Should they stay or should they go?

BLUEBIRDS LEGEND AND ECHO COLUMNIST NATHAN BLAKE DELIVERS HIS VERDICT ON THE PLAYERS CITY NEED TO KEEP... AND THOSE WHO NEED TO GO THIS SUMMER:

WITH six games of the season left, Neil Warnock has made it clear some members of his team are playing for their futures.

The likes of Kenneth Zohore, Sol Bamba and Aaron Gunnarson will help form part of the Cardiff City spine next season, while Jazz Richards and Joe Bennett look likely to hold down the full-back berths.

But, starting with Brentford on Saturday, it’s kind of like the final run-in for others who still hope to prove to Warnock they can have key roles to play in a Championship promotion push next season.

Here is my take on some of the players Warnock may feel he needs to make a decision on this summer...

ALLAN McGREGOR

On loan from Hull, he will be heading back north... but should Warnock immediately look to bring him back down to South Wales on a permanent basis?

I think one of our problems here is that we are going to be judging goalkeepers by the standard of David Marshall, fairly or unfairly.

McGregor has been middle of the road for me. He’s not been great, but nor has he cost us too many goals or corners from howlers.

Warnock definitely needs to sign a big, dominant goalkeeper. He said after the Wolves defeat he wants his summer transfer business done early, which was a kind of message to the board.

What Warnock means by that is that pre-season is hugely important. He wants his key new figures captured by early June, so that they are fully integrated into the team and the planning by the time the new campaign kicks off. The last thing he wants is to have to wait until January to get someone he knows he needs in June/July.

McGregor’s decent, but I’m not sure he’s the right one.

Keep or sell? Well, we can’t sell as such, but I’d look elsewhere for a new number one.

DECLAN JOHN

Cardiff City fans love seeing homegrown players come through and were excited when young Declan burst on the scene.

He played in the Premier League and was viewed as someone who could challenge Neil Taylor and Ben Davies for the Wales left-back berth.

But I remember watching Declan being caught out of position playing against Swansea several years ago, which enabled Nathan Dyer to score.

I recall saying back then he needed coaching about that sort of thing, yet there are still question marks today about some of his positioning.

Declan hasn’t been helped by the fact that some managers liked him, like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, others didn’t. But I also don’t feel he has done himself justice with consistent performance levels.

As a manager you want two things from your players, reliability and trust. If either is missing in your opinion, then you don’t pick that player.

I don’t think it’s the end for Declan, far from it. But maybe he needs to go away to a club like Middlesbrough, say, if they come down, and move away from the south Wales comfort zone.

Keep or sell? Sadly I feel the time has probably come for a parting of the ways.

BRUNO MANGA

Most people know my feelings about big Bruno. He has the potential to be our best defender without a doubt, but if any player has doubts about being with Cardiff then perhaps they need to move on. I hope Manga doesn’t have those doubts. He should be one of our leaders. A big name, strong individual, fantastic player.

He and Sol Bamba can be the number one centre-back pairing in the Championship next season, the rock upon which a promotion campaign is built. That may seem unfortunate on skipper Sean Morrison, but Manga and Bamba are better in my opinion.

Keep or sell? Keep... and build a team around him.

LEE PELTIER

I’ve always liked Pelts. he’s one of those players who you want on your side. When he goes into a tackle, you know Cardiff City will win the ball.

People love overlapping full-backs these days, I’d probably prefer that type of player myself. Jazz Richards and Joe Bennett certainly fit that bill better than Peltier.

But there is still something to be said, you know, for someone who loves defending. And Peltier certainly does that. He could play centre-back in an emergency, or even as a slugger in a holding midfield role if necessary.

Keep or sell? Keep.

PETER WHITTINGHAM

Ah, Whitts, perhaps the player who will cause more debate than any other. Modern football is quick, you need mobile, athletic midfield players and Whittingham doesn’t fit that bill any more. But he still has a role to play, if he wants one, although not as a definite starter in the team any more. You could still get 20 games from him, whether as a substitute or whatever, but what he could offer even more than that is experience off the pitch. Whittingham is steeped in Cardiff City history, so why not ask him if he wants to get involved in coaching? If so, he can start with the academy and continue playing in the first team. So, it would have to be on a reduced salary, but the other coaching responsibilities would make up for the lack of game time with regards justifying the wage to the powers-that-be. Keep or sell? You keep your diamonds, they are few and far between.

ANTHONY PILKINGTON

He’s been really good at times, scoring goals, but there hasn’t been enough consistency for my liking. That’s not totally Pilkington’s fault. The inconsistency at the top of the club has filtered through to the dressing room and that has manifested itself in his performances at times.

Also, he has been shunted from wing, to centre-forward, to playing off the striker.

But FFP needs to be considered by Warnock. Perhaps Cardiff could get more value for money from a lower-division wide player on a lesser wage who is quick, less experienced... but really hungry to make an impact?

I like Pilkington, but I also wonder where exactly he’ll fit in.

Keep or sell? Sell, might get a good wage, too.

Whittingham is steeped in recent Cardiff City history, so why not ask him if he fancies coaching? Nathan Blake

CRAIG NOONE

Has given great service, has been a wonderful player at times, but I just feel Noone has gone a little stale for the last season or so.

Maybe he would benefit from a new challenge, because what we can’t doubt is his talent.

He’s shown it enough times down the years. Cardiff have a plethora of wide players at the moment and Warnock is on record as saying he wants another, so can’t be completely happy with his lot.

Keep or sell? We could get money for him.

JUNIOR HOILETT

This is an interesting one and could go either way. Hoilett has real talent, but if I were Warnock I’d want an awful lot more from him for what I hope is a promotionchasing season.

He can score goals, create assists, cross the ball, is the right age, can be a leader in the group.

I would never ask someone to do what they are not capable of, but Hoilett is so good he really can deliver the above. But he has to do it on a consistent basis. Needs to be a leading light. Keep or sell? Keep... just

RICKIE LAMBERT

As a fellow member of the strikers’ union, I feel sorry for Rickie

He’s a class player and we have seen in the past what he can do, but the Championship is played at such a high tempo these days and I’m not sure it suits the ex-England and Liverpool man.

Unfortunately, as we get older we get slower, not faster, Lambert’s thought process is quicker than most. But physically coping with the demands of this level is another matter entirely.

Sides like to copy the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and other top teams with high-pressing games. Rickie isn’t that type of footballer.

Keep or sell? I’d let him go, FFP and that. Ticks the boxes .... and Kenneth Zohore has made incredible strides as a viable alternative.

TO HEAR BLAKEY HAVE HIS SAY IN THE BOOTROOM, VISIT WALESONLINE.CO.UK