Sexing up women’s soccer

Over in the USA the new Women’s Professional Soccer League starts next month but in a bid to boost crowd they are bring in an optionally special mini-skirt style wrap as well as the normal shorts. Cannot see it catching on myself, but it could make one hell of a goal celebration wiping off the wrap, with the right underwear of coruse, but do they need a gimmick US women’s soccer fairly big anyway and they get .

'I think there might be a few players that try to go ahead and wear it. It's something different,' said US keeper and St Louis Athletica stopper Hope Solo of the Puma kit.
'The U.S. players have different personalities. We have Tasha Kai who wears two different colour cleats.' (That is boots to you and me).
'People are always doing something to get noticed, but I think the skirt may or may not take off here,' she told the Daily Mail.

Could it happen over here, I every much doubt it there is still too much sexism in the game of football here for woman players. As for a Professional League it could never happen, maybe it could if it was a summer league, but even that is a long shot. The idea of the wrap up shorts would never get a British male down to his local football ground, it would take full on lingerie soccer (see picture)and that would have to be a summer season.

The seven-team league starts next month with five England internationals, including star player Kelly Smith, signed up and in 2010 three new teams will join the league.

Ground sharing

Call me a bitter old man but I don’t give a toss about eggby (rugby) but I do care about them sharing out new stadium. I did not like Sam Hammam much, ok I dislike him intensely but one thing we did agree on was the new stadium would be football ONLY; you have to like him for that. It is funny how he was getting nowhere with the stadium until rumours of a link up with the Blues (Cardiff rugby club), started doing the rounds.

The Western Mail the official mouthpiece of Welsh Rugby has an article on the subject today and of course, the paper through its reporter thinks it is a great idea. In the article, the reporter has a pop at the small-minded football fans who do not like the idea, but no mention about the Cardiff/Blues rugby fans who do not want to ground share either. However, we are only lowly fans so we have no say, if it was down to the fans it would never have happened but the ground was build for the 14 hospitality boxes where the moneymen and companies who can afford it will hold audience, in boxes full of Manchester United fans.

The ground is OURS chairman Peter Ridsdale tells us regular allow the Mail is saying without the Blues the stadium would never had been built, so how do the egg people who are only tenants make their money. It is credit crunch, and that must have an effect on projected figurers for next season, advertising is down everywhere, ticket sales if you read the Blues message board are likely to be low after checking out the stadium as some of their games are poorly attended.

In the words of the reporter,

The word made up out of seats on the fantastic East Stand, the new ground’s
version of the Bob Bank, reads “Cardiff”. Not Cardiff City FC not Bluebirds.
Just plain Cardiff.

It should read Cardiff City, Bluebirds of CCFC the club coped out with just having Cardiff it is OUR ground. There is still has no name, are we wait on some company to announce it or still try to find someone.

The new ground will be all hi-tech with “access control card” which is like a credit card and you swipe your way through the turnstiles. For the what the paper calls occasional fans, they can get the card on match day and then you are told where your seats will be via texts to your mobile phone, do they give you the mobile because I do not have one and do not like them. There will be an absolute zero tolerance towards fans standing at the new ground is not there a no standing policy in operation in the seated areas of Ninian Park that works well.

Games at New Stadium

Cardiff need to slowly build up the attendance to the new ground to test the facilities and the staff stewards etc. They will need to get a Health and safely certificate before they can have full capacity in the stadium and all three game should be a sell-out, the first game could be season ticket holder only for the demand is great.

The schedule of matches they have arranged is as follows. Saturday,

July 11 ... a Jason Perry XI versus a Roger Gibbins XI in front of a 50 per cent crowd capacity.

On Wednesday, July 22, the Bluebirds meet Chasetown, with the crowd upped a further 20 per cent.

On Saturday, August 1 comes the official ground opening in front of a 90 per cent crowd capacity. The opposition have yet to be announced, but the Bluebirds are chasing a crack European team.

Then comes the first league game, with the Bluebirds likely to sell out ... particularly if they are in the top flight by then.

Match Reports - Cardiff City v QPR

City find the going tough but digdeep to bank a crucial point - Western Mail

CARDIFF CITY may have moved up to fourth in the Championship following this stalemate against QPR, but they are going to need to be better than this if their promotion push is to remain on track. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Wayne Routledge missed chance to silence the boo-boys – The Sun

WAYNE ROUTLEDGE blew his big chance to silence the boo-boys — and breach Cardiff’s mean-machine defence. The QPR winger was jeered with every touch after rejecting a permanent move from Aston Villa to promotion-chasing Cardiff last month in favour of the mega-rich Londoners. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Cardiff rue missed chances against QPR – The Telegraph

Cardiff manager Dave Jones rued his team's lack of a cutting edge in their goalless stalemate with fellow promotion chasers QPR at Ninian Park last night. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Match Report for Daily Mail >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Jones on the BBC

Sometimes I just do not think managers understand a football fan and today Cardiff boss Dave Jones got my back up again the report on the BBC website is right. Simply he his saying the QPR game is not a ‘must-win’ good with I find unbelievable he could say that, going on about knowing where everyone will be by the end of March. He said on the BBC website, "This is the stage where everybody starts to get nervy.
"If you lose a game or don't pick up maximum points, the bubble has burst or the doom clouds start to gather and everything else.
"We didn't lose on Sunday, yet in some quarters, it's still not good enough."

Jones likes to have a pop at the fans he was complaining about terrace and cyber managers telling him how to rum his team, which is far enough criticisms goes ways, defeat or a draw, is points lost. I cannot see Alex Ferguson or Rafa Benitez giving an interview and saying a game is not a ‘must-win’ the press would have a field day. Jones said, “Tomorrow doesn't decide anything because there's so many points still up for grabs”.

Tomorrow means three points win every game there is left and we are promoted and no lottery of the play-offs. This game might be the first of our four games in hand but we still need to win them to climb further up the table. QPR have only picked up two points out of nine on offer for the last three games and Cardiff who are unbeaten in the league for the last 12 games, in the last three game picking up seven out of nine.

He goes on about not predicted top two at the end of the season or who would be the four in the play-offs at the end of the season. I can make ONE prediction Cardiff City will be promoted if they win all their remaining game.

