Apologies for starting these weekly reviews later than normal this year, but, although I will address the subject to some degree later, transfer rumours (which have been the main element in these reviews in the past) have been so plentiful and, in my view, fanciful, so far this time around that I decided not to bother with them yet and, instead, concentrated more on reflecting further on our promotion.
It is that promotion I suppose that we have to “blame” for the plethora of stories we’ve seen linking us to anyone and everyone who has kicked a football at some time in their life over the past three weeks. We aren’t yet Premier League when it comes to websites still running on 17/18 placings, but when it comes to transfer gossip we are and that means that people who’d barely given us a minute’s thought during the four seasons since we left it are now giving us the benefit of their opinions on who we should sell, release or buy.
So, I decided to wait until there was something concrete to write about when it comes to Cardiff City this close season and on Friday we got it with the announcement of some at least of our pre season fixtures.
The build up for the new season will start in the same manner as it did last year then with a game at Taff’s Well, followed by a week in Devon and Cornwall. Hardly typical Premier League then, but, with the Taff’s Well match being played a week earlier than in 2017 and our competitive games starting a week later, there’ll probably be time to take in a few matches in the Far East or the USA as well.
If I had to guess, I’d say that further trips to the likes of Shrewsbury and Plymouth would be more likely under this manager, but I seem to remember him saying something about us wanting to play some foreign opposition in our pre season games and, although it’s not mentioned in the piece from the club website I linked to, it has been reported that there will be a home match against Spanish opposition somewhere along the line.
Will we be getting the chance to maintain our 100% winning record at home against Real Madrid as Gareth Bale plays only his second game against Cardiff in the city of his birth (quick quiz question, when was his first?) then? Almost certainly not and, anyway, if you go by his post match comments after he become one of the leading figures in the Champions League Final last night, there has to be a good chance that Bale will be playing his football elsewhere come August.
There are some City fans who think that we may see Gareth Bale returning to play for us some time in his career. I would suggest that, after his exploits last night, that day is still some way off yet. When and if he does arrive, is there really any chance that Ryan Shawcross will be one of his team mates? I hope not, because it seems to me that it would be one of those transfers which just wouldn’t work out for reasons other than how good or bad a player Shawcross is.
Bale, who had been looking more like his old self in recent weeks as he mounted a late bid to claim a place in the Real starting line up against Liverpool, came across as not being happy at all by his place on the bench despite having just scored what I think is the best goal I’ve seen in a major Final. Pele against Sweden in 1958, Villa against Man City in 1981, Van Basten against Russia in 1988, Zidane against Leverkusen in 2002 are four I can think of off the top of my head as contenders for that honour, but Bale’s incredible overhead kick beat them all in my book.
By adding a second to seal his team’s, deserved, 3-1 win, Bale, arguably, did enough to have a Final named after him in the manner of Stanley Matthews following that FA Cup Final from sixty five years ago, but, sadly, he has a rival for that “honour”, because as with Arsenal’s Welsh keeper Dan Lewis, when we won the FA Cup more than ninety years ago, I can’t help thinking that his wonder goal was scored against a goalkeeper whose career will be forever defined by what happened to him in a major Cup Final.
Jimmy Scoular, infamously, was true to his word when he said Bob Wilson would never play for City again after the keeper’s last minute blunder had led to us losing in the 1968 European Cup Winner’s Cup Semi Final against Hamburg. The truth of the matter though was that we would never have got so far in the competition if it were not for Wilson’s heroics in earlier games – will Jurgen Klopp do the same with Loris Karius after his two howlers last night?
In my opinion, the Liverpool manager would have far more right to do it than ours did half a century ago – I daresay that 2018 will become the Bale Final to Real fans, but for Liverpool supporters, it will always be the Karius Final.
A couple of hours before Bale brought the house down, Fulham had clinched the third promotion place from the Championship with a hard earned 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Play Off Final at Wembley, thereby prompting stories about how two of the three teams to come up will breath some much needed life into the Premier League next season with their pleasing way of playing the game – all very nice of them, but a little unfair on Wolves I’d say.
Although I’ve read City fans saying that they wanted Villa to win, because it would increase our chances of staying up, I’m pleased to see justice being done – Fulham were the side who came closer to getting automatic promotion than any of the others involved in the Play Offs did and, anyway, despite us being most people’s tips to finish bottom of the league again, I’m fairly confident we can survive with the right type of summer recruitment.
