BREAKING NEIL HARRIS:

NEIL HARRIS UPDATES CARDIFF CITY FANS "


Friday 1st January 2020



You still think you’re the man to get into the top six?


NEIL HARRIS:

"I think the longer we go without winning, the tougher it gets. That’s why a win at Rotherham is massive for us.

"I know I’m capable of doing that and the team is capable of doing that."





NEIL HARRIS:

Not spending in January, does that mean only loans and free transfers?

"I think there is a reality that if players were to move on we could replace them, I think it’s fair to say.

"That will change week by week, it’s a question I have got to discuss with the board.

"All I was doing is trying not to get expectations too high with fans and media networks.

"We are not going to be one of those clubs who go out and spend millions, if there are clubs who are lucky enough to do it then good luck to them.

"It will be a case of players going out and possibly replacing them.

"But what I will say is that the board have been incredibly supportive of me and will always be supportive of their managers if they can."





" READ ALL NEIL HARRIS UPDATES BELOW "

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NEIL HARRIS:


The style of football at the start of the season, more passing and possession, would you like to see a successful version of that in the long term?




"I don’t think it’s just about possession to win games of football, we have done it both ways.

"The club has had a lot of success in the last three years by being a little more direct and having less possession of the ball.

"Longer term for the club, to build a philosophy through the club from the academy upwards, it’s about having a little bit more possession and setting a structured shape of a formation, tinkering, yes, but having that idea set in stone.

"That’s what we are trying to do and implement within the club.

"We might not get the fruition today.

"When I talk about getting a team of Cardiff City graduates, from 8s to 12s, to 15s, then they have had that time and it takes time to build.

"Swansea are slowly getting into nice patterns because it’s taken them years to get there. Brentford have done the same.

"Norwich took time and invested and brought in different people to do it behind the scenes.

"That’s where we need to get to. We have implemented a lot in the last 12 months but we have not always seen the fruition on the pitch at the moment."

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Sat Dec 12 CARDIFF CITY 0 SWANSEA CITY 2


Wed Dec 16 CARDIFF CITY 3 BIRMINGHAM CITY 2


12:30pm Sat Dec 19 Norwich City 2 Cardiff City 0


Sat Dec 26 CARDIFF CITY 2 BRENTFORD 3



Tue Dec 29 Wycombe Wanderers 2 Cardiff City 1


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


7pm Wed Jan 20 QUEENS PARK RANGERS H


Sat Jan 23 Barnsley A

Sat Jan 30 MILLWALL H

Sat Feb 06 Bristol City A

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NEIL HARRIS:



Style of football not worked, what is the plan now?

"It’s always a bit of both. I’ve tried to explain philosophies. It’s about utilsiing players available, working against the team you’re playing against and what is effective to win games of football.

"I think we can use Norwich and Brentford in particular who have a clear structure. Norwich has been in place for three and a half years, Brentford five years upwards.

"When you don’t have that time, it’s about finding away, without veering too far away from what you want to do.

"If we are aggressive, direct and effective, fine. If we are trying to play the ball between the lines and into space, fine, happy with that. We show the players what we want.

"A lot of the time it’s about using the players at your disposal.

"When you lose Kieffer and bring Bobby in, slightly different type of big man up front, there are different scenarios.

"We will play against Rotherham, a 3-5-2 formation, which will take us back to a different playing philosophy to Swansea.

"They are the biggest side in the division, stand up to their set plays but impose ourselves as well."

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New Year’s resolution?


NEIL HARRIS:

"How long we got? Clean sheet and three points, please!"

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NEIL HARRIS:


Harry Wilson been on the receiving end recently…

"Yeah he has had a few boots. The other night, Harry goes straight through on goal, he should score, and gets clattered from behind.

"Outside the box, he has a free kick and it’s a yellow card. Inside the box, it isn’t a penalty or a yellow card. That was my frustration.

"Harry has had some rough treatment the last three or four games. There was one the other night above the ball, a reckless, dangerous tackle."

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Loyal to a lot of the players, can you get a bounce from new players?



NEIL HARRIS:

"It’s twofold. We saw the bounce when I put Mark Harris in. Then I went back to 4-4-2 and we got the wins.

"Mark deserved times, some players don’t deserve it. You don’t see what goes on behind closed doors.

"I’ll always pick a team that can win a game and deserves to be out on the pitch."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Defence gone soft comments?

"Comments were made towards the group. I’m just reiterating that. I spoke honestly after the game.

"The players know I speak from the heart and say what I see. It’s that mindset I’m talking about.