Routledge returns .........

QPR are the visitors to Ninian Park Wednesday and a chance to wipeout the memory of the draw at Birmingham on the weekend. The Londoners are Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone from F1 racing making them the riches team outside the Premiership and richer than some in the Premier League, a popular chant for them now is ‘we are richer than you’.

This was evident in the transfer of Wayne Routledge to QPR. He was on loan with the Bluebirds who, put in an offer of £300.000 to his club Aston Villa that they were happy with and it looked like he would be making a permanent move to Ninian Park. However, other club started to show an interest so Villa took a wait, see policy, and with it seems Cardiff boss Dave Jones got his man, QPR jumped into the deal.
News of the World show why Cardiff City missed out and basically, it was down to money. Routledge legged it out of his hotel dash after Villa phone him to tell he was off to talk with QPR, he did even stop to say bye, bye. The break down was Villa would get close to £600.000 with add-ons and 20% sell on clause, and personal terms,

• £15.000 a week wage
• £5.000 per appearance
• £150.000 signing-on fee

It was F1 money, which seemed to be the decisive factor with Brinie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore looking to fast track them into the Premiership. The Cardiff City Chairman Peter Ridsdale said at the time, “We made Wayne a year generous offer, but he saw fit to leave us without saying a word. “Our fans should not think that we would not open the chequebook to sign Wayne.
“But when you see those figures from Rangers, it’s obvious we couldn’t match it.
“I make no apology for not wanting to break the bank to sign players.
“We pushed the boat out to try and sign Wayne, but even if we had increased our offer. I think the pull of a return to London would have been too great.”

I would think Routledge would be coming in for major boo-booing at Ninian Park on Wednesday night even after having a good loan spell with the City, Boooooooooo.

Match Reports - Wolves v Cardiff City

Wolverhampton Wanderers benefit from Demitrios Konstantopoulos howler – The Telegraph

So the trip to warmer climes failed to rekindle the cutting edge and dashing style that featured in their early season dramatic dash to the top of the Championship. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Wolves happy to embrace a Greek dropping gifts – The Guardian

Wolverhampton's grasp on the top spot in the Championship was left looking shaky after Coventry City took three points off them during a midland derby two weeks ago. With nine minutes to go here that hold was down to the fingernails. However, Cardiff's goalkeeper, Dimi Konstantopoulos, on loan from the Sky Blues, had a looser grip. He dropped a clanger with victory in sight and Wolves heaved a sigh of relief. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

McCarthy saved by Greek tragedy - The Times

Wolverhampton Wanderers were not in the least wary of Greeks bearing gifts yesterday as they extended their vulnerable leadership of the Coca-Cola Championship, but Cardiff City continue to suggest that they can push to join them in the automatic promotion frame. >>>>> http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article5786397.eceFOLLOW LINK

Dimi blunder bails out Wolves – The Express

Dimi Konstantopoulos committed an 81st-minute clanger to turn what seemed to be three crucial points into one for Cardiff and get Wolves out of jail in a 2-2 draw in the Coca-Cola Championship. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Purse looking to Management

A hand full of Cardiff players are looking toward the end of their careers and have signed up to take coaches and management badges. Darren Purse, Stephen McPhail, Tony Capaldi, Riccy Scimeca and Mark Kennedy have started on the first road to becoming managers with a 14-week long course in practical and theory-based daylong classes that equip the players for the journey ahead. After this course the player will go on to take their A license, then their Pro license which will qualify them to manage at the very top of the game.

There are a lot players who are taking their badges but there are also a fair few managers looking for work, it’s a cooperative world out there. Players like defender Darren Purse who is 32 and finding his first team oppuntiy limited and if he wants to stay in football, the player/coach/manager route is his best one. The same for McPhail, Capaldi, Scimeca and Kennedy but getting the badges will not guarantee a job at the end of the day.
Speaking about the course in the South Wales Echo Purse said, “The course has been a real eye-opener.
“It has changed a lot of the players’ attitudes to what we do day-in, day-out, as you begin to look at the game from the perspective of a manager.
“Management is definitely a career path that I would like to follow. Doing this course through the Welsh Football Trust has made me even more adamant that this is what I want to do when my playing career comes to an end.”

Purse is out of contract in the summer and will be a free agent and it looks more than likely that he will be looking for a new club. Purse could have left in the January transfer window with a number of clubs interested in signing him, he might have joined Norwich City, but Cardiff boss Dave Jones said he would have to stay after he had failed to sign a replacement.

Purse could find himself back on the bench for the Wolves game at Molineux after playing in the Arsenal because Gabor Gypes was out injured but he is fit again, allow there was a report he could play play in the Arsenal game but Dave Jones felt he needed a few extra days to recover fully. The City defender accepts he only started the game on Monday has cover for Gypes, the weather didn’t help Purse with give him a few more games,but Gyepes and Roger Johnson have formed a strong partnership. Talking about his situation he said, “I fully expect that Gabor will step in ahead of me – I’m a realist.
“If we had beaten Arsenal I still think I would have been dropped because I know how football works. But, having said that, I will prepare for the game as I always do.
.“I think Gabor had half a chance of playing at the Emirates, but hamstring injuries have to be managed carefully,” said Purse.
“If you force it and come back too early then you can cause more damage and that will set you back further.
“I know that unless there is an injury or a suspension then my games here are going to be limited.
“That’s fine because I’m not going to kick up a fuss. I was in a similar position last term when Roger and Glenn Loovens were playing as well together as Roger and Gabor are now.
“There are no complaints from me, they have both done well for the club and the recent unbeaten run backs that fact up.”

Merthyr dying?

Time could be called on Welsh club Merthyr Tydfil tomorrow has a row between Merthyr Tydfil’s fans (Merthyr Supporters Trust) and club officials has erupted over the plan’s to rescue the crisis-hit club.

The Trust wants’ to take over the running of the club to ensure Merthyr lives on but the chief executive Wyn Holloway said he would rather see the club close completely than give it to the trust. The BBC are reporting the crippled club needs to raise £50,000 by 0900 GMT on when the bailiffs are due over unpaid council rates and other problems are that the electricity is set to be cut off, the water has already been cut off.