I’ll finish with some words on that subject. First, I’ve heard from a few people that another season in the Championship will lead to some serious cost cutting at Villa Park because of the threat of FFP sanctions. Therefore, a few of their higher earners and bigger names may have to leave over the next few months – I’m not saying that we’ll be in there leading any chase for Jack Grealish, but maybe the speculation linking us with Sam Johnstone and Robert Snodgrass (especially when you consider that the former could well be available on a free with his Manchester United contract expiring this summer and the latter looks likely to drop further down the pecking order at West Ham following their announcement that new manager Manuel Pellegrini will have a bigger transfer war chest than any previous boss of that club) could possibly be correct?
One other name I’d like to mention is Ryan Shawcross. Now, I believe that he is one of a few players destined to leave Stoke after their relegation and the Premier League, rather than a move abroad, would seem to be the destination for a player like him. However, with his previous as the man who broke Aaron Ramsey’s leg and someone who turned down advances from Wales (he was qualified for us as well as England) early in his career, I can’t help thinking that we would be landing ourselves in another Tony Warner situation.
Warner was never accepted by many City fans after his signing in 2004 because of his actions in a notorious City v Millwall match at Ninian Park on the opening day of the 1999/2000 season – the keeper, then a Millwall player, tossed a plastic drinks bottle into the crowd and was subsequently charged with assault.
Although Warner was later cleared of any wrongdoing, this did not stop him receiving abuse from sections of the home crowd in pre season matches shortly after he had been signed by Lennie Lawrence. Whether Mr Lawrence would have signed Warner if he’d known about what had happened before with him, I don’t know, but the keeper was never really made to feel at home at Ninian Park and spent a large portion of his time with us out on loan with Fulham – I’m not a great fan of Ryan Shawcross the player, but that is not the main reason why I hope there is no truth to the speculation linking him with a move here.
Paul,
Thanks as ever for your thoughtful piece.
A few responses from me…in no particular order.
First the so called “tour of Devon & Cornwall”…
It should more aptly be named “The Breeze off the River Tamar has Cardiff City on its breath”…it doesn’t extend too far from the county border line and into the landmass of either county. Neil was interviewed in radio recently and asked if he was taking his players for fish and chips in Rick Stein’s*. His reply was “no, we don’t go down as far as that”.
I’ll remind you that head further down Cornwall from Padstow…and you still have 57 miles to go to get to Lands End. Long county is Cornwall.
Second, the possibilty of buying Shawcross.
I think he is a capable player, but Ginge Collins is a better one. Though that said, going back to your original club, seldom works.
Shawcross reminds me of a slightly inferior version of Don Murray. Good positional sense, dynamic tackler…but a player prone to a very rash tackle and a plethora of yellow cards. But he lacks Murray’s charm and good grace…as evinced by his grudging apology for that Ramsey horror tackle, and what was worse, his total failure to berate fans of the Potters for their filthy abuse of Aaron every subsequent time he appeared in the Arsenal team against their favourites.
You see, there is no subsitute for good grace. There never will be. True, Nuno upset Neil by wrongly not shaking hands before celebrating, but gosh, he will forever have a place in my heart for his GOOD GRACE in coming up with the words he delivers here…those of you short of time, go 1 minute 45 secs into the clip…
http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/11319923/santo-apologises-to-warnock
And thirdly, Liverpool last night. Jeez…where do we start…?
Some of us have been saying all along that he needs a proper goalie. Frankly, he needs Sam Johnstone more than we do, since Etheridge is a better keeper than their German and their Belgian…combined. Btw…whatever happened to Welshman Danny Ward? He is surely better than 3rd choice?
As for the errors last night…the third goal was down to the first goal howler…that screwed him up for the rest of the night.
But that first goal has Klopp to blame more than his keeper.
Look …he has the joint best pressing team in England. If your midfield is up against a better midfield, as Liverpool was last night, your keeper should kick long. It matters not a jot if you have pint sized attackers…you should not mind giving Real Madrid possession in their own third of the pitch. Because then, immediately the PRESS can be on and you can regain possession in an area where you can be scoring goals.
Guardiola – who now claims to despise tiki-taka – knows this, as does the superb long boot of Edison. Yes against inferior opposition they might well play out from the back, but against a high quality opposition, he will kick long.
So yes it was a stupid unnecessary throw, made more stupid by a manager who rubber stamps such kamikaze behaviour.
