It’s been confirmed this afternoon that City manager Neil Harris and his assistant David Livermore have left Cardiff City. Sometimes, announcements like this make me happy (Alan Durban for instance!}, but, almost always, it’s a sad occasion when a manager leaves..
In the large majority of cases, the man in charge goes because results are poor, so there is an unhappy fan base (and with six straight defeats, that’s the case here), but there’s also the human element. Almost without exception I’d guess, managers start their time at a club with the best of intentions and although relationships can turn sour, I firmly believe that professional pride as much as anything means that they keep on giving of their best and so there’s often an element of sympathy from me for someone who, often wrongly, has been judged to have failed.
I’m convinced Neil Harris kept on trying at City to the last and he definitely leaves with my best wishes and my sympathy – he certainly didn’t have the best of luck with injuries to important players at a time when he could least afford them.
I’d believed that our manager was in credit for much of this season for guiding us to an unlikely fifth place finish in 19/20. I came close to changing my mind though after the defeat at Coventry, but the four wins that followed obviously relieved the pressure on Harris – certainly, it seemed ludicrous to think he would be out of a job on 21 January in the days leading up to what was a fateful derby against the jacks a fortnight before Christmas.
City edged a win in their next game against Birmingham and since then it has been defeats all the way for them. However, even on Saturday against Norwich I clung to the hope that our manager could turn it around, but last night was something that had an air of finality to it – unlike some, I didn’t see evidence that the players had stopped trying for the manager, but it did look like the belief in what he was trying to do was not as strong as it had been.
I suppose the truth is that Neil Harris was going to have to do a very good job at Cardiff to be judged a success. Not a popular choice when he was named as Neil Warnock’s successor, he seemed an odd pick when you consider that, with many of the club’s supporters desiring a move away from the pragmatic, physical, set piece orientated long ball game that had been a feature of Cardiff sides since Russell Slade’s appointment, we chose the recently departed boss of Millwall, the Championship side with an approach which probably most matched City’s, as our next manager.
Harris came here talking of adopting the sort of new approach desired by those supporters I mentioned earlier, but his bizarre decision to stick with the quartet of “bread and butter” midfielders he was left by Warnock was one of the main reasons why evidence of a change of style was scant – there were good and sometimes quite entertaining displays when fixtures resumed after the first lockdown, but a heavy defeat in the League Cup at Northampton a week before the 20/21 Championship season began turned out to be an indicator of what was to come.
As City found home points hard to come by at the deserted Cardiff City Stadium, they were having to rely on away results to maintain a mid table place which had many supporters getting restless with the manager they were not too keen on and the pressure on him ramped up as away results began to falter.
Twelve points from twelve helped clearly, but Harris was fighting for his job before Luton were beaten 4-0 in late November and it’s usually the case that once things return to “normal” after a good run, the pressure returns – it was as if our manager had been wounded and was not able to make a full recovery.
I think Neil Harris was genuinely trying to bring through youngsters in a manner which his predecessor had never contemplated – the results weren’t spectacular (well, I suppose in a Cardiff City context, they were!), but there was a feeling that the years of inertia at the club’s Academy may be coming to an end.
Given the illness which has ruled Sol Bamba out of the running and the departure of David Livermore, it’s hard to see an obvious caretaker manager among the staff that are left, so does that mean that a new appointment will be made sooner rather than later?
I’m not sure about that because of the mixed signals coming out of the club. By the standards set by Mehmet Dalman’s top six by January edict early in the season, Neil Harris should have been sacked a few weeks ago, but on the other hand, City have been buying and putting in bids for players this window which, in no way, is the sort of behaviour you’d associate with a club on the brink of sacking their manager.
I may be wrong, but the signals being sent out by the club suggest that they have been caught on the hop somewhat and there has been a reluctance to make the change announced today. As for the vacancy, there’s an understandable clamour for Craig Bellamy, but I wonder if Paul Cook may have a chance – as someone who has had more than enough of “Warnockball” thank you, I hope it’s not Tony Pulis.
Finally, I remember hearing a conversation among journalists saying how much they liked Neil Harris’ honesty when answering questions pre match. I know what they mean, he also came over as intelligent and likeable with an ability to speak well on matters outside of football – I hope he finds another job if he wants to stay in management and thank him for taking us so close to the Play Off Final last year.
