BLUEBIRD PUNDIT: WOULD THE GRASS REALLY BE GREENER?

FLW’s Cardiff City fan pundit Ben Johnsey has wondered whether the grass is always greener on the other side for the club.

This comes off the back of a report this week that has claimed the club is potentially up for sale.

While Johnsey believes that many Cardiff fans are excited about the prospect of Vincent Tan looking to sell the club, he worries that it might not be the best move for the Bluebirds.

Johnsey has pointed to the situations at several other EFL clubs in recent years who have suffered under a change of ownership.

While Johnsey does believe that there are better owners out there for the club than Tan, he also suggested that there are plenty who could do a much worse job than the Malaysian Chinese businessman.

“A lot of Cardiff fans want new owners,” Johnsey told Football League World.

“The one thing I would say to them is ‘be careful what you wish for.’

“There’s been so many cases of owners coming in to clubs that aren’t in great financial situations, with big dreams of getting back to the Premier League and they just don’t go right.


“They can end up sometimes either falling down to maintaining relegation rivals or sometimes dropping one or multiple divisions.

“And that’s not what Cardiff are going to want.

“And this is something that could always happen.

“With Tan, while there’s issues, there is always stability. We know we’re not going to be going under.

“We know it’s very likely that we’re not going to League One, a lot of things would have to go wrong.

“That’s where I would be worried that a new owner would come in, and in our financial situation we would have to get it 100 per cent right or take a big risk of having a very very poor financial situation in the future.”

Cardiff are currently secure in their place in the Championship, with Steve Morison guiding the side away from a relegation battle this campaign.


The Verdict

This is a sensible way to look at the state of things with Cardiff.

While there is plenty of potential upside to any takeover, there is just as much downside too.

Given what has happened at other clubs, and the overall lack of protection for the security of football clubs in English football, it is hard to get too optimistic about any takeover.

While Tan has not lit the world on fire during his time in charge of Cardiff, there have been good times as well as bad so fans should be wary of whatever happens next.

I would like a change of ownership but not at any cost

What this guy says is very true but I suspect some people on here are not too Bothered who takes over, as long as Tan is gone. They are happy to take pot luck with a new owner

Afterall, the fans don't choose who buys the club, the present owner does.

Any man who attempts to buy another club (Charlton) and fails and is still at our club does not love our club enough to still be in that role. I don't hate him but for me when he attempted to buy Charlton he should have left. As for Tan, well I would rather him that Hamman but as for to take us over I have no idea.

I've been called a "Tan lover" in the past just because I will acknowledge his successes and didn't want a previous regime to come back.

However, I would be open to a takeover if they have enough money to satisfy Tan AND invest in the playing side without increasing debt and within FFP rules.

But the old maxim "be careful what you wish for" is really relevant in this instance. The club is stable in terms of continuing to trade, we cannot risk that, but if there is a buyer out there with ambition and money to match let's see what they've got to offer.

The infrastructure of the ground, academy, etc., is there so we are a pretty good bet for somebody.

I've been called a "Tan lover" in the past just because I will acknowledge his successes and didn't want a previous regime to come back.

However, I would be open to a takeover if they have enough money to satisfy Tan AND invest in the playing side without increasing debt and within FFP rules.

But the old maxim "be careful what you wish for" is really relevant in this instance. The club is stable in terms of continuing to trade, we cannot risk that, but if there is a buyer out there with ambition and money to match let's see what they've got to offer.

The infrastructure of the ground, academy, etc., is there so we are a pretty good bet for somebody.

Another excellent post mate.
It seems if you don’t profess your dislike for Tan then you are a Tan lover.
Which is rarely the case.

I'm totally non plussed. Every owner in my time supporting ( 50 years ). Has failed to establish the club in the top flight or put a major trophy in the cabinet.the present incumbent is different in as much as he got rid of the bluebirds for 2 and half years and gave us his red dragons.

I never really care who owns us, to nick a quote I support the club, not the regime.


Its time for Vinny to stick or twist though. If he doesn't want to sell he needs to hand over day to day running to a decent general manager or sporting director as our communication was better 20 years ago than now. Dalman and Choo need to go though.