The plan meeting tonight should be lively with Holloway stressing he has no more money to put in to Merthyr. The supporters club have made an urgent appeal to help keep the football club afloat and have been looking for guidance from London-based organisation Supporters Direct, the fans’ body that has organised community takeovers of 15 clubs up and down Great Britain.

If no deal can be made Merthyr will have to call off the game this weekend against Corby, during the day Merthyr are said to be "optimistic" about the Corby game. If they don’t forefit the fixture Merthyr might be kicked out of the Southern Premier League.

In a statement from the supporters club they said "To lose such a massive club would have an absolutely devastating effect,”
"It would be a devastating blow not just to the club and its loyal and hard working supporters, but to the town and the wider community in Wales and beyond to lose one of the most famous sides in non-league football history.
"The players have shown a breathtaking level of loyalty and to see these people's hard work fall through would be a disaster for all concerned."

Konstantopoulos happy at Cardiff City

It looks like life is better at Cardiff than at Swansea has new loan signing Dimi Konstantopoulos told Sky Sports News. The keeper spent three months with Swansea and played six league and cup games while at the club and impressed the Swansea boss so much he try to extend his loan period. He only missed out keeping because of the bad weather on transfer deadline day.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones jumped in after losing first choice goalkeeper Peter Enckelman throw injury on loan but with Tom Heaton also out with injury, Konstantopoulos is now first choice and will get is first chance to show off his stuff on Sunday at Wolves.

He likes the set-up at Cardiff and wants to secure a deal at the end of the season to keep at Cardiff and if he does well the management could well offer him one. Tom Heaton is expecting to rejoin is club Manchester United after his season long stay at Ninian Park.

He has now told skysports.com, "At the moment I have been very impressed with the whole set-up here and the squad as well, which has a lot of quality.
"The club matches my ambitions to play at the highest level, so things are looking good for me at the moment here, but things can change very quickly in football. We will see how things go in the next couple of months and take it from there.
"I wouldn't reject any offers from Cardiff because from what I have seen so far everything is in place here to go up this season, but we will see how things go from now until the end of the season. We will take it one game at a time and hopefully it will have a happy ending."

Cardiff City - Bring on Wolves

There is fighting talk coming out Ninian Park with both Joe Ledley and Paul Parry looking at the match Wolves to show the Cardiff fans what was missing at Arsenal on Monday. Cardiff City now have only the league to concentrate on now with the goal at least a play-off spot, but with an automatic spot is still within reach, who knows. Cardiff will be going into Wolves game unbeaten in 13 games while Wolves have lost the last two games against Coventry and Burnley and after a strong start to the season, recently they have been a bit hit or miss.

Both players are glad to see the back of the FA Cup and concentrate on the run to the end of the season because there are bigger games to come. The Cardiff captain Ledley believes Cardiff could get back into their winning ways a second place Wolves
Midfielder Parry said, “I’m glad that the FA Cup is behind us.
“Now we need to get back to winning ways and that starts against Wolves on Sunday – we need those three points.
“Take nothing away from Arsenal, they are a class act, but I think we also contributed to our own downfall. There could be a case for being a bit ring-rusty, but we badly under-performed and there must be a reason for that.
“Everyone put their hand up after the Arsenal game and said that they under-performed and you cannot do that against a side like them.
“But it was our first loss since November and it had to end somewhere.
“It’s how we react to it now that matters most, and there’s no point dwelling on it, that’s the worst thing we could do.
“We have 17 games remaining and have got ourselves into a fantastic position.
“We are determined not to throw it away at the business end of the season.”

Ledley also told the South Wales Echo, “The lads can only concentrate on one game at a time and Arsenal gave us a football lesson,” said Ledley, who was last week named Championship Player of the Month.
“They are probably one of the top six clubs in Europe so there is no shame in that.
“Of course, we wanted to put on a show and test them more, but it was not to be and maybe the break of 16 days without a competitive game contributed to that.
“But now it’s gone, it’s history.
“Wolves is a massive fixture for us and we must get back to winning ways as promotion is paramount.
“We realise that games are coming thick and fast and there is no time to dwell on the Arsenal game.
“The Arsenal defeat will not knock our confidence at all.
“We got what we deserved against a side that, on the evening, was on a different planet.
“We must now dust ourselves down and go for promotion – and we all know it’s well within our capabilities.”

Non Cardiff City - Woman footy managers

Could it ever happen at are so far un-name new stadium? A woman manager, never I say because no club has the bottle to be the first. Well it’s kind of happen last night when Donna Powell, 27 became the first woman to manage a British professional or semi-professional male team at Fisher Athletic.
This was no stunt like we have seen before, fans have had they name on the team sheet and win a place on the manager’s bench, she will be the manager and took some training section and more importantly pick the team. She is a fan of Fisher Athletic and works on the turnstile and raised £500 for the cash-strapped club for her one game appointment. Powell runs a football team Red Lion Boys Under 11's and they are unbeaten this season and has her level one and two coaching badges and will be doing her level three making her qualified for Conference level management and higher. Fisher’s game against third place Eastleigh had a lot riding on it, Powell wanted the job if she won the game she would demand the job on a permanent basis. But the sack managers of the world can all rest in their beds, her team lost 2-1 so it looks like its back to under 11’s football. The Chairman Martin Eede was full of praise for his temporary manager, and calling it a success on and off the pitch. On the pitch Fisher had lost the last two games 3-0 and if it’s game of two half’s Eastleigh won the first and Fisher won the second 1-0 with the final score 1-2 to Eastleigh.

Donna Powell said; 'I wasn't happy with the way my team played in the first half. It was too comfortable for Eastleigh but during the interval I switched the formation to 4-4-2. Two banks of four to bolster the defence and I put on an extra target man to try and put the Eastleigh defence under pressure. The response from the players was very pleasing and Rausy scored a terrific goal near the end. I thought we were a little unlucky not to nick a draw but for the rub of the green and I was disappointed with Eastleigh's time wasting tactics but it proved they were worried as we put them under considerable pressure late on.'

