Continued
By Glen Williams
The January firefighting job cannot continue because one time it will be their undoing, or they will give themselves too much of a deficit to claw back. The remarkable recruitment job which was undertaken this January, via the loan market, saw City consolidate their Championship status in the end, but it was still too close for comfort.
One positive of last year's horror campaign was the ability to blood so many young players through even though the majority faded away, some of whom are likely to have a much bigger say in proceedings this time out.
Rubin Colwill is expected to have a greater influence on the campaign than he did last season, when he was rotated constantly despite some flashes of genius on the ball. Another year older, more Championship and international games under his belt, it will be exciting to see what sort of influence he wields with the ball at his feet over the next 12 months.
Isaak Davies showed flashes of excitement, too, with his raw pace and unfearful, direct running at defenders. Perhaps he was a little inconsistent, but let's hope he has ironed that out and will bring that same pace and fight he showed last term, with a few extra goals might help, too.
There is a hope that Max Watters will find his Championship shooting boots this season as well. Those behind the scenes acknowledge there is a real striker there, and a good finisher, and are waiting for him to click and prove it at this level. His chances won't be infinite, but while no striker has been signed he is the nailed-on starter.
Oliver Denham showed a neatness and calmness at centre-back, too, which earned him a senior Wales call-up, although he didn't get to make his debut in the end. Mark McGuinness had some very good matches but also some poor ones, especially as the season wore on. Those two will be better for their experiences last year, however with the arrival of Cedric Kipre they will likely need to bide their time.
While Joel Bagan's confidence must have been given a shot in the arm after his mini goalscoring streak last term, he, like McGuinness, just had a dip towards the end of the season. It'll be a big year for him, battling with Jamilu Collins for the left-back berth.
The optimism all football fans feel going into a new season is refreshing. The ultimate clean slate. After last season and a summer of major change, though, Cardiff fans will likely be tempering their expectations just a little and it might be wise to do so. But who knows? City might just spring a surprise at the start of the season, which would be most welcome after the three previous campaigns.
If Romaine Sawyers and Callum O'Dowda can channel the form they have showed earlier in their careers and in pre-season, they can be exciting additions. Ollie Tanner is a complete unknown and could be anything, but the sort of player he is means it will be exciting at times, just how often we see it remains to be seen. Ryan Allsop is a very solid goalkeeper signing, while Andy Rinomhota could be the key to knitting things together in the middle. Sheyi Ojo and Kipre have also looked encouraging this summer.
The re-signing of Joe Ralls was massive, both for the players and the fan base. He means a lot to Bluebirds supporters and, should he remain relatively injury-free, that fleck of familiarity in the middle of the park will perhaps go some way to serving as a settling tonic amid the root-and-branch changes.
There have been so many moving parts. So many ins and outs, so many names linked, signed or batted away. But it is all change and City supporters, when reflecting on the 12 months which has come before now, will hope that goes for the results on the pitch, too.
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