Blakey – why ledley should return to city:
WHY CARDIFF NEED A SETTLED GOALKEEPER ON A LONG-TERM DEAL
It’s not that I’m not a fan of Allan McGregor, but if you’re going to have a goalkeeper I don’t think a loan signing is best.
Once you get your feet under the table, you tend to grow. Just look at David Marshall’s Cardiff career — and he’s certainly an option to come back.
Any one of Marshall, McGregor (if you could sign him permanently) or even Wayne Hennessey would be great as Cardiff’s No.1.
The key thing for any of them is to get settled. You’re far happier surrounded by your family, than travelling up and down the country.
And perhaps we’re seeing that with Marshall up at Hull City and with McGregor, who knows he’s only in Cardiff for a short period of time.
So it’s unfair to overly criticise McGregor. But whoever the goalkeeper is next season — and I wouldn’t mind any of those three — I’d like to see them on a permanent deal, with a three or four year contract. That way we’d see the best of them.
The fans will inevitably call for Marshall’s return. He’s their hero. He took Cardff to cup finals, made great saves, had superb rapport with the fans, so most were disappointed to see him go.
Let’s not forget it hasn’t been a year since Marshall left. But if there’s any chance of getting him back, go for it.
WHY JOE LEDLEY WOULD SUIT CARDIFF... BUT DON’T BANK ON A MOVE
I think Joe Ledley plays the No.6 role as well as most players and in my mind Cardiff still need a genuine holding midfielder.
I’ve never thought Aron Gunnarsson was an out-and-out defensive midfield player. He’s got the legs for the No.8 role, because he can go box-to-box and the holding role restricts him.
We’ve seen Gunnarsson perform those duties on international duty for Iceland, and he lacks the creativity to play as a No.10. So, for me, if Cardiff can acquire a player like Ledley, who could be available and willing to drop down a division, perfect.
People sometimes talk about these moves for Welsh players like Ledley or Hennessey as done deals. Just because they’re Welsh!
But I know players don’t think ‘I’m going to Cardiff because they’re Welsh and I’m Welsh’ — as a player you just don’t think that way. Who knows, a mid-table Premier League club might come calling for Ledley and then a move to the Bluebirds would seem unlikely.
Fans love the idea of a former Cardiff player coming back; it’s an attractive idea. But Warnock will have plenty of options in the transfer market.
It comes down to the club’s scouting and recruitment network. I’m sure they will look far and wide, so it’s lazy to assume Welsh players will just flock to Cardiff.
What Paul Trollope did, targeting the Welsh market, was a little lazy and a little safe.
He stuck to players he knew and had worked with before.
I don’t think Warnock will pursue the same tactics this summer.
THE CAPTAINCY DEBATE
I’ve previously suggested the captaincy doesn’t particularly matter and, while I’m not blasé about it, I’ve always played in teams with lots of leaders. Not just the captain.
When I was at Bolton Wanderers, there were so many influential characters and yet we all felt responsibility. It was a team of leaders.
At Cardiff right now, there are compelling arguments for both Sol Bamba and Aron Gunnarson to take on the armband. I personally hope one of them does.
Where the captain comes into his own is off the pitch. When you look behind the scenes and see the relationship between captain and manager, that’s not just about football.
There are certain standards to maintain and the skipper acts as the manager’s lieutenant in the dressing room, upholding things like dress codes, fines for being late, keeping boots clean.
So for me, Bamba’s close relationship with Warnock makes him a leading candidate for the armband.
Then again, Gunnarsson is a Cardiff stalwart adored by the supporters.
Sean Morrison hasn’t done anything wrong as captain, but for a promotion-chasing season next year, Warnock must give the captaincy to Bamba or Gunnarsson.
MY THOUGHTS ON THE NEIL TAYLOR FALL-OUT
Wales players have been on the wrong end of some vicious verbal abuse this week and I can’t stand to see it.
There’s no way Republic of Ireland’s players would hold the same opinion as the Irish media and supporters who have criticised Neil Taylor the way they have.
As a player, unless there’s previous angst or some niggling history between the sides, you take the situation at face value. It was a late, heavy challenge on Seamus Coleman, but no more.
Taylor doesn’t have that in his character — he’s had a bad leg break himself in the past — and there was no malice in the tackle. It was a freak accident and I think the players accept that.
From a former player’s perspective, you always think something could go wrong.
It’s sickening and shameful that people have suggested Taylor did it on purpose. To judge a player and put him in that category is plain wrong.