‘ CCFC / THE MEN BEHIND THE SCENES ‘

Manager Steve Morison is the figurehead of the football operation. Morison, along with his old under-23s assistant Tom Ramasut , have been key in implementing a different brand of football, one which has worked so well for the club's most senior academy side over the course of the calendar year.


Monday 20th December 2021



Mark Hudson was also brought in on the coaching staff last month and it is thought that the former Bluebirds captain will assist not only tactically, but in helping to stop the poor defensive record which has dogged Cardiff's season to date.

But, beyond the three first-team coaches, who else plays an important role? Well, there are a few key figures who help to eke the most out what the management are trying to implement.



Two people who have had growing importance in recent years have been first-team analysts Jack Radusin and Josh Morris .


It cannot be overstated just how important the forensic analysis of matches has become in recent times. The analysts have a bigger say on proceedings now than they ever have done.

A huge part of the job, particularly on a matchday, is the use of live video to make instant impacts on the match.

Morris typically sets up a camera which will provide a live feed straight to an iPad situated on Cardiff's bench. Tablets and laptops have been permitted in the dugout since the 2018/19 season and it has proved a real game changer.

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James Rowberry used to be the man tasked with overseeing the live match stream on the bench, that responsibility now likely falls to into the lap of Ramasut or Hudson.

Radusin sits on the gantry in away matches and in a 'feed room' in the tunnel at Cardiff City Stadium, using smart software called Hudl Replay to produce real-time analysis for the man with the iPad on the bench.

Radusin and Morris code the live footage - which takes about 10 or 15 seconds to reach the iPad on the bench - into different categories, making it easier for the coaches to see a particular pattern or trend. If Cardiff want to work out why they are having trouble defending corners, the bench can watch all the footage from defensive corners immediately, for example.

There is a greater deal of responsibility which comes with coding. If Radusin believes the coaches and manager need to see something urgently, he codes it as 'analyst' to alert the man with the iPad, which is typically used three or four times during a match.

Other uses of this footage mean that club doctor, Dr Len Nokes , and first-team physiotherapists James Rowland and Chris Lewis are able to see clips instantly to better ascertain how an injury or even a concussion came about.



While at one stage the analysis meant just standing in front of a room of players and showing clips, it is thought the process is far more interactive now. Players are able to take responsibility of their own analysis by watching review videos on their own devices at home or at the training complex.

Morris has been an analyst at the club since September 2014, graduating to the first team in May 2018. Radusin has been with the Bluebirds since October 2013 and became head first-team analyst three years later.

There are others who play an important part, too, of course. Head of fitness and conditioning Carl Serrant is often seen leading the team's warm-ups on matchday, along with strength and conditioning coach Mike Beere , allowing the manager and other coaches to undertake any last-minute tactical preparation.

And Serrant will know exactly what each player needs, having enjoyed a professional career himself with Oldham, Newcastle United, Bury and others. After six years with QPR and one with Charlton Athletic, Neil Warnock brought him in back in June 2017 and he has been there ever since.









Let's not forget the goalkeepers, either. It often slides under the radar just how good of a job Andy Dibble , the goalkeeping coach, has done since he returned to the club.

Dibble is a popular figure at the club and if you have ever seen him on a matchday, he seems to know everyone and their grandfather. But he has a far greater say on proceedings than some may think.

His input when it comes to signing goalkeepers is key and since he joined Cardiff from Rotherham in January 2017, the Bluebirds' goalkeepers, and signings, have been pretty good.

Neil Etheridge, Alex Smithies and Dillon Phillips have all proven themselves to be very astute goalkeepers in this division and Dibble's work in that regard should not go unnoticed.

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And, lastly, the men who make it all run smoothly, the kit men.

Paul Carter is the club's kit and equipment manager and is assisted by David Bush . Their job is to ensure everything is there and ready for the team's use, whether that be at training, at home matches or away from home.

Carter has been with the club for five years after joining from Stoke City, he is also the kit man for the Wales under-21s team.

The main responsibilities on a daily basis on the training ground are to ensure all the players and staff have all the equipment they require to train. That typically means ensuring all kit is laid out and assisting the coaching staff with preparation for training, such as making sure they have all the balls, bibs, cones, poles, mannequins etc. in place ahead of each session.

Matchday preparation can start as early as three days before the actual game. The shirts need printing, plus the match kit, warm-up kit, boots, trainers, flip flops, medical and sports science equipment all needs to be packed and ready to go. The club take three shirts for each player to every game, in case they are damaged for whatever reason, but leftover kit gets given to Kid Aid at the end of the season.



Carter, who hails from Birmingham, is also often seen helping setup the warm-up on match days out on the grass.

He orders the club's water and drinks and undertakes the admin of submitting to the league what colours the team will wear in the upcoming fixture.

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And while, unfortunately, Carter has no input on how the match-day kit looks - that is left to the supplier and retail team - he does have a say in the colours of the training kit! Match and training kits are ordered 10 months in advance, so ideally August to be ready in the following May or June.

(PS. The players don't get new kits every time they play. If they do swap shirts or give them away at the end of the match, the players get charged for them!

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