Powell said on wanting the manager's job; 'Dave Mehmet's doing an excellent job under very difficult circumstances. I'd love to be offered a role on the coaching staff on a more permanent basis. I've earned the player's respect and they know I'm not here just for a night out, I'm desperate for a career coaching in football, I've already got my level one and two coaching badges and should gain my level three's in September. I believe I've got the talent to succeed and I want to once again thank everyone who sponsored me and also Dave and Martin for giving me this opportunity.'

Off the field the club has enjoyed lots of National press and TV exposure for the club and the crowd was double the usual home attendance.

And then another one bites the dust

Dave Jones the Cardiff City boss as suffered more injury problems with on-loan goalkeeper Tom Heaton ruled out for four to six weeks with a torn thigh muscle. Heaton has just got back into the first team after losing his place to Peter Enckelman who is also out injured for around six weeks after undergoing a knee operation earlier this month.

Heaton was hoping to kick start a run of game with Enckelman out and after picking up the man-of-the-match award in a poor City display at Arsenal. Heaton told the South Wales Echo, "I felt something after about 35 minutes of the Arsenal game, but I didn't think it was that bad, so I didn't mention it to the staff at half-time.
"But, towards the end of the game, and the last five minutes in particular, I felt it stiffen up.
"So I went back to Manchester to see the medical staff and find out what the problem was.
"I still didn't think it was too serious, but the physio had a look and decided I should have a scan.
"An hour later I'm told that I'm going to be out for five weeks. I am absolutely gutted.
"I've had to wait for my chance and now this happens."

Dave Jones had brought in emergency loan cover for Enckelman in the shape of Dimi Konstantopoulos who had been on loan from his club Coventry City with Swansea. He was cup-tie for the Arsenal game and will definitely be playing against top of the table clash against Wolves on Sunday even if he wasn’t in Dave Jones plans.
Jones as only one first team keeper again so maybe he will have to go back into the emergency loan market again.

The only other keeper on the books is Erwin Sak the young Polish goalkeeper who at the start of the season was loaned to Newport County and a bit of an unknown

Tonight’s results

None of the top teams were playing tonight but a few just below were a win could push Cardiff out of the top six in the table.

Nevertheless, it was a good night even with Cardiff kicking a ball, Burnley could only draw with Coventry City who has turned around their season lately. Bristol City lost at Doncaster 1-0 and our rivals from the west Swansea lost 2-0 at Watford ending their sixteen game undefeated run.

WAG of the Week 19

Roxanne Pallett

Ex-Emmerdale actress Roxanne Pallet where she played the battered wife Jo Sugden has pulled a footballer and joined the ranks of the WAGs according to the Daily Star. Roxanne is staring on reality show ‘Dancing on Ice’ at the moment and as done the sexy young soap actress lad mag photo shoots, which the judges here like very much.

The report she is dating Carlisle United defender Peter Murphy after he was seen with Roxanne at the ITV1 studios in Elstree, she might be a WAG but not with the Premiership glamour or money. The relationship is in early mode but friends of the actress told the paper she was “chuffed to bits” with her new romance.

WAG rating 8.25

Outclassed

We are out of the FA Cup, it would have been better to go out with more style than we did against Arsenal. We were on the back foot from the kick-off and NEVER looked like scoring throughout the game the defence had to soak-up a lot of pressure, but Arsenal. In goal, Tom Heaton made some fine goal bound stops, but Arsenal could have won 5, 6, 7 to nil if he had not, that is how bad it was.

The Cardiff City boss Dave Jones said after the match, “The basics of the game that we’re normally good at we didn’t do today. It’s hard, sometimes you’ve just got to stand there and you’ve got to swallow that.
“The players know that the we didn’t perform anywhere near what we’re capable of so we now have to forget this one, let it eat away at us and concentrate on the job at hand.
“The last time we had a bad game was probably Plymouth away when we didn’t turn up. I know we’re playing Arsenal – full credit to them – but we didn’t do ourselves any justice today and that’s a hard thing to swallow.
"But they are a good bunch of players and we’ll pick ourselves up and get ready for the next one."
"Most of them [Cardiff's players] got their 90 minutes, but some of them were lucky to stay on for 90 minutes to be fair.
"It's hard to judge Arsenal by how good they were because I don't think they were up against much."

The Cardiff player need to wake-up quickly after this game it back to the League now and Wolves on Sunday and Dave Jones believes his players will recover from the defeat at the Emirates Stadium. The run in to the end of the season is all-important now and with the game in head over all the clubs above us against Wolves it is four games, Birmingham three, Reading two and forth place Preston four games, It goes to show how important a victory over Wolves is.

There are only 75 days until the end of the season but 12 of them are lost because of international games leaving 63 days to fit in 17 games. Cardiff will be playing two games a week until the last home game of the season and with such a small squad, you can only hope for no injuries. The list below shows the manic run-in

Sunday, 22 February Championship Wolverhampton AWAY
Wednesday, 25 February Championship QPR HOME
Saturday, 28 February Championship Southampton AWAY
Tuesday, 03 March Championship Barnsley HOME
Saturday, 07 March Championship Doncaster HOME
Tuesday, 10 March Championship Norwich AWAY
Sunday, 15 March Championship Bristol City AWAY
Wednesday, 18 March Championship Watford HOME
Sunday, 22 March Championship Sheff Utd HOME
FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Saturday 27th March/Wednesday 1st April
Saturday, 04 April Championship Swansea HOME
Tuesday, 07 April Championship Derby HOME
Saturday, 11 April Championship Crystal Palace AWAY
Monday, 13 April Championship Burnley HOME
Saturday, 18 April Championship Preston AWAY
Tuesday, 21 April Championship Charlton AWAY
Saturday, 25 April Championship Ipswich HOME
Sunday, 03 May Championship Sheff Wed AWAY

Match Reports - Arsenal v Cardiff

Bluebirds shot down by rampant Gunners – Western Mail

THE LAST side to beat Cardiff in the FA Cup went on to collect the trophy itself. On this evidence, the same could well happen this season as Arsenal handed out a lesson to their Championship visitors on just how big that gap between the top two leagues truly is. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Eduardo double puts Arsenal into FA Cup fifth round at Cardiff's expense – The Telegraph

