Cardiff City: Blame squad for Neil Harris exit says Sean Morrison
BBC
Tuesday 26th January 2021
Captain Sean Morrison says Cardiff City's players should shoulder blame for Neil Harris' departure.
Harris was sacked as manager last week with Mick McCarthy quickly announced as his successor.
Defender Morrison believes McCarthy's "personality and aura" can bring the best out of a squad he accepts underperformed to Harris' detriment.
"We've been too inconsistent and that's ended with Neil losing his job," Morrison said.
"We haven't been good enough and ultimately that comes down to the players."
Harris left following six successive defeats with Cardiff, play-off semi-finalists last season, 15th in the table and closer in points to the bottom three than the top six.
Chairman Mehmet Dalman had warned in October the club would be disappointed if they were not in the play-offs by January.
Harris' failure to deliver that target saw his 14-month tenure end, with Morrison admitting players had to take some responsibility.
"I think especially as captain to know the team's under achieving," said the 30-year-old when asked if he had been saddened by events.
"We've been way too inconsistent. We've had little spells where we've played okay and got a run of results but over th
e course of the first half of the season we really haven't been good enough and that comes down to the people on the pitch.
"Managers and staff can get us ready but if we're not going to do it once we cross that white line it's our fault - all we can do is pick ourselves up and move on."
Morrison says players were not affected by speculation over Harris' future that has stretched through much of the campaign before finally coming to an end following a 1-0 defeat by QPR.
Cardiff's hierarchy are thought to have made their move having been concerned about being sucked into a relegation fight, opting for the experience of former Sunderland, Wolves and Ipswich manager McCarthy as a result.
Morrison says he didn't think relegation would be an issue, though is convinced of McCarthy's ability to improve results, despite recent low confidence.
The centre-back said: "We just need someone that can come in and lift the lads - a lot of the squad are playing low on confidence and someone like (McCarthy) can lift spirits very quickly through personality and aura.
"It's a good appointment, who will definitely get the best out of the team. He knows how to get the best out of players and teams and I think we're very lucky to have him."
McCarthy's era begins away at Barnsley on Wednesday, Morrison adding: "It's a good squad that's been underachieving.
"We have a lot of work to do to catch up with the teams in the play-offs, it's going to be extremely difficult. We will need a very good second half and realistically get two points a game which is top two form."
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