IS DEENEY PERFECT CITY FIT?
WHY CITY’S £15M TARGET HAS ALL THE ATTRIBUTES TO BE A PERFECT FIT FOR WARNOCK AND CO
THE news that Cardiff City are targeting Troy Deeney as the missing piece of their transfer puzzle has split supporters.
Although a good chunk of the Bluebirds’ fanbase are excited by the prospect of signing Watford’s captain and talisman , there are those who believe the money would be better invested elsewhere.
Not Neil Warnock or the Cardiff hierarchy.
Despite the obvious need for a central midfield recruit – which they hope will also happen before the transfer window shuts – the opportunity to sign Deeney is something the Bluebirds don’t want to miss, even if the suggestion is that Watford won’t sell unless they receive a major offer.
With the pursuit of Marko Grujic from Liverpool taking an age to complete, attention has now turned to signing a striker, something Warnock has hinted at throughout this transfer window. So what attributes make Deeney the perfect fit for Warnock’s Cardiff and a reported £15million bid?
Strong character
Love or loathe him as a football, you cannot deny Deeney is a born leader: someone who dragged Watford into the Premier League by sheer force of will and helped them stay there.
He battled his way to the top of the professional game after starting out with Chelmsley Town and Halesowen and even bounced back from serving a three-month spell in prison for affray in 2012, since studying GCSEs and vowing to put the offence firmly behind him.
He got his big break with the Hornets under Sean Dyche – a manager Warnock greatly admires and respects – and has been a model pro since his brush with the law, turning out as a pundit on Match Of The Day and acting as Watford’s main spokesman in the media at times.
And there is no doubt Warnock likes big personalities, players with character and resolve.
In signing Sol Bamba, Lee Tomlin, Gary Madine and Callum Paterson, among others, the veteran boss has continually proved that at Cardiff.
Deeney has been a hugely popular figure at Vicarage Road, a big voice in the dressing room and inevitably – despite the nay-sayers – would be the kind of player to attract a cult following at Cardiff City Stadium.
He’s up for the scrap, something that appeals to Bluebirds’ fans, not to mention Warnock.
A decent track record
When we talk about Deeney spearheading Watford’s promotion and subsequent survival, we’re talking about 21 Championship goals in 2014/15 to get the Hornets up and 10 more the following season as they finished mid-table.
The 2017/18 campaign had its problems for Deeney and Watford. A change of manager mid-season did the 30-year-old few favours, neither did an injury problem.
Yet he still notched crucial goals in wins over Arsenal and Chelsea.
While Cardiff’s summer signings have brought cautious optimism from fans, especially after the performances of Bobby Reid and Josh Murphy in pre-season, the one thing the recruitment has lacked is Premier League know-how and experience.
Robert Snodgrass, Andre Gray, Salomon Rondon and James McLean have all been mentioned in connection to Cardiff in the media, Premier League ready players, yet the Bluebirds have attracted criticism in shunning those stars (on big wages) and shopping in the Championship.
With time ticking on this transfer window, the Bluebirds clearly feel they need some Premier League nous. Who better than Deeney? A player who has worked his way up the ladder, won’t forget his roots, but knows what surviving in the big league is about.
He’s actually a very smart footballer
No disrespect to Kenneth Zohore or Gary Madine, but heading into a Premier League campaign with those two as Cardiff’s main striking options would surely be a concern. Zohore can blow hot and cold, while Madine has yet to score in a competitive game for the Bluebirds. Then there’s Danny Ward, a player signed for the Championship and one who has struggled with injury. Omar Bogle and Anthony Pilkington appear destined for the exit. The problem is Zohore’s inconsistencies. The Zohore of early 2017, who ripped through defences in the second tier and scored 10 goals in 11 appearances after Warnock sparked him into action, attracted interest from Brighton and Everton.
But we only saw that player in flashes last term, hence Warnock was minded to sign Madine.
The Cardiff boss may feel in Deeney he has found a target man with the combination of attributes to suit his style, a player who is able to perform dutifully and consistently.
Deeney is good in the air, comfortable taking the ball on his chest with his back to goal and still has a spurt of pace to trouble defences. He’s a handful and right up Warnock’s street.
The Cardiff fans would love him
Although the initial reaction appears to be split, Deeney is the type of footballer Cardiff City fans have historically loved.
Rolls up his sleeves, no-nonsense, always gives 100 per cent, battles against adversity.
He has been written off in the past and no doubt some would question his decision to swap the comfort of Watford for what’s likely to be a relegation battle with the Bluebirds.
But he’s in the mould of a Craig Bellamy or even a Sean Morrison in typifying what being a Cardiff player is all about.
Vocal, occasionally controversial but always loyal to his team.
Deeney would go down a storm in South Wales, even if fans might be unsure about the financial outlay. ■■What do you think? Join the debate on our Cardiff City Online Facebook page.