Fifty-one dreadful weeks ago, Eduardo was lifted into a Birmingham hospital bed, his left leg mangled, his career in doubt. Last night, the Arsenal striker returned to competitive combat, showing he had lost none of his skill, predatory touch or appetite for the physical demands of his profession. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Eduardo storms back with two goals to crush Cardiff – The Guardian

Against strangely becalmed opponents this was the type of smooth and slick display with telling end product that Arsenal have often struggled to find this season. That the prime mover in this was Eduardo, who marked an emotional return with two goals, only added to a sense that here was a renaissance of sorts for the footballing ethos and philosophy of Arsène Wenger. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Eduardo's miracle comeback – The Sun

EDUARDO DA SILVA wept with joy as he capped an amazing comeback from his leg-break horror with a double strike. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Eduardo dream return shows FA Cup can still produce fairytales

In the cynical world of football, there isn't supposed to be room for romance or fairy stories. It's all about money, about power, hard-luck tales earning no sympathy whatsoever. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

I'm back: One year after THAT broken leg, Eduardo savours the 'best night of my life' – The Daily Mail

Eduardo marked his return to the Arsenal first team a year after the horror injury which threatened his career by scoring twice in his side’s FA Cup rout of Cardiff last night. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Eduardo wipes away the pain with tears of joy as return inspires Arsenal – The Times

Some storylines are simply meant to be. While Eduardo Da Silva’s importance to Arsenal last season was exaggerated, not least by Arsène Wenger seeking to explain his side’s alarming slump, no one would begrudge him last night’s triumphant return. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

WENGER GETS EDUARDO LIFT – Daily Express

THE magic of the FA Cup is a cliche that is thrown around far too carelessly. But Eduardo’s fairytale return from injury for Arsenal last night was undeniably special. >>>>> http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/85082/Wenger-gets-Eduardo-liftFOLLOW LINK

Eduardo strikes twice on his return to fire Arsenal – The Independent

Last night, Arsène Wenger was given some of the evidence he needs to feel the rest of the season could be fruitful. Yet, with Eduardo's successful comeback, he may have had a wistful feeling too of what might have been, for it was the Croatia striker's injury a year ago that effectively derailed Arsenal's challenge for the league title and deprived them of all momentum in the season's last three months. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

FA Cup or League

I love cup runs, normally, but with Cardiff with the best chance of making the Premiership play-off or even automatic promotion I finding hard to wanted the run to be extended further than tonight. Can we do both I think to myself, we have such a small squad it’s worrying for the rest of the season.

The Premiership is a massive draw on the mind of many Cardiff City fans, if it was too happen I am not looking for one season at the top, more like a lifetime. Arsenal might be a big game but Wolves on Sunday in my books is the bigger of the two. The fixture pile-up is also a worry if we win tonight Dave Jones could see us playing to game a week until the end of the season. Most of Dave Jones players have only played a friendly game since 31st Jan with some player have been on international duty.

The game tonight must end with a winner and I am looking on the game as a bit distraction for a Monday night from the bread and butter of the league. However, I still can say I would like to see City lose tonight, hopefully Chopra or McCormack will get an early goal just to spice up the game. Dave Jones is upbeat about the game and warning his players they will have to be at their best to see off Arsenal.

Arsenal is taking the game seriously according to boss Arsene Wenger and Bacary Sagna maintains Arsenal are ready for the fight or war on the pitch. The FA Cup could be the only piece of sliver wear Wenger could bag this season. Reading the Arsenal massage boards most fans want a top four finish to secure a Champions League place.

The bookies do not think much of Cardiff chances at the Emirates Stadium tonight with one firm quoting City at a massive 9-1 underdog. Dave Jones might be think of having a little flutter after tell the South Wales Echo, “We will go out to win,”
“And I don’t think that is out of realms of possibility to do that – if Arsenal are not at their very best, then we obviously stand a better chance of turning them over.
“Arsenal are like us, they simply can’t turn up and turn the tap on and off.
“They will have to be at full pelt to beat us.”
“We know what we are up against, but we can only prepare and be organized for a hard battle.
“That’s what we will do, but we will do it knowing that we have a decent chance.
“I don’t see any point in me or any of my players going to Arsenal in any other frame of mind than being confident.
“What’s the point of thinking any differently?
“I want to keep that winning mentality in players’ minds, even if the opposition is Arsenal.”

Cardiff City put money worries to one side and brace themselves for trip to Arsenal - The Telegraph

Last year Cardiff City’s FA Cup run was played to the supporters' anthem of Men of Harlech. Three weeks ago it was jeers that rang out at Ninian Park as Joe Ledley took the ball to the corner flag in the dying minutes of Cardiff City’s fourth round FA Cup 0-0 with Arsenal. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

The FA Cup sixth-round draw

Blackburn Rovers or Coventry City v Chelsea
Swansea City or Fulham v Manchester United
Cardiff City/Arsenal/Burnley v Sheffield United or Hull City
Everton v West Ham United or Middlesbrough

Ties to be played on 7/8 March

Cardiff came out of the hat with a home game with either Sheffield United or Hull City, but it’s not that easy for Dave Jones and Cardiff City who still have a fourth-round tie to get out of the way. If/when, the Bluebirds beat Arsenal tomorrow in the FA Cup fourth-round replay at Emirates Stadium Cardiff with still have a fifth-round game to get through.

Burnley would be the visitors if Cardiff over come Arsenal but that game will throw up more fixture problems, because there are no free spaces to play the game between now and the weekend of the 7/8 March meaning a mid-week cancelation of the QPR game or Barnsley game. If we Cardiff were to win that game then Cardiff would have to cancel the Cardiff v Doncaster fixture.

Heaton wants to impress Ferguson

He might be a Manchester United player on loan at Ninian Park but keeper Tom Heaton better forget about impressing Sir Alex Ferguson and make sure he impress the Cardiff City fans.