Will sign off now.
* as someone who visited his Padstow harbour eatery about 4 years ago, I can tell you to save your money.
But then I do live in the F&C capital of England…
…Grimsby…!!
I make no bones about it- I hate Shawcross and I would struggle big time with the thought of him joining us. His Aaron Ramsey tackle was obscene as was his attitude after he did it. The Stoke fans’chanting of “Aaron Ramsey- he plays with a limp” is a manifestation of Shawcross’ actions.I’m so glad they were relegated.
Snodgrass, on the other hand, would be a great signing. I’ve always liked him and he would bring a lot to our midfield.
I can’t see the need for signing an ageing centre-back such as Shawcross we are not short in that position.
Whereas we could do with a couple of mid-fielders, with Villa missing out on promotion I would suggest a look at Conor Hourihane, very hard-working, can see a pass and has a decent record as a goal-scorer.
Neil, please make sure that all new contracts have a relegation clause in them.
And a word to our esteemed owner…thankyou for not being so vainglorious as to insist your EPL team goes on a pre season tour of Malaysia.
The Tamar Valley and Taffs Well is much more like it…get them match fit…gently. Then two weeks before the big kick off, increase the intensity …considerably.
Bring on La Liga opposition then.
Colin…you are sooo right on not needing Shawcross. Not sure we are already well served at centre back though…as far as I can work out, we only have one of EPL quality…and that is Sol Bamba (and then, only on a good day).
As for midfielders…
How I drooled last night at the industry and skill of Modric. Made the decent hard working Hendo seem pedestrian and slow on the turn. I love a midfield player who can tackle with a passion and (as Colin says) “can see a pass”. In the last 25 years its been a Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Steven Gerrard, Mousa Dembele, Frank Lampard and Yaya Toure*, who have most excited me as midfielders with the three qualities of seeing a pass, never ducking a tackle, and being able to threaten the opposition goal.
I’m sure that Colin is right about Hourihane having all those qualities, but I have not seen enough of him to know to what degree he possesses those gifts. There is a part of me that wonders if he is not just a souped up Mk ll version of Stuart O’Keefe.
The thing we must never underestimate here is Neil Warnock’s ability as an alchemist. His ability to make average players into very good ones…and poorish centre halves like Mozza, into half decent ones. (Though I cannot see he has improved Bruno Manga any.). And turn Joe Bennett into a left back…though I think he would be much better in midfield.
But if he was going to buy a midfielder and turn him into true Premier Gold, then my view is that the money would best be spent on Sheffield United’s John Fleck…though 27 is at the top of the age range as far as I am concerned.
And finally, a word about Bale’s most sublime moment last night. No, not the amazing bicycle kick…for a quality keeper like De Gea would have saved that (look how close the already confused Karius was to it). Nor the clever top spin he put on that shot that poor Karius made a mess of for the third goal, being mesmerised (indeed hypnotised) by the swinging and swerving ball as it came towards him as if designed by a Barnes Wallis.**
No, neither of those.
I refer instead to that wonderful diagonal ball he played from right to left…all of 45 yards.
Sublime.
*On those days when he really decided to properly get out of bed.
**such is the reverse swing that one wonders if has not got sandpaper up his sleeve and is ball tampering…!!
Cheers Paul for the much anticipated weekly review from your new abode , hope it’s settled down for you .
My only wish us that we don’t destroy the squad ,
I’d like to build on what we got ,however our midfield needs a revamp, Ralls is a good lad ,Patterson has guile and effort, Gunnerson for me lacks a pass or shot. I wonder about Andy King ?
I’d look at the Baggies , Stoke , Derby, Boro before inflated wage Villa for players .
I think Holilett may go perhaps to North America, and MWL may struggle so some new pace is needed , Traore at Boro has pace ? .
Zohore is the one I’m keen on seeing in the big league and key to what’s going to happen .
Two wing back full backs with pace will be cruicial as well.
Its heady times, looking at that Championship final, I could not help reflect on how nice it was not to have been involved or had to make that awful journey , to that awful stadium, and ending up losing, if we were even fortunate enough to win the semi.
