CITY IN CRISIS ?
Your questions on Bluebirds’ woes answered
IT’S BEEN A DIFFICULT FEW DAYS FOR CARDIFF CITY AND THEIR FANS SINCE THE SOUTH WALES DERBY DEFEAT TO SWANSEA. WITH THE BLUEBIRDS NOW IN THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE, AND DISCONTENT GROWING AMONG SUPPORTERS, BLUEBIRDS CORRESPONDENT
GLEN WILLIAMS HOSTED A Q&A TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BIG ISSUES.
Q
In the best interests of the club, would you back Warnock in the January window, let him carry on with what he has or consider if it is time for change to give his replacement the chance to start the rebuild at the earliest opportunity? – Nigel Harris
A
Thanks for your question, Nigel, a pertinent one, and one that needs to be thought about.
It’s a strange and unique situation, announcing your departure a year before you are going to do so and the January transfer window, ostensibly his last in football management, was always going to be an intriguing one.
He has said he doesn’t think it would be fair to recklessly spend the club’s money, especially with someone else due to come in, but if the club is in freefall down the league, surely they might have to fork out a little?
Similarly, I’m not too sure if throwing a new manager into the January transfer window is necessarily an ideal situation. Good deals are hard to come by mid-season.
It all depends on the club’s stance. If they are backing Warnock, who has a lot of credit in the bank with the board, then they will afford him the opportunity to reinforce. But he will likely just buy players to suit his style of management, who might well contrast with the next manager’s style. The bottom line is, if he is at the club in January, the board have no option but to back him. They simply cannot, and will not, undermine the manager.
Q
Do you think the club have the personnel in place to succession plan effectively? Surely wheels must be in motion? – Nick A
Thanks, Nick. I’m positive the club did not envisage this sort of start to the season, so I’m sure they were not thinking of having to plan this early on.
We understand the club are working on moving Sol Bamba into a position on the staff at some point, whether that is next season or afterwards remains to be seen, so we know they are thinking about future plans.
I do genuinely believe the club have the personnel in place to plan effectively. I think the board have been largely brilliant the last few seasons.
Of course, it will be interesting to see which way they go.
Will they try to transition to a different type of manager in terms of style? Or go like for like?
Although I don’t know for sure, I think it would be foolish of them if they had not already had talks about it.
And Warnock has said he will help them with the transition period in any way he can.
But you are right, all is certainly not lost.
Q
Neil said he will walk when the fans turn. The fans have turned, so why hasn’t he walked yet? What will it take to show the club the fans want a replacement in time for the January window? – Gareth Gardner A
I think the weekend’s result has turned fans a little more. A derby defeat always makes supporters more vocal in their dismay.
And I am reticent to say “the fans have turned”, generalising the whole Bluebirds fan base. I have seen forums and chat rooms in which Warnock backers are being vocal in their view on the manager staying, too.
But it can’t be denied that the Swansea loss proved the tipping point for some.
One thing I will say on this is that Neil Warnock is certainly a principled man and if he genuinely feels he is not up to the job anymore then he will have no qualms in stepping down. I am certain of that.
He must feel he has a lot more to offer.
And he is human. He has down days too. We learned the other week that Sean Morrison had to talk him round after the loss to Reading. He feels every defeat as badly as the fans.
But Warnock and the board must feel this team has what it takes to
turn it around. After spending a sizeable amount in the summer, they will hope they don’t have to fork out too much in January! Q
Does the club have a blueprint for the style of football we want
to play? - Jason Edwards A
We were warned when Cardiff were consigned to relegation last year that the Championship has moved on since the last time they were here. That has certainly proved the case, I think.
Perhaps Millwall aside, Cardiff are the only team sticking to this triedand-tested, direct approach this season and it is not bearing fruit. Blackburn were culprits of it, too, at times.
And both Blackburn and Millwall are two of the poorer teams City have played this season, so it can’t be a coincidence.
When Warnock was appointed, it was horses for courses. It was an SOS, and what a job he has done at the club.
So, no, they probably didn’t have a blueprint for the style of football they wanted to play then. They just wanted to be saved and Warnock did just that.
The move to appoint the next manager, however, has to incorporate what style of play the club want to employ going forward. It simply has to.
And whether that is an old-school coach with similar ideas to Warnock, which has certainly proved successful in the past, or a manager with a more progressive mindset will certainly be telling. Q
How many more games does Warnock have before a replacement is found? – Liam Hobbs
A
Thanks, Liam. Well, that’s a question for the board I’m afraid, who are ardent backers of the manager.
That’s not to say, of course, that if results continue in this vein they won’t consider appointing someone else.
But it has been a disappointing 10 days or so, that’s for sure, and it is has certainly bred discontent among fans.
What I will say is that Warnock has put a lot of stock into the next two games, at home to Birmingham City and Bristol City, and the outcome of those clashes could be very important.
It’s the fickle nature of Championship football, unfortunately.
They are now as many points away from the play-off spots as they are from the relegation places (six). Two wins and it all looks rosier. Two defeats, not so much. Q
Do you think that we will not see the best of Robert Glatzel until after Warnock retires? A
I think you could be right, you know. Given Glatzel’s size, many would have earmarked him as a big, powerful presence who will win those headers and hold up the play.
But those are not his strengths. He is far better with the ball at his feet.
When he is on the pitch, however, the manager opts for the more direct approach, which they can’t do when Danny Ward is playing.
It must be noted, though, that he has just not looked up to scratch when afforded the opportunity. He has been outmuscled, outpaced and looked utterly short of confidence in front of goal.
On this evidence, you can’t expect a bucket-load of goals. But football is a funny game and it could take a little run in the festive period and he might well be up and running.
I’ve looked at his performances for Heidenheim and he looks a player of real quality and one I thought would be a superb addition
He hasn’t looked like that so far and, no, Cardiff have perhaps not played to his strengths with their style of play. But there is more to come from him, for sure. There is a reason a number of Championship clubs, very good Championship clubs, were after him. Q
Would you personally agree that Neil Warnock needs to go?
– Ceiron Wesley A
Hi Ceiron, thanks for your question. In a word, no, I don’t agree that Neil Warnock has to go.
Of course, I am not a Cardiff City fan so it is a little easier for me to detach myself from the anger and frustration many of you must be feeling after the defeat at Swansea.
While I acknowledge derby days are huge occasions and the lacklustre display must have been infuriating, two weeks of underwhelming results must not skew what has come before.
City, while admittedly not playing brilliant football, were just a couple of points off the play-offs a few weeks back, the world hasn’t tipped upside down in that time.
I certainly understand, however, where fans are coming from when they are calling for a change and can see why they have grown tired of not only the results but the style of play.
There are bound to be differences of opinion and those calls for a change will grow louder with each passing game the Bluebirds don’t win.
Because fans will accept winning football, but they are far less lenient when not only the defeats but the frustrating draws pile up and that is compounded by a style of play that can often not be pleasing on the eye.
It’s always the risk managers like Warnock have to take.
Supporters might be ever-soslightly more accepting of defeats and draws if the football is good.
But that isn’t the case at the moment.
For me, though, Warnock has a bit of latitude from me at present and has enough credit in the bank to continue as Cardiff City manager for the time being. But he, the fans and the players know that a string of wins must be put together very soon.