend were crazy.

It shows where the game is at the moment, a little bit inconsistent.

You know, to get in the play-offs, you need 72 points in the Championship. There are always teams, i.e. Cardiff City, who came late like last season.

Birmingham are a big side, shape changes all the time and we have to be ready with how we want to play against them.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:

Nothing better than getting straight back out there…

Yeah, that’s it. We are all gutted. You have to put it right and you can’t put it right until you play again against your local rival.

But you get a chance to build momentum again and get back to winning ways and that’s what our plan is.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:


Backs to the wall, coming out fighting?

That’s what I expect from my dressing room. We were getting questioned left, right and centre and my players responded with four quality performances.

We have to produce that again tomorrow and it hurts us and the fan base, but the players are robotic in some senses, no matter how much they are hurting, it comes to the next game. When they go out on the pitch they can forget about it.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:


Junior Hoilett injury?

Junior is a hip flexor, so he has missed the last two games. Whether we can get him back tomorrow night or back on the grass will be a real bonus.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:


Over a month since Lee Tomlin’s operation, how is he progressing?

Tommo, as we expected, he has had surgery in the groin area, a horrible little one. An area where you can’t exercise it too soon because the wound opens up really quickly.

Tommo is following protocol, doing OK rehab-wise, not a lot he can do at the moment, it’s about settling the wound down and getting him back on the training pitch in the coming weeks.

He is certainly not going to be on the training pitch, up running again until January at the earliest.

Harris

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NEIL HARRIS:

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NEIL HARRIS:

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NEIL HARRIS:

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NEIL HARRIS:

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NEIL HARRIS:

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A dejected Captain Sean Morrison


Morrison and Harris will hopefully have fired the players up for tomorrow night at Birmingham City

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NEIL HARRIS:



Jordi Osei-Tutu?

He is doing great, progressing nicely, doing a lot of work with the physios, but it’s just fatigue of the hamstring.

You just have to be so careful. He looks fantastic, in great shape, a fantastic athlete, so sharp, so bright.

But he is actually having a follow-up scan today to get the all clear to step up training. Presuming that’s all OK then hopefully it will be between Christmas and the New Year we can get him back in the training group.

Harris

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Not so long ago you were under pressure and responded…




NEIL HARRIS:

Of course. An expert so-called journalist wrote how poor Stoke City were. Well we beat fifth in the league.

What’s gone on before that, the four games before, I won’t lose sight of that.

We have to respond in the right manner and I’m confident we will do.

Harris

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A blow…




NEIL HARRIS:

Of course. He has been in great form this season. He has been pivotal to the four-game winning run we had.

But it becomes an opportunity for someone else, like Robert Glatzel, he has made an impact off the bench in recent weeks.

I’m sure he will be delighted to get the opportunity.

We have a few other knocks and bruises. Junior Hoilett has had an injury, so.

It’s up to others to step in and prove their qualities.

Harris

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Kieffer’s injury, fatigue? Or just one of those things?




NEIL Harris:

It’s probably a cross between the two. For Kieffer, we are not just talking about an individual who has played five games in 14 days, because the rest of the team has.

You have to think about the international break. The backlog. It’s happened to every club in this crazy schedule.

I am gutted to lose him but it is what it is. That’s the schedule and run of games, he tried to backheel the ball into the net, if he turns and shoots he probably scores.

Just the movement of the backheel has triggered the hamstring.

Harris

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Kick in the teeth to miss Ralls?




NEIL HARRIS:

Yeah it was. Joe stays on the pitch, does the result change? Possibly. Possibly not.

It doesn’t help conceding straight afterwards. No Kieffer, no Tomlin, no Vassell, Hoilett, is he going to be fit tomorrow or not, we’ll have to see.

Harris

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Might there be some new names on the team sheet tomorrow?




NEIL HARRIS:

You might be searching through your Wikipedia [when the team is announced].

That's the point we were making about the nine subs, it's about protecting the players, but it also gives that pathway, the academy pathway, to come out of the under-23s and out of the under-18s and have involvement.

I'm not saying all of a sudden we are going to have 11 academy players in the first team within 18 months, but it gives the chance and gives inclusion.

The fans want to see young players involved when they can and if on Wednesday, by hook or by crook, injuries or suspensions, some of our younger lads get involved, it's only going to be good for their development.

If they get on the pitch then brilliant. If they don't, then being involved on match day is an outstanding achievement.

Harris

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Over a month since Lee Tomlin’s operation, how is he progressing?

Tommo, as we expected, he has had surgery in the groin area, a horrible little one. An area where you can’t exercise it too soon because the wound opens up really quickly.

Tommo is following protocol, doing OK rehab-wise, not a lot he can do at the moment, it’s about settling the wound down and getting him back on the training pitch in the coming weeks.

He is certainly not going to be on the training pitch, up running again until January at the earliest.

Harris

It doesn’t sound like Kieffer Moore will be back until after the third round of the FA Cup and Tomlin won’t be back in contention till at least the end of January.

Breaking: Kieffer Moore out for at least six games with a hamstring injury. Another crushing injury blow for the Bluebirds