Heaton is a season-long loan with the Bluebirds and was a first team regular until the end of Nomerber when the Finn Peter Enckelman took his chance and took over as No 1. Heaton needs to put in a top grade preformance because he as fellow new loan signing Dimi Konstantopoulos to keep on the bench for the all important league game against Wolves next Saturday. Konstantopoulos is ineligible after playing for rivals Swansea earlier in the competition in the defeat of Portsmouth.

He told the Wales on Sunday, “In the long-term my aim is to become first-choice at Manchester United.
“That’s a massive task with the likes of Edwin van der Sar, Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben Foster there
“I’d love to be the first English goalkeeper at Manchester United for a long time.
“But that’s for the future. This season my entire focus is on producing my best form for Cardiff City.”
“Outfield players can switch and still make the team, but when it comes to playing in goal you are either in or out. There’s just one spot.”

Wenger is upping the Tempo

It ready takes the biscuit when the Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has a pop at Cardiff City exploits in reaching last season FA Cup Final. He said in a press interview, “They had a run, and it was a fantastic run.

“It is still magic because anybody would love to play at Wembley.

“But the final part of that run was when all the big teams were already out.”

The reason his club and the so called big club failed last season was because they took the competition lightly, playing weaken teams with little respect for their opponents and their players going in the games thing its only Burnley, Cardiff Championship football we are Premiership we don’t need to turn up to beat them.

The route to him might have looked easy but none of the teams we played took the game lightly,
Non-League Chasetown took the lead in front of the TV cameras but the game ended in a 3-1 win. The Chasetown chairman thanked Cardiff City for all the help in staging the game at their ground, Wenger and the rest would have been crying about the pitch and looking to get the game moved.

Hereford were next up and they went into the game thing a giant killing was on the cards and in a hard fought game Cardiff run out 2-1 winners.
Next up was a home game against follow Championship team Wolves who had all ready beaten the Bluebirds earlier in the season in the League.

Next Cardiff City had to travel to Premiership Middlesboro and up classed them in front of their own fans with a 2-0 win.
In the Semi-Final Cardiff surprisingly faced Championship Barnsley, but wait a minute Barnsley shouldn’t be laughed at they beat Liverpool and Chelsea to get to the Semi’s.
The final Cardiff lost 1-0 to Premiership Portsmouth.

What happen to Arsenal last season a win against Burnley and Newcastle before being massacred at Manchester United 4-0 who when to lose 1-0 to Portsmouth.

Wenger’s season is crashing around his head and he is fighting to get back into the top four of the Premiership now that Aston Villa has joined the party. Missing the Champions league would cost millions to Arsenal, but the FA Cup could be the only chance of any sliver wear, it well documented no-one thinks they will win the Champions League.

Heaton up for Arsenal

Cardiff will be at full strength for the Arsenal game on Monday night, the wait is killing me. The only selection problem Dave Jones could have is the goalkeeper spot with Peter Enckelman out injured Tom Heaton will be back between the posts with new signing Demitrios Konstantopoulos cup-tied.

Tom Heaton is on loan for the season from Manchester Utd and at the start of the season was Dave Jones No1 keeper but at the end of November, he lost his place to Enckelman after the defeat at Plymouth.

Heaton had a run out this week playing in goal for England’s under 21’s against Ecuador, despite sitting on the bench for the last couple of months the manager Stuart Pearce decided to play him. The first half Heaton had little to do and the English when in with a 2-0 lead to looked to be coasting.

In the second half, it all went to pieces Pearce’s team when some shoddy defending gifted the South Americans a chance of a goal and Heaton was beaten with a shot through his legs. It was not long before Ecuador were all square when more defensives madness gifted a second goal and after that it was all going wrong and third goal sent England to a rare Under 21’s defeat. The press knocked Heaton a bit mostly for to first goal but Monday he will have a top-notch defence in front of him.

Chopra dumped on Facebook

The Daily Mirror is running an Exclusive story that Cardiff City loan striker Michael Chopra was dumped the social website Facebook by his wife, model Heather Swan. It would seem that she changed her status from married to single.

The couple have had marriage prombles since day one of and lef the striker into rehab to try and save his marriage. He had a gambling problem and accoreding to his wife cuold not settle into married life and still wanted to be one of the boys. They had only been married for seven months after the HELLO magazine £250,000 wedding on Friday 13th June 2008, married on Friday 13th and dumped on Friday 13th?

Konstantopolous rates Cardiff City as the best bet for Premiership glory

The words of Dave Jones new signing goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopolous lateness words will on go down very well in caravanland (Swansea) as he believes Cardiff have a better chance of making the Premiership than his former club Swansea.

He could have well still be at Swansea has Swans boss Roberto Martinez wanted to extend the keepers loan deal with his club Coventry City, but the deal failed to beat the Monday transfer deadline.

Soon has the news broke that Cardiff number one keeper Peter Enckelman was out for up to seven weeks, Dave Jones went straight into the emergency loan market pick up the Greek keeper for 96 days the limit of the loan. His links with rivals Swansea would usually mean a possible hard time for the player. only a few players have played for them have one over Cardiff City fans the best of them was Robbie James, Mr Swansea City who was voted player of the season while playing with the Bluebirds, Robbie was later to died, aged 40, while playing for Llanelli where he was player-manager.

Konstantopoulos played in a behind closed door game against Swindon yesterday at Cardiff training ground and played 60 minutes in the 1-0 win. Konstantopoulos told the Western Mail, “I am aware of the great rivalry between Cardiff and Swansea, but these things happen in football.

“I was close to going back to Swansea, but there were problems which meant that did not happen.

“I enjoyed my time with Swansea, but now I am a Cardiff player 100% and have to be professional. I know supporters will understand that.

“I think when you look at the situation as it is now Cardiff have a much better chance of getting promoted this season than Swansea.

“Swansea are a good team, but you only have to look at the table to see the better position Cardiff are in at the moment.

“I’m not sure what reaction I will get when the teams meet, but if I am playing I will be professional and do everything I can to make sure Cardiff take the three points.”

“It is very unfortunate what has happened to Peter Enckelman and I know just how it feels to be injured.

“Tom Heaton is a good ’keeper too, so it will be up to me to try to earn my place in the side on merit.