Good evening Paul and everybody. I’ve been working myself up into a rant all day about how long I’ve been watching this Club (I’m even older than Paul!) and how despite being disappointed on numerous occasions, the current lack of leadership and poor displays on the field have been amongst the most deflating times I can remember. However, today’s events have altered things slightly and the worry now is whether or not they get the next appointment wrong. Eddie Howe seems a popular choice among the fans to which my answer is dream on (he spent £176m during his time in charge of Bournemouth) while a sensible choice like Paul Cook is met with incredulity – I think the problem is that many fans only know the big names! Bellamy would be innovative but a risk whilst I think Mike Flynn has performed miracles and could be worth talking to. Meanwhile, Mick McCarthy has emerged as favourite this evening. Quite uninspiring but what if he was brought in as a caretaker until the end of the season before becoming Director of Football and a young manager brought in. Whatever the appointment, if past record is anything to go by it may not be the right one and probably won’t be one the fans will approve of! In my book, as long as he keeps us up and avoids defeat in Swansea, I will be grateful!
Good morning Paul and everyone – I suspect that no-one was really surprised at yesterday’s announcement, very few would remain in their position as a football manager with their team suffering the string of defeats as experienced by our lot. I confess to having a sense off sadness for Mr. Harris as he seemed a genuinely decent individual, but that old cliche that “football is a results business” reared its head, and that was that. I, too, wish him well in the future.
Where do we go from here, or rather, who is it that will arrive and also want to come here. I do not want any of the “old” guard in the shape of Pullis, McCarthy or Hughes. I favour a City old boy who had close on 200 games for us about a decade ago – Steve McPhail who I believe is Sporting Director at Shamrock Rovers. He knows the Club, the Championship, the area and was a cultured player in his pomp, but had some steel about him as a few red cards would suggest. I believe he has overcome the health issues he had a few years ago. His appointment would also be popular, well certainly in this household.
Hi All
Well, just as I was also trying to find the words to comment on another poor display the inevitable has happened.
In the end this felt like the only course of action left, although still surprising given the recent signing of players. I guess the mini break til the next match was a clue that this might be the time when Mr Tan pulled the trigger.
Like Paul, my thoughts on Harris have swung one way and the other over his short period in charge. Always seemed to front up and engage with questions – even seemed to ask many himself in press conferences! However, all the talk of a change in style seemed to evaporate and we always revert to type. Problem is, this season, that is not giving us the dominance and set piece goals with enough regularity and we always always do something stupid at the back every match.
As Paul and others have commented over recent weeks, we are so ponderous and technically poor and put a huge burden on the likes of Moore to bail us out. As we have seen, when he is not around then we have no Plan B.
Frustratingly there were glimpses of an ability to play a more adventurous game at the end of last season but, for whatever reason, they have been unable to build on this. With Wilson and Moore being added to the squad we should have been in prime position to challenge for promotion. For whatever reason it’s just not working and we have looked increasingly ponderous with our sitting deep, lack of creativity and Merry go round of wingers all telling a tale of desperation.
Don’t like to see anyone get the sack and hope Harris finds something better suited to his skills. However, as has been said, if we fans were attending matches this season there is no doubt the crowd reaction would have forced the change earlier given the quality of the product. I agree that I don’t think he “ lost the dressing room”, but just appeared to be out of ideas and tactically inept.
As for the future, I just don’t know. Agree with Clive – McCarthy please no, Howe great but no chance, Bellamy not sure! Director of Football and dynamic coach combo sounds good, but don’t think The Board will go that way. Surely, though, we should be able to find a hungry manager with modern ideas to evolve our playing style and give this group of players a chance to show what they can do if set up correctly.
Matches might be dull at the City, but we are never dull in the wider sense of the word are we?
I also have sympathy for a manager who was clearly trying his best. It clearly wasn’t working though and I think the right decision was made.
Whether another right decision will be made in respect of his successor, I’m not holding my breath. Some of the names being mentioned would I think be dreadful. I’d love us to start using a modern, statistics based approach to the game (Moneyball), like Liverpool, Brentford and other clubs in England and Europe have done with success. Even the Jacks have used it, and they’re doing annoyingly well. Can’t see it happening though.
I like the suggestions above about a caretaker manager who then becomes director of football, or bringing in Steven McPhail.
Ta, Paul for your report on the QPR game. I was settling down to reply when I read that Messers Harris and Livermore had been sacked. While we thank them both for their endeavours no club could have continued with the developing situation at Cardiff City.
Well, this City fan’s first memory of being at a game was the 1-0 home victory over Aston Villa at the close of the 1959-1960 Division 2 season that secured promotion to the top flight. In the intervening 60 years we have been in the top division for just four seasons. During the decades we have had some awful teams but at least they tried. The Club seemed out for the count before Sam Hamman breezed in in 2000. Emotions were stirred and hope birthed into fans. Today, if we were a balloon, air would be escaping at an alarming rate as it plummeted groundward. What can you do in such a situation? Clearly a sticking plaster is of no value. Arthur said so perceptively in one of the dark days last century: “When you car needs a de-coke you don’t give it a respray.” The Club has used so much paint in a forlorn hope that the engine would recover but this, of course, is lunacy. The same problems still remain at the Club without them being addressed.
From my perspective the first thing that Malky’s PL/Sky money should have been ploughed into was a Category One Academy. It wasn’t and nearly 20 yrs on we still don’t have what was essential two decades ago. Yes, by our standards money has been spent but since Malky, we have seen little evidence of progression. Giving substandard managers money rarely works whilst really good managers spend wisely. Even our latter day hero, Warnock, spent for immediate results and left no legacy, save a negative one. Sheff Utd apart, he’s been a quick-fix 2-3 yr appointment. Today we are no further forward than we were in the days when Warnock was brought in to the Club. We have spent and lost money for the privilege. Warnock’s success comes via man management then he leaves before the chicks come home to roost, leaving the club in a worse mess. It was to this that our recently sacked manager came. It was a big job and one, ultimately, that was too big for him.
It is understandable why Neil Harris has faced the ire of so many fans recently. On field performances have simply not been acceptable. In fact some have been nothing short of disgraceful from a professional club. Questions remain: Was Harris the correct appointment in the first place? Do the Board have a true vision for the Club? Should we be grateful for Tan’s continued involvement even if we are going in the wrong direction? We all have answers to those.
Its difficult to argue that Harris was brought in that he was a cheaper alternative. A similar strategy would be deadly this time around. But is the money available during this time?
I never felt Harris was the right appointment for us. Likeable that he is, he is nevertheless a bottom third Championship manager at best and we got what we paid for. But with cheap options you lose money in the long term. The recent stinging article in the WoL about the lack of a statement from the City hierarchy clearly, in turn, must have hurt in the corridors of power. Stung, City acted. But is that the way a club should be run? If Tomlin’s tweet is to be taken as true, even the players were not told of the sacking. That is poor.
The central issue still remains however. Will the Club be bold enough to bring in a manager worthy of the name? A Pulis type manager and I think we can all pack up. Another few years of what we’ve had will be unpalatable for those starved of football. Ok we might not be after caviar but we’ve had far too much gruel. Please, a satisfying steak and chips would do for starters.
What of the future? The media brings out the usual dusty, long in the tooth, names. Please save us from dinosaurs this time around, Mr Tan.
In a perfect scenario Howe, Bellamy or a foreign coach (from Germany, Spain or Portugal) who is tactically aware and knows his way around a football would be good. This really is the time for a bold appointment that will galvanise the team and fans alike. Another underwhelming appointment and even I would question whether parting with my money for a season ticket would be value for money. As Janis Joplin was quoted as saying: “I just can’t dredge up the sincerity anymore.” Seems like many City fans would come into that category if another from the Warnock/Harris School of Football came along. My real concern is that I can honestly see Tan doing the unthinkable by appointing yet another underwhelming manager, more like those we’ve had rather than one we desperately need.
Root and branch surgery is required down Leckwith way. Another sticking plaster will be of no value. To finish off, returning to Arthur’s perceptive wit: the engine needs to come out, for the superficial paint-job will not do this time around.
Michael Flynn…at the very least he’d have us show up for Cup matches.
Or, BJA’s inspired suggestion – McPhail.
Please, no more witless mediocrity (and worse).