"It’s that mental strength not to conceded. 11 goals in five games is far too many.

"It’s amazing how points mount up quickly when you keep clean sheets.

"That’s what got us up the table last year, between Boxing Day and March.

"But you have to do it both ends of the pitch and that’s why I talk about the mentality."

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Still possible for top six, just need that magic formula?




NEIL HARRIS:

"It’s fine me saying we need consistency and performances but we need to find it. Continuity is important.

"We had it for five games but we are not getting that at the moment with continued injuries.

"Mentality of the group, as I keep saying, finding ways to win games.

"As you see with teams at the top of the division, Brentford, Bournemouth, Man United, they find ways of winning games.

"We have to have the mindset that we aren’t going to be beat, because we are a team that scores late goals.

"We can score goals out of anything. Good goals, worldie goals, we have to find a way.

"Top teams see games out, win games late on, but you’ve got to be in a position to do it.

"We know we have got ability to come on and change the game."

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You still think you’re the man to get into the top six?


NEIL HARRIS:

"I think the longer we go without winning, the tougher it gets. That’s why a win at Rotherham is massive for us.

"I know I’m capable of doing that and the team is capable of doing that."

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Rotherham Must-win?


NEIL HARRIS:

"I think it’s a huge game in my tenure at Cardiff City. I want to win the game. It’s a mid-way point of the season, it’s going to be after 23 games and you are going to want to look at the league table and realise you have work to do, but I always talk about momentum.

"We have lost three in a row and it’s the first time we’ve lost three in a row in a long time and I certainly don’t want to make it four.

"So it’s important we respond. It’s about the result, not the performance on Saturday."

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NEIL HARRIS:

The Cardiff City board have had a meeting with me, but I would rather keep that private."

"Yes Vincent Tan the owner has also contacted me and once again I would rather keep that private."

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NEIL HARRIS:


Similarity is that Coventry were at the bottom like Wycombe, so that’s a bad look…

"No… that’s what adds pressure to the club. You are expected to beat teams at the bottom of the league.

"We definitely don’t take them for granted. Coventry we shot ourselves in the foot. Wycombe we gave two really cheap goals away that are available.

"I expect us to beat teams in the bottom three teams in the division.

"All respect to Rotherham, they have quality, but if you want to be in the top six then you need to win enough games."

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NEIL HARRIS:

Same as before Luton?

"Um… The reality is yes, of course, pressure mounts again when you don’t win games of football.

"You guys know you can chuck stuff at me and I will try and answer - or ignore it!

"I understand the question and why you’re asking it. We want to be successful. We went on a four-game winning run to get us on the fringes of the play-offs again.

"We have now lost three in a row. We don’t want to be that yo-yo team, we want consistency, we have been craving that all season.

"As a manager if you don’t win games of football you will always be questioned and I accept that."

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Red card come from pressure?

NEIL HARRIS:

"Yeah, that’s fair to say. Anger comes out a little bit more and when you are under pressure and want to win so much, care so much.

"I thought the referee was abysmal. On the back of Saturday’s referee, decisions gone against, a game we shouldn’t lose in a million years.

"There’s pressure on my shoulders, yes. I care because I want to do well.

"I am human. I was a professional footballer and a professional manager, I am a winner, unfortunately, and I let it get the better of me."

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NEIL HARRIS:

Any walking wounded back for Saturday?

"No. We will pick a side with the players who are available."

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Someone has to step up?


NEIL HARRIS:

"Yeah. That certainly wasn’t a dig at my group (about lack of leadership). Just something that is quite clear.

"We are not the loudest of groups. We have good experience, guys who have played a lot of games, which is important, but sometimes you want that natural leadership and presence. Moz and Sol give us that. But it’s for players to step up a little now and look after themselves and players around them.

"It’s important you have people step up and be counted."

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NEIL HARRIS:




SEAN MORRISON?


Back for FA Cup?

"I don’t know. When a player leaves the ground in a boot, it’s not great news, normally. But until we get that scan result we won’t know.

"We hope it’s not as bad as first feared. I’m guessing a bit until we get those results."





Sean Morrison, prognosis?

Here's the first question for Harris and it's about the Cardiff captain.

"I think that’s quite hard hitting, seeing someone in a boot. No different to how he left the stadium on Tuesday. We are going to have to get him scanned before the weekend.

"He is not going to be available on the weekend, but we hope he won’t be out for too long. We won’t get those results before the weekend.

"With ankle ligaments, you have to wait two to four days."

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