“Physically I feel very good, very positive about things, but no player has the right to walk into a club and just expect to be in the side.

“It is an exciting time to be here, it is a club which in all ways is clearly on the up, you can see the progress this club has made both on and off the pitch.

“It’s not a coincidence that good players now want to be a part of what is happening at Cardiff.

“I spoke to the chairman and the manager before coming and they outlined the ambitions they have and it is very impressive.

“Cardiff are having a very good season and I am here to try to help keep that going.

“It is still too early to say how things will go, but I think the top-two is a real possibility for the club.

“We have a number of games in hand now and if we can win those then it will put real pressure on the teams who are currently above us.

“There are still a lot of points available, but Cardiff have been on great form and if that can be kept going then the automatic places are definitely within sight.”

thanks to a strike from Michael Chopra.

“I’m still settling in, but this feels like a good move for me.

“Whether come the summer I can make the move permanently to Cardiff I don’t know yet.

“But it is not something I am going to rule out.”

Jones pulls a fast one on Sr. Jack

City boss Dave Jones has signing Coventry goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopolous on loan to the end of the season. Dimitrios has recently been on loan with our friends to the west (Swansea), they wanted to extend his loan but on the final day of the transfer window he found himself stuck in the snow and could not get back to Coventry in time to complete the documentation.

He signed for Swansea at the end for November after first choice ‘keeper Dorus De Vries broke his jaw against Queens Park Rangers. During his time with them, he was a hit with the fans and the Swansea boss and played in six games. The Swansea boss Roberto Martinez as well as wanted to extend he was considering a permanently signing in the summer.

Jones swooped for the keeper to cover Peter Enckelman who could be out for up to seven weeks after cartilage surgery on his knee and used the emergency loan rules to sign him. He could go straight into the starting line-up for Cardiff next league game against Wolves but he his cup-tie having played for Swansea in the FA Cup, so on-loan Manchester United youngster Tom Heaton will be the number 1 for the Arsenal FA Cup game.

A added snippet
Karren Brady’s Brum diary – The Sun
Then I learn winger Quincy Owusu-Abeyie has joined Cardiff on loan from Spartak Moscow for a third of the wage we paid him and a fee 417 per cent LESS.

I feel like a Lottery winner who lost her ticket. One payment stays the same though. The agent’s, of course.

Weather hits Cardiff game with Charlton

Tomorrow’s league game with Charlton has been called off this morning after a pitch inspection. The game was called off by referee Andy D'Urso after carrying out a pitch inspection of the Valley’s pitch and he judged that there was already a significant amount of water on the surface, and with freezing temperatures forecast overnight, the pitch was expected to freeze.

"The Football League called the game off based on the information given by me," said D'Urso.
"I told them that there is currently a covering of snow on three-quarters of the pitch. Where the snow has thawed, there are puddles of water.
"Due to the amount of snow and water, forking those areas would not make the water go away. The weather forecast in terms of temperatures is minus three degrees throughout the night, with temperatures only rising to one degree on Saturday. With the temperatures overnight and the amount of water, the pitch was likely to freeze.”

It’s bad news for Cardiff City boss Dave Jones and his plans and with Cardiff still in the FA Cup a fixture backlog is possible. Cardiff now have no game until Monday 16th Feb when they play their called off FA Cup game against Arsenal, and no league game for sixteen days.

The kiss of death goes west

Everyone likes to win, but when it comes to Manager of the Month its one award fans don’t want to see their manager win. Some say the manager of the month curse is a fallacy but not when it comes to Cardiff City manager Dave Jones.

Just look at the stats for October when he won it, Cardiff player six games and averaged 2.3 points over the six games, then in the following month of November City played six games again with the points avenge 0.8. When November was out of the way the average for December shot back up, again, six games were played and the point’s average was 2.3, I hope Dave Jones never wins it again.

Therefore, the Championship manager of the month award for January when west to Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez and I hope the curse goes with it. Funny enough he last win it January 2008 when the Jack were in Division two, the winner in the Championship was Cardiff boss Dave Jones winning with a record of three wins and a draw 2.5 average the following month 1.5 playing the same number of games.

But what about our friend in the west, December 2008 he won the January competition with four wins and two draws making the average 2.3 the following month 2.3, whoops, may be it don’t work down west.

Fowler Down Under

Robbie Fowler who turned his back on Cardiff City and ply his trade back in the Premiership for a few minutes with Blackburn has signed for Australian A-League North Queensland Fury who play out of Townsville’s Dairy Farmers Stadium. The A-League has expanded from eight to ten with Fowler’s team being one of the new. He was linked a few weeks ago with Sydney FC.

Fowler is what is call a Marquee player, each club are allowed one who is normal a ‘star player for Europe’ whose salary is exempt from the salary cap which is operated in the A-League. A free agent following his recent departure from Blackburn he had a few offers of clubs in the UK but lower league club with a chance of coaching plus a few offers from the Middle East and Asisa. In the end the called of Austrila won the day and he said "I had nothing but good things to tell my family about the football side of things and the lifestyle opportunities North Queensland can offer us.
"From a football perspective, everything Fury coach Ian Ferguson put on the table and showed me was first class and the enthusiasm and drive of everyone at the club is fantastic.
"It's a huge decision for my family but it's also an opportunity to continue my football career in a truly wonderful part of the world,"

Johnson (Eddie) on the move

Johnson (Eddie) could be on the move it would seem, my earlier thoughts on where Johnson would fit in with the new look Cardiff City striking line-up might have been playing on his mind, because it has emerged from his club Fulham that Swedish side Malmo are showing some interest in him.

Director of football at Malmö FF Hasse Borg would neither confirm nor deny the reports but Hasse Borg jokingly said: "I might have heard of the player and his name." Johnsons agent Richard Motzkin has confirmed that he has travelled to Malmo to meet with club officials and said, "I have been in Malmo, but I have no further comments."

Its mouth watering

The run-in to the end of the season looks mouth watering with Cardiff City best place since joining the Championship to be within a shout of the promotion battle. Boss Dave Jones has the squad h wanted and it’s been kept together could it be the one that gets us back into the top league for the first time in nearly 50 years.

