RUSSELL SLADE
After turning around Cardiff’s fortunes, MICHAEL JONES says the manager fully deserves a new contract…
Give him the credit he deserves
CARDIFF City are entering the business end of the season in the thick of the fight for a play-off place. Considering the financial restraint placed under Russell Slade, the current manager, and the considerable unrest at the club, this is quite a feat. He has managed to juggle the tasks of slashing the wage bill and instilling confidence in a dispirited squad, whilst having to ensure attractive football is played all as eccentric club owner Vincent Tan looks on.
Slade came in when City were creeping dangerously close to the relegation zone and was charged with steering the side well clear of this sinister pit; under the previous manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Cardiff would have sunk.
They were 17th in the Championship when Solskjaer was shown the door, three points off the relegation zone. The financial impact would have been devastating and City may well have followed the path from Premier League glory into the depths of the football pyramid carved out by Portsmouth.
Under Solskjaer, Cardiff’s defence was shambolic; it is a surprise that the Welsh outfit didn’t concede more goals than they did.
Indeed, Solskjaer’s penultimate game in charge saw City concede four goals at home to fellow Premier League outcasts Norwich City. The Norwegian focused on attacking play, disregarding the defensive organisation necessary in the Championship.
Thus, Slade’s challenge was to sort the mess out. Initially, Slade’s tactics were criticised by fans and pundits. It appeared as though the financial restraints placed upon him translated into the style of play: conservative and rigid. April of last season is when this was most clear: the Bluebirds managed a pathetic three goals in six games. However, they only conceded three, and this defensive solidity was important - it showed the players what they can do if they defend as one unit, laying the foundations for the belief and togetherness in the current City squad. It was necessary for Slade to employ defensive tactics in his first year, not only to ensure safety, but to remind the City team that if they play as a team they can be hard to break down. The ex-Leyton Orient boss managed to guide the Bluebirds to a respectable 11th place. The ability to fix a broken defence is not as easy as armchair bloggers would have you believe – Slade deserves great credit for this. This season, however, has seen a gradual change in the football City are playing. The loss of powerful striker Kenwyne Jones has forced the Bluebirds to play the ball on the ground and into feet. It sounds simple, but it appeared incomprehensibly difficult for a large spell of time.
As a result, Cardiff are playing in a fluid manner and creating lots of chances.
Granted, there have been times when Slade’s men have been sloppy in possession and haven’t fulfilled their potential on the pitch, but the signs are promising.
Even before Christmas, when Cardiff struggled to finish games off and clinch three points, they were still playing appealing football; a much-wanted change from the air-born style that fans had been accustomed to in the previous season.
By adapting the style of play from caution to swift attacking, Slade has shown that he is flexible and that given time he will continue to improve the side. It raises hope that there will be a return to the days when Cardiff fans were used to seeing two or more goals per game.
Most recently, Slade has shown great tactical ingenuity by directing winger Anthony Pilkington to lead the front line. Five goals in a seven-game spell for the Republic of Ireland international suggests the switch has been successful.
Not only has the football changed, but the mood around the whole club has improved. Cardiff’s return to blue initiated such a process: confirmation that Tan is cutting City’s debts and the news of reduced season tickets have propelled it.
For the first time in a while, Cardiff fans are mildly content. I’m not suggesting that Slade has turned things around single-handedly, but the modern day manager doesn’t just pick the starting eleven; he has influence and constant contact with the hierarchy at the club.
Without the calming influence that Slade appears to wield, Cardiff may well still be engulfed in a riotous atmosphere.You would be hard-pressed to find any other manager that would have the patience to deal with the evererratic Tan.
Donned in a tracksuit and a baseball cap,