Thanks for your replies. Dai, you argue the case for blaming the Liverpool manager, rather than their keeper, for the first Real Madrid goal well, but I’m not convinced. I appreciate there are differences involved, but, as I watched Liverpool struggling to have any meaningful possession in general play for the last hour on Saturday, I was struck again by the similarities between our approach and Liverpool’s. Granted, it did not last for long, but we started the season heavily, probably overly, reliant on a front three that was dynamic, at the level they were performing at, in front of a functional, “bread and butter” midfield – we also played a pressing game, albeit not as effectively as Liverpool do. On a similar theme, I have this theory that the top Premier League sides will be reluctant to loan us young players for the upcoming season because of a concern for what it will do to their man if he has to play in a side that goes about it’s business like we do and also because, in some cases, there will be no great love for Neil Warnock from influential people within the club. Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp were prepared to loan us Marko Grujic though and I think that may have had something to do with the fact that Klopp felt being a central midfielder at Cardiff has a similarity to playing in that position for Liverpool.
However, I think Liverpool avoid the trap of becoming regimented in their approach, whereas we do not. Having a season where we have sought to get the ball back to our goalkeeper (who as I’ve mentioned before, is not a great kicker of the ball, even if he did improve in that department as the season wore on) so that he could kick long, often to a centre forward (Zohore) who is poor in the air and a winger (Mendez-Laing) who, although having a height advantage over most full backs he faced, was another ineffective target man and us using a Morrison long throw whenever we were in our own half, it’s clear we showed no variation in our approach to some aspects of the game.
Of course, I always have to acknowledge that Neil Warnock only has to point to the league table to counter critics like me, but I think our record against the sides which made up the top six is instructive – in our first meetings with them, our record was won three, drawn two, lost none, in our second it was won one, drew none, lost four. Furthermore, seventh placed Preston completed a comfortable double over us and eighth placed Millwall probably felt they deserved a bit more than two draws against us. So, our record against the best sides in the Championship was not great and was getting worse as the season went on. This makes me think that a simple more of the same next season will not be enough against opponents who will be, generally speaking, better than a large majority of teams we faced in 17/18.
I’m against any football which becomes predictable, whether it is a goalkeeper whacking the ball sixty yards upfield every time he gets it, or one who always rolls or sidefoots it out to defenders who begin a laborious build up which eats up time, but usually goes nowhere – Klopp is right to tell his goalkeepers to mix things up in my view, but, even if I’m wrong and you are right about this, the goal was conceded, first and foremost, because Karius was too casual in his approach.
Also, we’ll have to agree to disagree about Bale’s first goal being saved by someone like DeGea, but I’m with you about that pass.
Regarding Ryan Shawcross, I only mentioned that piece of speculation because I think it’s a classic case of one of those fairly rare possible transfers where additional things besides the normal ones need to be considered. I reckon Shawcross to Cardiff is one of the more unlikely rumours out of the ones we’ve seen so far – welcome on board andtoshackisaking by the way.
Colin, I was very impressed with Hourihane when he captained Barnsley to their 4-3 win down here last season, not so impressed on a few occasions when I’ve seen play for Villa this season, but, as Dai mentions, there is the Warnock effect to consider and I also like the John Fleck suggestion – in many ways, I saw him as Sheffield United’s best, and most important, player in the season just ended.
Russell, while I agree wages would be an issue with Snodgrass, I doubt it if Johnstone’s (or Hourihane’s) demands would be prohibitive. We are going to have a substantially bigger playing budget and I’d say we should not be overly influenced by what happened last time we were in this position – we are a different club now and have a manager who has never been too extravagant in his transfer dealings and an owner who will, surely, be looking at things more closely this time after getting his fingers burnt in 2013/14. Finally, I’ll guess that Hoilett will stay, but agree that we need a quality winger – Traore would be expensive, but I think he may be the sort of player Warnock would go for.
Paul – Thanks once again for your views on the happenings of the past few days, and not looking too far into any crystal ball on who is likely to arrive at the CCS and perform in blue in the 2018/19 season. I just wish that I could resist searching for such information.
I recall mentioning earlier last season Lucas Andersen, a young colleague of our Ken in the Danish U 23 team, who performed particularly well with Ken at the European tournament for that age group. He currently plays for Zurich Grasshoppers. He is an attacking mid-fielder and the Web Site Transfer Market has his value somewhere between 1 – 1.5 million euros. Why am I mentioning all this? Simple really, because if ever we are mentioned with any player from who I have never heard of, and there are plenty of these, the web site gives some background.
So on that basis, I thought I would see how many compare with Joe Ralls who NW stated would be a Premier League player next season whether with us or somewhere else. His value is a paltry 1.5 million euros, with incidentally, Pilks at 2 million, Tomlin 3 million and Morrison at 5 million. Not sure how many would agree with these assessments, but if we wished to have another with the same energy and ability as Joe, I believe we would need to spend somewhat more than 1.5 million euros.
But we acquired Damour cheaply, and his value is currently substantially less than Joe’s, so there are bargains to be had, particularly in Europe. And I believe Damour could do a job for us in the Premier League, just as he did at the beginning of last season.
I suspect that we will be associated with many more players before kick off, but I hope not too many like Shawcross. A pacy full/wing back, a dominant central mid-fielder (Grujic – ?) and perhaps another striker. The team spirit that NW engendered last year must not be destroyed.
Finally, and I confess that I missed this announcement, our Ken was picked in the Danish 35 for the World Cup. Not sure that he’ll make the final 23, but his initial selection deserves recognition. Cornelius also selected ( how did that go wrong) !!!
Oh, and Dai, by the way, a few years ago my son and I went on a golfing trip to East Anglia and were recommended to go to Cafe ( not Restaurant ) in Felixstowe where the locals queued to get in. And the speciality, double portions of fish with their chips – totally delicious. I suspect it would give any of your Grimsby outlets a run for their money.
Dear BJA,
I know Felixstowe reasonably well, having trained as a lighthouse keeper just a ten minute ferry ride away in Harwich.
I was last there, when I arrived on October 8th, 2012 for 4 nights at Felixstowe Beach Holiday Park. Whilst staying there we had a sit in meal at the Regal …which was as the crow flies, about 250 yards from our caravan.
My verdict? Very good. Possibly one of the best I have ever had in Suffolk.
The thing about Grimsby/Cleethorpes, is not that it has the greatest individual F&C establishment per se, but that it has a significant number of places (in amongst the inevitable duds) to rival the very best on the east coast like The Magpie at Whitby, Eskdale Fisheries at Sleights, Marshalls of Tynemouth, Mary Jane’s and the No 1 in Cromer, etc., etc…
Here is my most recent visit a fortnight ago to The Coach House in Humberston, Cleethorpes and their Big Jax Sports Bar. This is not even a specialist fish restaurant, but look at the quality of the haddock. Zoom in with your tablet/PC, and note how the flesh is so wonderfully moist and falls off onto the knife. And note the size of the fillet…this dish did cost a tenner though (smaller size was cheaper). But it was just seven quid until about three months ago, when there was a big price hike.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=15QQiczszen2bulQRTh0FHC7vijR6EcQw
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EG9E0xj4t9lsCdsfNR6klOH002v2LS5F
F&C aficionados will note that it is not skinless haddock. Conceived opinion is that haddock fried in its skin, should be de rigueur, for the purist, as it is the skin that gives the flesh its extra flavour. I am a trencherman and not a gourmet, and have to admit that I also enjoy the skinless variety, provided the batter is light and crisp. (Beware dark batter…it is often indicative of an establishment that does not change its oil/lard regularly…a bit like a pub where the beer demonstrates that they do not use line cleaner regularly.)
One possible slightly ominous aspect of the above pics is the packaged tartare sauce. One prefers it in freshly made up pots. But trust me, this is the best packaged tartare I can ever recall.
And a final word on Grimsby/Cleethorpes…
If anyone wants proof that this is the capital of F&C in Britain, let them show me another place where they give over the end of their pier to the biggest fish restaurant in the world …Can you imagine Penarth Pier being taken over like this?
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rMHwnq12KrUXM-R_j2JfaoZsNmuTQ3sq
And now (as a relief to all you vegetarians) …to football…
Paul, you mention my take on the Karius idiotic throw…
Here is my point.
Had he drop kicked or punted it, the Benzema goal would have immediately been overruled, as an attacker cannot stand within a few feet of a goalie kicking the ball out from hand, and try to impede the flow of the ball.
And had he kicked it, yes the excellent but cynical cheat that is the pride of Andalusia, bullfighting fanatic Sergio Ramos, would have gobbled it up, but “we” could have descended on him and locked his arm inside ours, and violently pulled him to the ground…and maybe a goal would have resulted.
One thing for sure, the ball would have been in their third of the pitch, and not in “ours”. And the score would still have been 0-0.
(Basic common sense straight out of the pages of the Charles Hughes Book of Footballing Wisdom.)
But will Klopp learn from it?
Will he heck as like…
Dai – It’s now 10.30 a.m., and despite a good breakfast, having seen the pictures, am feeling hungry. Glad Felixstowe didn’t disappoint.
Back to football. Sadly our Ken didn’t make the Danish final numbers but Cornelius is still in with a shout. They have to reduce from 27 to 23 by early next week.
Just as in 1913, Barry Docks exported more coal than has been exported before or since from any British port, so I could have mentioned that Grimsby still holds the record for the biggest landings of deep sea fish in one year of any port in the UK. (Just as with coal, so the fish statistic is often claimed to be a world record…but I reckon we can be happy to settle for “Britain”, with the 100% certainty we cannot quite apply to worldwide.)
Alas of course, back in the day, our might of the Royal Navy was not used to scare off Icelandic’s lone gunboat, and the result was that their 12 mile fishing limit was increased to 50 miles. And then buoyed with that success, they later got it increased – with EU blessing – to an astonishing 200 miles…a figure that exists today, and inevitably resulted in Grimsby’s proud fishing fleet being decimated.
But the love of fish is very real in the town to this very day. Bizarrely there are more f&c shops/restaurants per capita in Grimsby/Cleethorpes, than any other town in Britain.
I say “bizarrely”, because you’d think that in a town where many ancillary trades were occasionally paid in fish rather than money, there’d be no need for f&c shops.
Ah…but there you’d be wrong.
You see, because people historically were paid with a couple of fillets of fish for say mowing someone’s lawn, they’d still want it battered and fried, so they’d go to their chippy and agree a price for them frying them and adding chips.
And so although there is far less “buckshee” fish going the rounds these days, many f&c shops will still do you a price on frying your fish for you. A bit like if you go to Australia you will see restaurants with a BYO sign in their windows, which means they do not have a licence to sell wine, but if you Bring Your Own wine, they will serve it for you…and just charge you a token two or three dollars per bottle whose cork they pull.
Thanks again Paul for another interesting article.
Rather than the fairly high profile players that have so far been linked, considering the likely budget constraints here is a team of available and or affordable players:
Johnstone Man Utd
Aina Chelsea
Huth Free Agent
Cooper Millwall
Fabio Free Agent
Meyler Free Agent
Pearson Preston
Woods Brentford
Sawyer Brentford
Wilson Liverpool
Hernandez Free Agent
A mixture of up and coming championship talent and experienced premiership free agents and squad players. This is the pool of talent Cardiff can afford. The likes of Rondon, Gray, Snodgrass and Shawcross are going to be big earners with large transfer fees that are out of Cardiff’s price range.
Paul,
You have so many shrewd contributors. None more so than Jeff Blight.
He comes up with an interesting list of possibles, and with an even more compelling list of four not to touch.
Re the keeper…I am very happy with Neil Etheridge, but as we need a keeper to push him hard next season, then the Man Utd boy Dean Henderson at Shrewsbury is the obvious choice for me. ..since Sam Johnstone will be heavily fought over, and Henderson is every bit his equal. But I cannot see Man Utd loaning either keeper to warm our bench, so we would have to agree to start them…and I cannot see that either are an improvement on Neil Etheridge.
Incidentally Paul, you mentioned Etheridge’s kicking disappointing you for part of the season, (though you concede that it did improve). Here is my take on it…
I think when Madine is in the team, his kicking is long and magnificent, always finding Gary’s head. But with just Zohore to aim at, Etheridge saves his breath to cool his porridge…and bizarrely aims for NML on the halfway touchline, only to keep Blacky and Ronnie on their toes playing head tennis in the dugout…since Etheridge is not Edison.
Mr Warnock…if only I was a polyglot, I would say it loud and proud in Tagalog…
“LET OUR FILIPINO OUTKICK PAUL THORBURN…AND LET THE MISFORTUNE OF LORIS KARIUS* AND HIS ABSURD ‘PLAYING THE BALL OUT’, BE A WARNING”.
And talking of warnings…
“Sir” Vincent…please ensure no insane transfers this time round. Limit Neil to sensible MODEST purchases. I am still hyperventilating over the 9 million thrown away on Paul Abbandonato’s (laughably overrated) “colossus”, Steven Caulker, and the expensive Great Dane (who admittedly has come good since, but we needed someone at nearly 10 million to come good there and then)…and a manager who, when the outstanding and far from inexpensive new signing John Brayford asked to show him his medals, froze him out in a fit of pique, and sent him to footballing Siberia to be constantly undergoing re-education in a training gulag known as Hensol…whilst all that same time, the Cardiff EPL ship was holed and taking in water…water that Brayford could and would have helped stop/plug…instead of which we kept the double barrelled boy we got from France at right back, and he was the one who in the dying seconds of the Sunderland game decided to keep the ball in play, instead of putting it into Row Z as JB would have done…thus turning three points into one.
Another Man Utd loan player perhaps worth a punt on would be Axel Tuanzebe…we are desperately short of quality centre backs, and his Villa loan is over now. Against him is the fact he is African…no no, worry not, I am not going to say something decidedly non PC here, like that duffer of a player recruitment guy at Chelsea (was it?) …who was immediately sacked for what was deemed a racist comment.
No, I simply say if you have a choice between an African and a non African of equal abilities and costs, always go for the non African.
Why? Well…the answer is easy peasy.
Every two years you risk losing him for a month as he goes off to play in the Africa Cup of Nations.
In 2019 it is being held in Cameroon.
And there we have the reason why I find myself hoping that Southgate’s men will be home from Russia before their postcards.
No…’tis not the usual Denis Law** anti-English thing. I actually would normally love England to go all the way. But not this year.
I regard Southgate’s wilful refusal to pick ‘Sarf’ London boy Wilfried Zaha as nothing short of criminal…especially since Zaha kept signalling to England, “please come and get me, or I will sign up to the land of my birth, The Ivory Coast”.
The only player apart from Gareth Bale in these islands who I reckon good enough to get into an 18 man World Squad…and the idiot Southgate deliberately neglects him. Gee, I was at Wembley that night when Southgate had his penalty miss, and I felt so sympathetic towards him. But not any more, I don’t.
And I tell you two other people who don’t care for his decision…Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington. They won’t like losing Zaha for up to seven games.
*Am I alone in being mystified by reports that say this chap had tears “streaming down his face” as he went to the Liverpool fans at the final whistle, to beg forgiveness?
Eh? His eyes were not even…MOIST…!! Nor even remotely red. All we saw was a facial grimace.
Remember when Klinsmann came to Tottenham and drove to training every day in a beat up old VW Beetle…?
Well, Karius drives around in a limo with the registration LK1.
I rest my case, m’Lud.
**”I had to go play golf that afternoon…I could not bear to watch that 1966 World Cup Final on my TV” – Denis Law.
Oh dear…I reckon I’ve got Alzheimer’s Disease…and he’s got mine.
I have just spotted my latest bit of slipshodery…
‘…
instead if which we kept the double barrelled boy we got from France at right back, and he was the one who in the dying seconds of the Sunderland came
…’
Please strike “instead if”, and insert “instead OF”.
And as for “Sunderland came”…OMG…
No…you have to go back to Len Shackleton, Trevor Ford and Ray Daniel when there was last orgasmic moments on Wearside.
I obviously meant…Sunderland…GAME.
Profuse apols.
Yes, I thought that was an interesting team Jeff put together Dai – I’d say Johnstone (not overly impressed with Henderson in the Play offs apart from one marvelous save) is a possibility now Villa are in the Championship for another season. I liked what I saw of Aina during the season, but he doesn’t seem a “Warnock player” to me. Woods and Sawyer of Brentford are potential Premier League players for me (as is Ollie Watkins) and Hernandez is a maybe – I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see us go for one of his not to be touched with a bargepole four (Snodgrass) mind.
Tuanzebe’s an interesting one, particularly as he can play right back – I’ve heard Neil Warnock say on more than one occasion that Bruno Manga is the current City player most suited to the Premier League and I can see where he is coming from if Bruno gives it the full concentration that was sometimes missing in the Championship, but there have to be doubts about Sol Bamba playing at a higher level than he has done before at the age of thirty four in January, while Sean Morrison’s improvement in the Championship may not be able to transfer into the Premier League. I always say centreback is the strongest area of our team, but there are question marks against all three of the ones we used last season, so more reinforcements there would not go amiss.
Having watched Wilfried Zaha in a City shirt for nearly half a season, I cannot rate him as highly as you do, but what sticks in my mind from four years ago was that he was always more effective for us in away games.