Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City as
Sat Mar 06, 2021 11:00 am
MY VIEW: BUT THIS WAS EXACTLY THE SAME FOR MANY FOOTBALL MANAGERS & IS EVERY SEASON IF YOUR INVOLVED IN PLAY-OFF / CUP FINALS ETC
Even Swansea just got stuck in and started very brightly this season.
Harris had a different excuse after every game.
The squad is to big, the squad is small, players fault , playing good football even though it was dire, blaming players etc etc
Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City as he speaks for first time since sacking
By Glen Williams
Saturday 6th March 2021
The ex-Bluebirds manager spoke for the first time since he was let go by the club back in January, with Mick McCarthy having overseen an 11-game unbeaten run since he took over.
Neil Harris believes the short turnaround between seasons had a major impact on Cardiff City's poor start to the season, which ultimately led to his sacking as manager.
Harris left his post halfway through January after 14 months in charge, with the Bluebirds sitting 15th in the table and on a six-game losing streak in all competitions.
That play-off run, though, meant City's season was elongated more than most, a difficult task given the other complications which come with a season truncated by the pandemic.
And Harris, who was speaking for the first time since he left the Bluebirds, admitted he "really underestimated" the mental and physical impact that had on his players.
NEIL HARRIS:
"The demand of the football club, they have been in the Premier League a couple of times in the last seven years, so the expectation of the fan base is to be there again," Harris told Sky Sports ahead of the Bluebirds' draw with Huddersfield on Friday night.
"The expectation of the board was to be a top-six side as often as possible throughout the season and in some ways rightly so, it is a big club.”
"I wouldn't say it was unrealistic, challenging at times during a Covid-hit season, the short turnaround, I think we probably really underestimated the play-off defeat and the mentality for the players and the group with that really quick turnaround.”
But although it wasn't to be, it is clear he still holds fond memories of his time at the Welsh capital club.
"I loved it, obviously," he added. "It was a great experience being there, working at a fantastic football club.
"It is interesting to see Mick's quotes over the last 24 hours, when he signed a new deal, about what a good club it is. It is a really good club, a really good owner, who has really backed the football club over a period of time.
"It's a huge club. It's not until you're really there, in the heart of it, living in it, in the bay area down there, the amount of fans that are in the area and what they think of the football club and their expectations.
"I really enjoyed it. First season in charge, came in and went on a similar run to what they are on at the moment, going from lower-mid table to the play-offs last year.”
"What we are seeing in the Championship this season is the consistency, going through spells of winning games," he said.
"We did it last year after lockdown, coming back, winning six out of the last nine games to propel us into the play-offs and close to the Premier League.
"This year, before Christmas, winning four in a row to get us back into that top 10 and on the fringes of the play-offs.
"But when you lose a few in a row, you can quickly drop down as well.
"Mick comes in, he wins seven out of 10 and all of a sudden you are on the fringes again. It just shows how quick things can turn within football."
Even Swansea just got stuck in and started very brightly this season.
Harris had a different excuse after every game.
The squad is to big, the squad is small, players fault , playing good football even though it was dire, blaming players etc etc
Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City as he speaks for first time since sacking
By Glen Williams
Saturday 6th March 2021
The ex-Bluebirds manager spoke for the first time since he was let go by the club back in January, with Mick McCarthy having overseen an 11-game unbeaten run since he took over.
Neil Harris believes the short turnaround between seasons had a major impact on Cardiff City's poor start to the season, which ultimately led to his sacking as manager.
Harris left his post halfway through January after 14 months in charge, with the Bluebirds sitting 15th in the table and on a six-game losing streak in all competitions.
That play-off run, though, meant City's season was elongated more than most, a difficult task given the other complications which come with a season truncated by the pandemic.
And Harris, who was speaking for the first time since he left the Bluebirds, admitted he "really underestimated" the mental and physical impact that had on his players.
NEIL HARRIS:
"The demand of the football club, they have been in the Premier League a couple of times in the last seven years, so the expectation of the fan base is to be there again," Harris told Sky Sports ahead of the Bluebirds' draw with Huddersfield on Friday night.
"The expectation of the board was to be a top-six side as often as possible throughout the season and in some ways rightly so, it is a big club.”
"I wouldn't say it was unrealistic, challenging at times during a Covid-hit season, the short turnaround, I think we probably really underestimated the play-off defeat and the mentality for the players and the group with that really quick turnaround.”
But although it wasn't to be, it is clear he still holds fond memories of his time at the Welsh capital club.
"I loved it, obviously," he added. "It was a great experience being there, working at a fantastic football club.
"It is interesting to see Mick's quotes over the last 24 hours, when he signed a new deal, about what a good club it is. It is a really good club, a really good owner, who has really backed the football club over a period of time.
"It's a huge club. It's not until you're really there, in the heart of it, living in it, in the bay area down there, the amount of fans that are in the area and what they think of the football club and their expectations.
"I really enjoyed it. First season in charge, came in and went on a similar run to what they are on at the moment, going from lower-mid table to the play-offs last year.”
"What we are seeing in the Championship this season is the consistency, going through spells of winning games," he said.
"We did it last year after lockdown, coming back, winning six out of the last nine games to propel us into the play-offs and close to the Premier League.
"This year, before Christmas, winning four in a row to get us back into that top 10 and on the fringes of the play-offs.
"But when you lose a few in a row, you can quickly drop down as well.
"Mick comes in, he wins seven out of 10 and all of a sudden you are on the fringes again. It just shows how quick things can turn within football."
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Re: Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City a
Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:57 pm
If he was that knowledgeable abiut what was going wrong, then he is admitting he clearly wasn't the man to out it right
It matters not a lot now, as he has gone and we have a proper manager in place who deserves our focus
It matters not a lot now, as he has gone and we have a proper manager in place who deserves our focus
Re: Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City a
Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:16 pm
Sven wrote:If he was that knowledgeable abiut what was going wrong, then he is admitting he clearly wasn't the man to out it right
It matters not a lot now, as he has gone and we have a proper manager in place who deserves our focus
Spot on Chris
I couldn't believe it last night when I saw he was a pundit. It all seemed a bit awkward.
Re: Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City a
Sat Mar 06, 2021 3:21 pm
He was embarassing to watch on Sky. It was like he was trying to be a pundit without actually being a pundit. He dressed like a pundit, was in a pundit's chair, spoke as if he was a pundit ... but just wasn't believable ... a bit like his managerial credentials.
Re: Neil Harris explains why it went wrong at Cardiff City a
Sat Mar 06, 2021 7:24 pm
worcester_ccfc wrote:Sven wrote:If he was that knowledgeable abiut what was going wrong, then he is admitting he clearly wasn't the man to out it right
It matters not a lot now, as he has gone and we have a proper manager in place who deserves our focus
Spot on Chris
I couldn't believe it last night when I saw he was a pundit. It all seemed a bit awkward.
Sky shouldn’t have had him on as a pundit to cover our game knowing he’d been sacked a few weeks ago that’s awkward for everyone got nothing personal against neal Harris but what where sky expecting him to say about his time with us