The last time that happened was 1961/62 season with the close chance of get back was in 1970/71when we finished third, no play-off in them day’s. With the partnership of Ross McCormack and Jay Bothroyd, firing on both guns the addition of Michael Chopra and Quincy Owusu-Abeyie has add some extra muscle up front. Most interest will be on Quincy Owusu-Abeyie he did play against the Bluebirds when Birmingham came to Ninian Park earlier in the season and scored the winner in a 1-2 defeat.

Competition will now be intense for a forward line spot and that is how it should be, so I will be interest to see what team Dave Jones puts out for the Charlton game who are bottom of the table.

Eddie Johnson a dead man walking

I think the headline in the Western Mail today says it all ‘Fab Four provide Bluebirds with ample striking options’ and they are not including Eddie Johnson in that. He must have had a uncomfortable end of the January transfer window, on the Friday he was third inline in the pecking order, on Saturday he dropped to fourth when Cardiff City boss brought in Quincy Owusu-Abeyie on loan, and finally on Monday Michael Chopra the nail in the coffin for the Fulham loanee, it looks like.

Johnson can’t be call a hit with the fans since coming to the club, his first half performance against Swansea more less sealed his fate, and since then he has been a bench warmer with his appearances down to mostly the last 15 minutes of the game. He has only started three game since joining in the summer and come off the bench fourteen times and with no goals.

He will be lucky to get anywhere near the bench now and is season could have coming to an end for the American International who has won 34 caps, his whole future in British football could be over at the end of the season anyway.

There are a reported dozen or so MLS sides that would plug Johnson right into the starting lineup today. He needs that. In fact, it's getting harder to see an alternate outcome for him right now than head back to the USA.

Chopra a Bluebirds again

Cardiff City signed Michael Chopra just before in end of the January transfer closed; it was only around two years since we sold him to Sunderland for £5m. He has been a target for some time and was loan to the Bluebirds earlier in the season with a view to a possible permanent move. However, Roy Keane left the club during the loan period and the new boss of Sunderland Ricky Sbragia recalled Chopra at the end of the loan to check out the striker.

Chopra played in Sunderland FA Cup game against Blackburn and played the full game and only player one league game since his return to the North East Saturday’s derby against Newcastle coming off the bench early in the second half. He will be cup-tied for the Arsenal game.

The deal is he will sign on loan to the end of the season and in July he will sign a permanent deal which will be a record fee of £4m with a three-and-a-half year contract at Cardiff. Peter Ridsdale told the BBC website, "We've initially signed him on loan.

"And we've agreed with Michael and Sunderland a permanent deal which will become effective on 2 July."

Cardiff only completed the Chopra transfer with just 55 seconds go before the window closed at 5pm. Ridsdale said: "Michael signed and his paperwork was lodged with the Football League and Premier League with 55 seconds before the window closed.

"So it was a close call.

"I've spoken to Michael and he is obviously delighted as he was getting frustrated by the lack of opportunity he was getting at Sunderland and has a lot of friends at Cardiff.

"He is over the moon, I'm delighted and Dave is grateful that we've got in the players he wanted during the transfer window."

Manager of the Month time again

The shortlist for January are Ipswich Town boss Jim Magilton, Swansea boss Roberto Martinez, QPR manager Paulo Sousa and finally Cardiff gaffer Dave Jones.

It’s the kiss of death to Dave Jones he ready won this season for October with a record of 4 wins, 2 draw, then the following November Cardiff only Won 1 draw 2 and lost 3, manager of the month and Dave Jones don’t mix. If it’s going to bring bad luck then I hope the Jack boss Martinez wins it, fingers crossed.

Snow forces postponed

The Arsenal's FA Cup fourth round replay with City on Tuesday is off, to the cheer of police canteens all over London and South Wales. The game has fallen victim to the snow which has been heavy in the capital. Arsenal have undersoil heating but there are safety and travel concerns for supporters.

The tie was rearranged for Saturday 14 February kick-off 1.30pm the day of the next round ties and the game will not be on TV now.

**** UPDATE ****

The game has now been moved 14th to Monday 16th kick-off 7:45pm and the game will NOW be shown on Setanta Sports.

Cardiff City bid £3m on Striker

You have heard of a cross dresser (someone who wear clothes usually worn by somebody of the opposite sex) I have starting to believe Cardiff boss Dave Jones is a Scots dresser (someone who is not Scottish who wears clothes worn by a Scotsman) because of his love affair with Scottish based players. Reports flying round today is that he is at it again with Steven Fletcher the Hibernian striker linked to the Bluebirds with a £3m bid made.

Bluebirds chairman Peter Ridsdale has confirmed it last night the clubs target and if the deal were to happen it would smash Cardiff’s transfer record of £1.75m. Fletcher is a wanted man again with Celtic having a £2.5m offer turned down a from the Scottish champions and Premiership outfit West Bromwich Albion are said to be interested in the player but he could have other ideas has he was quoted in a Scottish newspaper yesterday, “I’m excited at the thought of moving to Celtic Park,” he said.

“I’m ambitious and would love to play for them. I’m at a stage where I want to win things and play in the Champions League. Celtic will give me that chance.

“For the development of my career it is time to move to a bigger club. It will help me and improve my chances of playing for Scotland.”

Match Reports - Cardiff City 2-0 Nottingham Forest

Jay and Bluebirds flying high – Mail Online

Jay Bothroyd's late strike sealed a workmanlike win for promotion-chasing Cardiff in an entertaining Coca Cola Championship match at home to Nottingham Forest. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

GUTS, GRIT – THAT’S US! – Wales Online

AND on such bitter afternoons are trips to the top-table forged.
If Cardiff’s last win at Coventry saw them in imperious cruise-control, here we were treated to the guts and grit manager Dave Jones has also installed in his troops. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Forest beaten– This is Nottingham

GOALS from Paul Parry and Jay Bothroyd goal inflicted a first away defeat in three-and-a-half months on Nottingham Forest at Ninian Park today. Parry’s 18th minute strike was followed up by a late goal from Jay Bothroyd to give Cardiff a 2-0 win against a below par Forest, who had not lost in ten games on the road prior to this match. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK