No more signings

Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale has shut the door on any more new faces for the Cardiff City Stadium before the closing of the transfer window tomorrow at 5pm. It also looks like no City players will be leave either unless there is a late bid for Joe Ledley which looks unlikely.

Ridsdale is confident Ledley will be a Cardiff after the transfer window shuts and he will sign a new contract within days now the club has given him and his agent the contract to check over. It is not known if there will be a get-out clause if a Premiership club makes a bid but there is likely to be one, but if City were to reach the Premiership it would not be need. On the subject of Ledley Ridsdale siad, “It’s up to Joe and his advisors to see if the numbers are what they are thinking about.
“I expect Joe to sign a new contract. There is a will on both side a for that to happen now.”

Before leaving for another trip to Malaysia tomorrow for talks with Dato Chan Tien Ghee Ridsdale told the South Wales Echo, I don’t expect any more players coming in. “As far as anybody going out, that is out of my control.
“If anyone comes in with a bid which matches our valuation of a player we would consider that.
“But, if I was a betting man, I would think the squad at Doncaster will be the same as that for the match against Newcastle.”

Bothroyd worry

I hate international breaks but I hope it will give Jay Bothroyd time to get fit after he pick up an injury at Doncaster on Saturday. He limped off within ten minutes of the start in the 2-0 defeat with a hamstring strain and it’s not the first time the player has had this injury.

Last season he suffered with the same problem and spent time in the treatment room missing several games while the club is concerned that he could have an underlying knee problem which could mean an operation. He will undergo a scan as soon as possible to club have informed the media. Cardiff City boss David Jones, “Jay said he felt something behind his knee.

"We'll have a look at the problem, maybe he didn't stretch properly but we'll check it all out."

Bothroyd has forged a strong partnership with top scorer Michael Chopra, he might not be scoring but the fans appreciate the work he is putting in to his game.

Dave Jones after match comments

The Cardiff boss Dave Jones was unhappy with the performance of his team today at Doncaster sighting complacency within elements of his team. Cardiff drop down to second place in the table after the Doncaster defeat and will stay there pending on the outcome of the Monday game between Newcastle v Leicester.

It was Doncaster first victory of the season today which was disappointing for the Bluebirds also losing Jay Bothroyd with a reported knee injury manager Dave Jones will be hoping it will not be serious.

The Cardiff boss said about the game in the after match conference, "The first 20 minutes killed us.
"Do I feel happy? No I don't.
"I don't think we turned up in the first 20 minutes and you can't afford to do that to any team at this level.
"I think a couple of the lads might have taken their foot off the gas. They took the game to us and a few of my players weren't up for that today. You have to start at full pelt and a few of my players didn't and a few never got going.
"I have no problems with the result because fair play to Donny. They played well and harried us and closed us down. They played well and we didn't perform."
"They scored from a cheap corner that we conceded.
"And then for the second goal, the lad hit a shot which was going well wide but it deflected off one of their players and one of my players stayed in and played the lad onside.
"That should be a wake-up call for us."

Carling Cup third round draw

Cardiff City was the last ball out of the bag in today’s Carling Cup draw and will be facing a tough away trip to Premiership club Aston Villa. The game should be played on Tuesday 22nd or Wednesday 23rd of September.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones has three ex-Villa players Peter Whittingham, Riccy Scimeca and Peter Enckelman. The last time the two clubs played each other was way back in 1974/75 in the old division two and in a Cup game you have to go back to 1948/49 in a 2-1 victory in the FA Cup. They have never met in the Carling Cup/League Cup before.

Full Draw
Arsenal v West Brom
Chelsea v QPR
Bolton v West Ham
Barnsley v Burnley
Hull City v Everton
Leeds Utd v Liverpool
Manchester United v Wolves
Manchester City v Fulham
Sunderland v Birmingham City
Peterborough v Newcastle
Carlisle Utd v Portsmouth
Nottingham Forest v Blackburn Rovers
Stoke City v Blackpool
Scunthorpe v Port Vale
Preston v Tottenham Hotspur
Aston Villa v Cardiff

Who’s that coming over the hill ............ David Sullivan?

A source close to Birmingham City owner David Sullivan has confirmed that the Penarth born Sullivan is eyeing up the Bluebirds with the possibility of a bid to buy the club in mind.

The source told the South Wales Echo, “He’s looking at the possibility of taking a 75% stake in the club, leaving the other 25% to current shareholders.
“He has always kept a watching brief on Cardiff City and is a great admirer of how they have come out of troubled times to build a new stadium.”

He is about to sell his present team and was rumoured to be interested in joining his partners at Birmingham the Gold brothers to buy premiership club West Ham. Over the many, many years Sullivan has expressed his wish to one day own the Bluebirds and every time the club was for sale or in trouble his name is always linked. Back in 2000 his brother Clive Sullivan tried to buy the club with a £2.5m takeover but the then chairman Samesh Kumar objected to share prices within the sale. Many Cardiff fans thought it was his brother David pulling the strings at the time was it a back door way into him owning the club has you cannot own two clubs.

One of his main reasons for not investing in the City has been ‘Ninian Park’ he once called it a dump and not fit for the Premiership but that stumbling block has gone with the opening of the new stadium.

Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale responding to the rumour by saying he would welcome a phone call for a chat. But Ridsdale is off on his travels back to Malaysia next week to meet contacts he made from a recent trip to try a secure some investment. He is hoping to tie-up a shirt sponsor and hopefully some movement on the stadium naming rights.

Blake on loan to Plymouth

Cardiff City have lent out young defender Darcy Blake for six-months to Championship rivals Plymouth after boss Paul Sturrock's snapped him up.The 20-year-old is a Wales Under-21 international, has appeared 33 times for Cardiff since his debut in 2006/07 in the 1-0 victory over Leeds, coming on for Michael Chropa in the dying minutes of the game. He made his full start at West Brom later in that season the game ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Bluebirds.Blake is eligible for tomorrow’s game against Sheffield Wednesday and if he plays’s he could face old team mate and ex club captain Darren Purse.

Blake is the second player Cardiff boss Dave Jones has loaned out, he loaned another defender Darren Dennehy to Hereford in the summer until January. On his moving the young Cardiff defender Blake said, "I haven't been playing much this season and I've just come back from an injury, so I can't wait to just start playing again.
"I was expecting to go down a league or to or go up to Scotland, but when Plymouth came in it was brilliant, it's just a chance for me to prove myself."

Blake, is eligible for the Pilgrims game against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, is expected to provide competition for David McNamee at right-back.

Ledley wants to sign

He was touted has one of the hottest properties in football but to date he has not had one offer tabled for him. I do not think any Cardiff fan expected Joe Ledley would still be here after the summer transfer window shut. There are a few days left and there could still but a late bid, but it would have to be at the clubs valuation of £6m before the club would be interest.

With only one-year left on his current contract and if he doesn’t sign a new one he could talk to other clubs in January and line himself up a summer time transfer and walk out of the club with the City at the mercy of the compensation panel. This morning Radio Wales were reporting that Joe Ledley would be signing a new contract sometime today. It looks unlikely anything would be signed before the transfer deadline closing at midnight on Monday.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones has said on several occasion he wants Ledley to stay and with no interest for the player it seems Jones could be getting his wish. The club is talking to Ledley’s agent about the new contract there should not be any stumbling block over a deal. Ledley would like a get-out clause, should any Premier League club make a £6m bid the price the Bluebirds value him at.

The City midfielder said today, “I’m just waiting for the club to come back with the terms on offer, hopefully within a few days or over the next week.
“If the contract is right I will sign it. It has to be right for me and my future, but Cardiff City is in me and always will be.
“Every player wants to be in the Premier League and I am no different.
“It would suit me to do that with Cardiff City – right at this moment in time that looks a real possibility.
“I’m excited about the future here. There are only a few days left in the transfer window and if nothing happens I will remain a Cardiff City player. I’m happy with that.
“The football we are playing takes me back three years to when we were flying at the top of the Championship. We could not finish the job then, while last season we missed out on the play-offs by one goal. That was hard.
“But we have learned from those experiences. We are better as a group today because of that. We have the players and the depth to achieve what we want.”

Taiwo signed for Bluebirds

It might of taken a few days to be official but Solomon Taiwo has signed for Cardiff City. Taiwo has taken a long and wading road for a 24-year-old to Cardiff City and the Championship he started out with Millwall but was let go without playing a first team game then he drop into non-league football playing for, Bromley, Maidenhead United, Fort Wayne Fever (USA), Tooting & Mitcham, Weymouth, Chesham United, Windsor & Eton, Bromley and Sutton United quite a journey. While at Sutton he had a loan out to Dagenham & Redbridge impressed the manager to go back a sign him up.

Taiwo as only played one full season in League Football but was a regular throughout the season scoring six league and cup goals but became a fans favourite. Cardiff have been watching him and have a prefect chance to run an eye over him has a player recently when Cardiff took on his old club Dagenham & Redbridge in the Carling Cup and produced a man of the match performance. The deal to bring him to the Cardiff City Stadium is worth around £250,000 with Dave Jones the Cardiff boss saying about his new acquisition, “The deal is done and dusted and we think Solomon is a good addition to our squad.
“No offence to Dagenham, but it is going to be a massive jump up for him now, but we think he’s got what it takes. We believe playing with the players he will be with here could well draw the best out of him.
“He’s very athletic and good on the ball with an eye for a good pass. We have been monitoring him for a long and it is good to have him on board.”

The midfielder watched his new team mates progress into the 3rd round of the Carling Cup and could find himself in the squad for Saturday’s Championship clash at Doncaster.

The other Bristol

After a sevenside on Sunday we have another tonight with the Rovers side of Bristol paying a visit to the Cardiff City Stadium for this second round Carling Cup game. The last time these two clubs face one another was back in season 2000/01 in the FA Cup and the Bluebirds had a 5-1 victory to celebrate.

City boss Dave Jones is left to ponder his squad for tonight new signing striker Kelvin Etuhu is likely to get a start has Jones could well give leading goal scorer Michael Chopra a rest for tonight along with a number of other player nursing slight knocks from the victory over Bristol City on Sunday. Cardiff will give late checks to Anthony Gerrard, Jay Bothroyd, Peter Whittingham, Chris Burke and Paul Quinn before naming his team for tonight.

On the upside Tony Capaldi is back in contention after servicing a one match being for being sent-off against Plymouth. Mark Kennedy is back after a thigh injury having only played in the opening game of the season and Riccy Scimeca is yet to play a game of far this season. Stephen McPhail will also be hoping to be involved in the Rovers game after making a returned to the bench against Bristol City following a hamstring injury.

Fourth place Division One club Bristol Rovers come to the Cardiff City Stadium off the back of four straight wins including a victory over Aldershot in the first round of the Carling Cup.

Should Cardiff progress into the 3rd round the draw will take place on Saturday 29th at 12:15pm on Sky Sports news

Solomon Taiwo joining the Bluebirds

Sky Sports is reporting that Cardiff City have sealed a deal for Dagenham & Redbridge's highly-rated midfielder Solomon Taiwo. It was reported a few weeks back after the Carling Cup game against the Division Two club of Cardiff interest with his manager saying, “He’s a player Cardiff have watched a fair bit.”

The move will cost the Bluebirds around £250,000 for the player who put on a fine performance in front of the Cardiff City manager Dave Jones in Dagenham & Redbridge's 3-1 defeat at the Cardiff City Stadium. He is in South Wales according to the report putting the finishing touches to the move.

The Nigerian-born Taiwo began his career at Millwall but dropped into non-league football playing for a number of teams plus a stint in the USA with Fort Wayne Fever? There is nothing official on this story at the time of publishing.

***Update*** It looks official with his manager John Still said, "If it does goes through I will be gutted to lose him, but I've learnt that when it comes to football you cannot count on anything.

"He is a fantastic talent and he is another one in a long line who have come here and gone on to bigger things."

Julian Gray on Trial

A Cardiff City old boy is having a trial Julian Gray, well not exactly an old boy but he was here for a loan spell back in 2003.

While with the Bluebirds he did well and the fans like him he joined from Crystal Palace where he was unsettled and out of favour at the Selhurst Park club after a much publicised spat with Palace chairman Simon Jordan. He came for a month but stayed for two played in nine game four of those off the bench he hinted on leaving at he would not mind a permanent move to Cardiff in the summer. The interest dropped away and Gary went on to join Birmingham.

He was released by Fulham at the end of last season were he did next to nothing in the way of playing some first team football he started on a loan last summer and was signed in January during his stay with the Premiership club he started just one game and came off the bench once.

Since leaving Fulham Gary trained and went on Sheffield United's pre-season trip to Malta but they decided against signing him.

Another transfer rumour

Is Wigan Athletic midfielder Ben Watson Cardiff City boss Dave Jones next target?

Rumours are popping up on the internet that Cardiff are chasing Wigan’s midfielder Ben Watson, one report is out of Ipswich and if true state they are also interested in the Wigan player. In another report it is Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers and Middlesbrough who are after the players services.

When it comes to a fee you can take you pick, in the Ipswich the report Wigan boss Roberto Martinez wants £1.5m for his player. But in the other rumour story the claim is that the City is about to snap him up on a season loan on the stats front with Wigan he only started six games with four of the bench and scored two goals.

I love rumours we will just have to wait and see what happens but if Wigan are offered cash for Watson cannot see him coming to Cardiff.

Mail Online story

Jones shopping for new players

The Cardiff boss Dave Jones hopes to strengthen his squad this week has the transfer window is on a countdown to closing, the local media are reporting there could well be a new face in time the for next league game at Doncaster on Saturday at least.

Jones added one new face on Saturday when he signed Kelvin Etuhu on a season long loan from Manchester City. He made a brief appearance against British City Sunday coming on for Michael Chropa but he had little on field time to make a judgement on the winger/striker. He could get more of a run-out Wednesday in the Carling Cup game Wednesday against Bristol Rovers depending who Dave Jones plays the game, will he be put out a full strengthen team. Jones said about his new signing “Kelvin is a big asset. He is big, strong and has played at the highest level. He played for Manchester City against Barcelona last week.
“We’ve picked up a quality player. I didn’t think we had a cat in hell’s chance of getting him. I believed Wolves or Portsmouth would sign him, but for some reason they could not sort out contractual problems and we kept our nerve. We were able to move in quickly and sign him.
“He has pace, power, he can finish and can play anywhere across the front line.”

Dave Jones again took the chance to remind Chairman Peter Ridsdale by saying in his after match that he is still short on bodies in his squad, he told the South Wales Echo, “By the end of the week we will have one or two more in.
“I will keep hounding the chairman to strengthen the squad and we are close to adding to the squad.”

Ledley to Everton - may or maybe not

The League Paper is predicting that Everton plan to step up their efforts to sign Cardiff City highly-rated midfield Joe Ledley with a £6m offer.

The Everton boss has long been an admirer of Ledley and has been constantly linked with the Merseyside club for well over a year. Everton Manager David Moyes was rumoured to have put a bid in back in January of £5m but with the club pushing for a top six finish Cardiff was not interested.

Everton had Ledley watched at the 3-1 win at Plymouth midweek according to the paper and the favourably report back as Moyes considering a new bid. Ledley is out of contract next summer and the club want him to sign a new one but it looks like everyone from his agent Dave Baldwin to Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale are playing a waiting game for the end of the transfer window 31st Monday at midnight.

Everton are second from bottom in the Premier League at the time of writing after a very poor start to the season and defeat today at Burnley could force the Everton boss into the transfer marker. They, Everton are still in a battle with Manchester City over Joleon Lescott the player wants to join the Arab rich club and looks to have got his own way that will leave Moyes with around £25m to spend in seven days before the window closes.

A source closer to the player told the League Paper, “City would loose millions on Ledley if he doesn’t renew his deal or at least sign a contract extension. The compensation Cardiff would receive for Joe would be around £2m – a fraction of his true market value.
“The player is in a position of strength and it is obvious that his advisor Baldwin knows that.”

In a recent interview Dave Jones was banging on about compensation but I cannot see the compensation panel ordering someone to cough up £6m for Ledley if it when to the panel. I cannot remember the last time a club has praised the panel for getting it right. Taking about Ledley Chairman Peter Ridsdale admitted, “We are only a Championship club and if a bigger club came in for Joe we would take a hard look at the situation. I would always take a player’s best interests into account. We are building a decent squad of players.
“Raising cash is not a priority although we do need to look at one substantial sale every summer because of the club’s financial position.”

New player signs for the Bluebirds

I just nip out to the shop only to come home to news we have signed a new player and I only posted earlier today about the lack of transfer news.

The Manchester City's Nigerian forward/winger Kelvin Etuhu is joining the City on a loan season and joins today in time to be available for selection in tomorrow's Severnside derby against Bristol City. The 21 year-old striker is the young brother of Fulham strike Dickson Etuhu has been with Manchester City since 2006 but has been limited to a hand full of games. He has been loaned out before in 2007 with Rochdale and in 2008 he spent some time was Leicester City

With the way things are at Manchester City his chances of a playing or even a place on the bench is near on impossible with the influx of strikers so his best bet to get some playing time is a loan deal. According to the Official Cardiff City website there was competition in signing him up Premiership outfits Wolves and Portsmouth were interested securing his services.

City boss Dave Jones said about is new signing "We are really pleased to get Kelvin.
"He's a Premier League player... it looked like he was going to Wolves but there was a hitch and we stepped in.
"He's a big, pacey lad who will give us options across the front line."

Injury list picking up

Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale recently hinted the there would be a shirt sponsor for the Bristol City game tomorrow, well unless it’s going to by a big surprise and unveiled to morning. Including today there is only ten days left before the transfer window closes and there are little or no movement to report about not even a way out there rumour.

Thinks are starting to look up for The Cardiff boss Dave Jones on the injury front Riccy Scimeca is back in training and has a return time of two of three week away. Closer to tomorrow game Mark Kennedy will have a late fitness test and defender Paul Quinn could be in contention along with midfielder Stephen McPhail.

Missing in action ...... Saturday football

Saturday morning settling down to watch SoccerAM but there is something missing, football there is no City game the first of many Sunday games I bet. There should be a law Saturday afternoon 3pm is football time and it takes priority over all else.

Well it is the Sevenside derby as Bristol City visit the new Cardiff City Stadium the police must have thought if we moved the game to Sunday, hooligans do not like fighting on a Sunday. But the game is a ‘bubble’ means official transport only from Bristol to the stadium with no chance to mixing with the locals.

However the moving of the game was anything to do with the naughty boys and nothing to do with Sky Sports who are showing the game live tomorrow. Football in general is suffering from Sky Sports live games at the weekend, the normal football line up for game over the weekend are, Friday night game with two games on a Saturday one at 12:45pm, 5:25pm and two on Sunday around 1pm and the other a 4pm and a Monday night game. The BBC and ESPN are in the live game business to on a much smaller scale but all ads to the demise of Saturday 3pm kick-off.

It was just lucky for them as they had a spot for a Championship game and the Cardiff game fell into their lap. No the game was rescheduled because some paddy band are in town.

They are expecting 70,000 suckers through the gate at The Millennium Stadium for a U2 gig so town will be fuller than usual so the police said they cannot police the two events. I cannot see why both could not happen the City game could have kick-off earlier Bono do not hit the stage until after 9pm this will not be the first time this season is will happen we have the egg chasing coming up later in the year.

Save the world Bono lead singer with the Irish wobblers is doing bit for the plant needing 180 trucks to bring in the stage.

Smash and Grab

Has the old fashion ‘smash and grab’ team returned to Cardiff City? The saying harks from the 70’s and was given to a striking partnership, the first time I remember hearing about it was when it was linked to Liverpool’s John Toshack and Kevin Keegan who formed a lethal striking partnership, I had the picture of the two on my wall dressed as Batman and Robin I recall.
A description of the term is basically an old-fashioned No 9 who tends to be the taller of the two was used as a battering-ram to mix it up with the defenders are the ‘Smash’ while the smaller of the two would pick up the pieces and would normal score the goals he was the ‘Grab’. Ex-Cardiff City player Alan Warboys was part of a famous partnership at Bristol Rovers with Bruce Bannister and I believe they were the originals
Back then Cardiff had their own ‘smash and grab’ team, Adrian Alston (Smash) and Tony Evans (Grab) with were not together long. Alston join at the end of October 1975, so after the season was nothing to get excited about three wins out of 13 off the back of relegation last season and ever reducing crowds. Evans was a summer signing in 1975 teaming up with Brian Clark after arriving from Blackpool he had ready score five goals before Australia international Alston joined the Bluebirds from Luton Town for a fee of £20,000
Their partnership brought a changed in fortune strait away in their first game was a 4-3 victory at Ninian Park against Chesterfield Alston scoring twice and the others down the Evans and Willie Anderson. From there on both were regular scorers Evans with 25 league and cup games, plus the five from early in the season and Alston 20goals that helped Cardiff to promotion.
Have we got a new pairing in Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd it looks like but the game is not the same has the old days with whistle happy refs so there is really little hope of mixing it up with the defenders. Chopra is hot at the moment but I cannot see the wait for Bothroyd to have a few to the pot being far away.

Chropa looking to 30 goals this season

Cardiff City top score Michael Chropa has promised Cardiff City fans a goal feast this season has he targets 30 goals, only 24 to go for the hit man. It’s part of his quest to help the Bluebirds onwards to the Premiership this season and with his hot form at the moment he just could.

He is hoping to surpass the 22 goal he scored the first time he was at Cardiff he wanted to score a possible 20 but topped that and the was even with going through a lean period of 12 to 14 games. That was the form that brought Sunderland knocking at the door, a move that didn’t work out for the player. Chairman Peter Ridsdale was on Real Radio and was asked if he would sell Chopra and he gave the club standard reply, ‘Every player has his price’ and added if any Premiership offered crazy money, it would be considered but the club have no plans to sell.

Before the start of the season some Cardiff fans were question the decision to sign the strike with a preference for Ross McCormack has a number of internet polls set up on varies messageboards had shown. But Chopra is a proven goal-scorer he did the job before and he could do it again, he has some bad luck with Sunderland before of the lack of starts, all players need to esaberest themselves but Chopra was in and out.

He said today Echo Sport in a interview today, “I know I have to look after myself, because I know that if I’m Fully fit then I’ll score goals.
“I’ve set myself a massive target of 30 goals this season and I’m confident I can do that.
“If I got that number of goals you would really like to think that would be enough to get this club up to the next division.
“I have a lot of self-belief and I enjoy setting targets.
“But I enjoy it better when I break them, It’s no good me saying I’d like to get 15 knowing I’ll beat that easily.
“It’s the harder targets like 30 I’m more interested in.”

Match Reports - Plymouth v Cardiff City

All the doom and gloom about waken team, youth player seem to have came to nothing after Cardiff City put Plymouth to the sword. Hero of the night was Michael Chopra who hit top form blasting a hat-trick keep him top of the league scorers and put Cardiff back on top of the league.

Without a number of first teamers Cardiff City boss Dave Jones gave young 17 year-old Adam Matthews his league debut has the youthful subs bench show four of the seven were first year pro’s. City score a goal way too early for some fans has the minutes ticked on, the opening goal in the 4th minute came from a link-up between City’s to strikers Chopra and Jay Bothroyd who laid the ball across goal and Chopra was there to put the ball into the net.

Plymouth could have squared the score minutes after from a corner when Gavin Rae, making his first league start for season almost headed the ball into his own net luckily David Marshall pushing the ball to safety. That scare over it was Cardiff who was pushing the game along and looking threatening but a one goal is never safe but half time Cardiff went in 1-0 up with the slimmest of leads.

Most of the second half was nail biting time for Cardiff City fans where they are, that the game, listen to the game on the radio or watch Gillette Soccer Special/Saturday on Sky a 1-0 score line always leaves it open for that last minute equaliser and Plymouth were push hard to secure one, but not tonight. With ten minutes to go Peter Whittingham sent a ball through to a waiting Chopra who rounded the keeper to put the ball in the hit. Chopra had not finish let with five minute left on normal time Burke was tripped in the box and the ref pointed to the penalty spot and up stepped Chopra to claim the match ball no argy barrage with Bothroyd this time has a put the ball in the back of the net, 3-0.

There was still time for some drama to play out when Tony Capaldi handled the ball in the penalty area and again the ref pointed to the spot, goal scored 3-1 but the ref red carded Capaldi for a second bookable offence.

Lethal Michael Chopra makes light of absent striker in fine display – The Times

Michael Chopra cost Cardiff City £4 million when he joined them permanently from Sunderland in July after two spells on loan, and he seems intent on repaying the fee as quickly as possible. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK


Michael Chopra’s hat-trick helps Bluebirds sink Plymouth – Wales Online
DAVE JONES’ Bluebirds stormed back to the top of the Championship pile thanks to an excellent win in Devon and a hat-trick from the devastating Michael Chopra. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Robbie Fowler Downunder Part 2

Bruce (Robbie) Lee

Youth is the word

There will be no cavalry charging over the hill to help the beleaguer Cardiff City squad out at Plymouth tonight. The Cardiff boss Dave Jones along with chairman Peter Ridsdale have had no luck with bring in any new signings in time for the game so Jones will put his faith in the younger members of his squad.

It will be a youthful bench again move than for the Blackpool game 17-year-old Adam Matthews who had his debut at Blackpool for Paul Quinn could even start the game. Dave Jones has only one option as cover for his two main strikers Chopra and Bothroyd, young striker Josh Magennis who as very limited first team experience with highly rated midfield Aaron Wildig should have a spot on the bench. Defender Aaron Morris is expected to complete a quartet of players yet to reach their 20th birthday

Dave Jones speaking to the media said, “We’re not close to signing anyone at the moment.
“I’m hoping we’ll get someone in.
“But the longer we leave it, the shorter my list gets because other teams will have stepped in.
“It’s unusual for us – and unlucky for us – to pick up so many injuries so early in the season.
“But it’s never got me down when players pick up injuries.
“We’ve got to make this situation a positive, not a negative – otherwise people start feeling sorry for themselves and start using it as an excuse.
“It’s not the best situation, but we’ll try and turn it into a good one.”

It’s not an ideal situation for the club to be in but it shows the lack of cover in the team and the need of a few more bodies most of the young player have just move up for the academy. Chairman Ridsdale is rumoured to be sitting on his hands a bit went it comes to financing new players, here would have liked to generate some cash from the transfer of maybe Ross McCormack and Joe Ledley the latter being the only option left now. Only 13 days until the transfer window will close leave only the emergency loan system until Junuary 1st when the transfer window opens again for one month.

South Shields 1-4 Newcastle Benfield

The way to Wembley sees my chosen team South Shields fall by the way side at their first attempt after a battering from local rivals Newcastle Benfield by four goals to one.

South Shields went out to Newcastle Benfield who led through an own goal before Dean Nicholson, Michael Chilton and Stephen Young addedto the woes of the Mariners, whose consolation goal was credited to Tony Coe.

Match Report from Newcastle Benfield

Newcastle Benfield will now play the winners for the Whitley Bay and Dunston UTS who draw 2-2 on Saturday.

The road so far
South Shields 1-4 Newcastle Benfield
Newcastle Benfield v Whitley Bay v Dunston UTS 28 Aug

McCormack out for two months

If the reports are true and Cardiff City striker is out for two months his season as just took a turn for the worst. Having upset a section of the City fans over transfer chatter he has played out of position in the opening two league games behind Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd. His trip to Norway with Scotland did not go to plan for the player has he was taken off midway through the first half for technicial reason after Scotland had a player off.

It could well be mid October before we see McCormack don a blue shirt and that puts any thought of transfer talk but gives Cardiff City boss Dave Jones a major headache it leaves just two strikers, Josh Magennis and Warren Feeney as back for Chopra and Bothroyd. Magennis is young and inexperienced have just moved up from the academy this season he is fit for Plymouth has for Feeney he must have been the strangest signing ever.

He joined the Bluebirds back in June 2007from Luton for £150,000 after a short loan spell at Ninian Park of just over two months, started four game during that period and two of the bench. He joined signing a three year contract so he must impress someone at the club. But after two games he was bombed out of the team to the bench where he got a few minutes of play time. He was then loaned out to rivals Swansea City where he did surprising well scoring six goals during the four months he was there, but it all went wrong he first said he would love to move to Swansea when they show an interest in handing him a permanent deal which alienated him to Cardiff fans and he then had to come back to Ninian Park with his tail between his legs after he picked up a injury and Swansea cool off with the interest. The was farm out again last season spending the whole season with Dundee United and regained his place in the Northern Ireland squad he is currently injured.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale will probably have had manager Dave Jones knocking on the door looking for a replacement and need to act fast if he was to get someone in for the Plymouth game. It’s being reported that Dave Jones spent yesterday and probably most of today ringing around looking for some short-term loan deals a striker and midfielder is what he is after. Jones has a number of players in mind and has had for awhile three have been long-term targets who the Cardiff boss would prefer to sign long term.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale said “We have been busy trying checking out which players could be available and are working to bring in a player or two before the Plymouth match.
“If that isn’t possible we would certainly hope to add to our squad before Sunday’s home match against Bristol City.”

Ref change for the Plymouth game

I don’t like having a go at ref as a rule it’s not the easiest job went everyone is queuing up to have a pop. But I have to say Rob Shoebridge deserve all the gets after the mess of the goal that should have been a goal. If was on the line kind of think I could not be too harsh but for the ball to hit the back of the net and come back out and both the ref and linesman miss it, that shocking.

The ball hit the metal frame at the back of the goal and shoot straight out but the Crystal Palace players veer off to celebrate as the Bristol City players held their heads in their hands, but hark what is that sound it the whistle and a ref pointing for a goal kick. In the following uproar Shoebridge when over to consulted with his linesman and there agreed it was no goal but have a goal kick.

But if you were a ref there could be a few managers you would not do this to, but Shoebridge was not luck there manager of Crystal Palace Neil Warnock the nemesis of referees who said later, Neil Warnock, "Nothing has changed," said Warnock. "I feel really hurt and almost cheated out of a result. I felt sorry for the lads after all the work and preparation they put in.

"We've already got a transfer embargo upon us and we lost Stern John last week in the first game, a striker, so to score goals is hard enough as it is.

"The body language of the Bristol players and the fans should have told the referee it was a goal. If it had been at the other end of the pitch, there would have been a riot.

"Refs make mistakes but morally I felt Bristol should have let us score a goal there."

Referees' chief Keith Hackett has dropped referee Rob Shoebridge from his next game with just happened to be Plymouth v Cardiff City Tuesday night.

The League Paper is back

This morning I nipped around the local corner just a minute from my front door to get the Sunday papers. Sunday is my favourite day when it comes to morning papers, lots and lots of football but being a Cardiff City fan like most Football League fans you have to plough through reams and reams of Premier League chatter which I find totally boring.

So I had a lovely surprise when I nip around the shop just before closing I spotted The League Paper, yes it’s back, I was gutted I missed it last week but overjoyed it was back,

It went out of business a few season back I started off good with just a bit of Premiership in it but that soon got more and more which put the League fans off and because and the calculation crumbled the paper closed down. It’s a bit costly (£1.50) but worth it just to read pages and pages of football I like to read about. There was a nice full page match report with pictures of the Blackpool v Cardiff game in issues two.

I hope they can stick it out as there sister paper The Non-League paper seem to be able to survive.

Emergency Ward CF11

Cardiff City are not sure the extent of the injury Ross McCormack but one thing is for sure, he will miss the Plymouth game on Tuesday manager Dave Jones has announced. McCormack pulled up shapely in the 36th minute with what looked to be hamstring injury the kind of injury that could mean a lengthy amount of time in the treatment room and his fellow team mate and Scottish international David Marshall, "Hopefully his hamstring is not too bad and we can get him back shortly because he's one of our best players,"

The table in the treatment room as to be under server strain with both Paul Quinn and Stephen McPhail needing it after pick-up injuries at Blackpool, the extents of the injuries are not known so it’s not sure if they will be fit for Plymouth.

Dave Jones has other players in the treatment room allow Mark Kennedy is close to full fit according to sources at the club, he find his way to the bench is short on numbers, and would Jones risk it. Kennedy was laid up with a hamstring strain injury,

One of City's problems is its small squad which forces players to play while not 100% fit, the Blackpool game saw Joe Ledley and Chris Burke have to perform after being unwell all week. Kevin McNaughton who was injured in pre-season and expected to be weeks away from being in contention for a return to the front line while Gabor Gyepes missed the Blackpool trip after returning home from international due with a along knee problem.

Cardiff are blandly short on cover at the moment, just look at the bench for the Carling Cup against Dagenham and Redbridge, seven academy players. Boss Dave Jones and even the fans no we are around four players short but Peter Ridsdale his keep a tight rein on spending. He would like to shift a player or two and bring some cash but he will have to open up the clubs purse soon for some new blood. I can how we can afford to let any of the present squad go, if it was one for one we would still be short on numbers we need to add to the present team, we have a lot of young untried players in the squad who can say what can happen, injuries, suspensions and the form of the players. There is not much time left to bring in players the closing of the transfer window is getting closer.

Match Reports - Blackpool v Cardiff City

Not much in the way of match reports this morning must be something to do with the Premiership kicking off. Maybe a few more later.

Blackpool claw back level after Michael Chopra strike - The Times

Striker Michael Chopra was on target for the second weekend running, but it was not enough as Cardiff were forced to settle for a Coca-Cola Championship draw at Blackpool.>>>>> FOLLOW LINK

BLUEBIRDS RUE HUDSON MISS - Simon Kendal-Williams, Wales On Sunday

CARDIFF CITY came within a whisker of staging their own great escape after surviving a second-half bombardment at Blackpool.
Only goalkeeper David Marshall stood between defeat and victory for Seasiders boss Ian Holloway in his first home match. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Blackpool 1-1 Cardiff City – News of the World

BLACKPOOL boss Ian Holloway pledged to strengthen his side despite a bright and unbeaten start. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

A poor Cardiff pick up a point

Cardiff City slipped up today and lost the billing as ‘Top of the League’ after being held to a 1-1 draw at Blackpool with today’s games leaving all one team in the Championship under beaten, Coventry.

Cardiff drop from the top spot to second in the table after the draw the goal scored by Michael Chopra in the 12th-minute lead when his shot deflected pass the Blackpool keeper in the net. The stats for the game show the home club had more of the game with over 56% of the possession in a game that showed Cardiff could only managed three corners in 90minutes compared to Blackpool’s seventeen. What did the Bluebirds boss have to say, "We looked a little bit tired, a bit jaded, a long coach journey with the same team (that played in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night).
"Ollie's (Holloway) made probably seven changes... we're playing the same players, we're playing players who have been ill.
"It wasn't the best we've played but to come away with a point is hard-earned.
"We've dug deep, the keeper (Marshall) has made a couple of good saves near the end but, having said that, we should have... had a few more goals."

The was plenty of bad news from today’s game on just the performance Ross McCormack went off with a hamstring strain later in the first held and Chris Burke came on to replace him, could he possibly miss Tuesday night trip to Plymouth. With around 15 minutes to the final whistle Paul Quinn limped off with a leg injury and Dave Jones gave teenager Adam Matthews is league debut.

Finally Jones was very unhappy with the work rate of his players, "Blackpool played really well and we have to look hard at our performance.
"Our players were all watching for the goal and our back five had to work really hard because the players in front were not working hard enough.
"We should have made more goals in the first half and we should have stolen it at the end but this is a very difficult place to come to and we've taken a point.
"We'll be going through things with the players tomorrow because they simply didn't work hard enough."

Source of stats information

NO bargains at Cardiff

Anyone looking to shop on the cheap at the Cardiff City Stadium has been told not to bother unless the money matches the value place on the player by Cardiff City football club.

In the press today took the opportunity to remain any watching clubs eyeing midfielder Joe Ledley that they won’t sell him on the cheap. With the premiership kicking off today pressure on the managers crank up a notch or two, with four schedule games before the closing of the transfer window Monday 31st at midnight. It starts to go crazy in the transfer market the closer to the shutting of the window, it happened to Ledley last season when Stoke came in later with a £6m bid.

Dave Jones is keen along with the club to get the right price for is players and with Ledley who will be out of contract at the end of the season the club will be pursuing full compensation it Ledley for one reason or another don’t sign and a tribunal as to decided. I have never heard the club losing a player to a tribunal decision being overly happy with the outcome but all this will be surpassed if Ledley signs a new contract.

“We will keep working away to persuade Joe to extend his contract," Dave Jones told the South Wales Echo.
“If it does eventually go to a tribunal it could be one of the biggest disputes.
“We turned down an offer of £6m last season, while Joe’s agent talked about a get-out clause if he was to sign a new deal.
“That figure wasn’t acceptable to Cardiff City, but if it goes to a tribunal then surely any compensation would be that amount at least.
“I can’t speak for a tribunal, but that’s how I see things.
“Hopefully it won’t get to that stage and, certainly, he will be a Cardiff player until somebody makes an offer at the right level.”

The long and winding road ....... to Wembley

The FA Cup kick-off this weekend tonight for some for the last two seasons this blog has been has been following a team from the very earliest round of the FA Cup (Extra Preliminary Round) just to see were the road to the final goes. This season because of an old family connection I have decided to start with South Shields this Saturday when they take on Newcastle Benfield at home.

South Shields ground

It’s a long track to Wembley and the goal this low down in the competition is the next game and rarely do a club in the Extra Preliminary Round make it to the entrance of the league clubs six rounds away in November.

We already know who South Shields will the playing if they beat Newcastle Benfield the winners will either play Whitley Bay or Dunston UTS Preliminary Round on August 28th

The Official South Shields Website
The Official Newcastle Benfield Website

Butterworth temporary in charge at Norwich

I was only saying this morning I wonder when the first manager to be sack now the season had started, little did I know that soon as I turned on Sky Sports News I was confronted with the news of Norwich City have sacked they manager.

I should have guessed it would have been Bryan Gunn, relegation from the Championship last season and a 7-1 home defeat on the first game of the season. The fans were quick to vent their anger as many were rushing out of the stadium to ease the pain.

Technically Gunn was sacked after one league game because last season when he took over from the then manager Glenn Roeder he was caretaker boss, it was not until May at the end of the season he was given the job permanently.

Norwich have now placed ex-Cardiff City assistant coach Ian Butterworth in temporary charge of tomorrow game and he would be looking to stake a claim to the job. He was with Cardiff City from 2000/04 and was sacked by Sam Hammam along with fitness coach Clive Goodyear. Sam Hammam said at the time about a replacement for Butterworth he wanted a "right-hand man who is a super coach, a bit of an animal".

It was a crazy time at Ninian Park after a poor start to the season fans were calling for the blood of then manager Lennie Lawrence and Hammam then broke one of his main promise he made to the club, we were a buying club not a sell call, £3m offer and off goes Rob Earnshaw to West Brom. There was a hastily arranged meeting with fans and I was there but somehow the get Lennie out brigade were turn from him to the coaching staff

Is will be Butterworth first job as front of house in the manager’s job he did have two short provide as player manager with Swedish club IK Brage and Cobh Ramblers in the late 90’s along with the Bluebirds he as been assistant coach at a number of clubs.

McComack missed the boat

Looks very much like Cardiff City striker Ross McCormack will not be getting his wish of Premier League football next season as Hull have lost interest in the striker.

It’s been heavily talked about, written about and shouted about his wish for Premiership football, but the only reported offer was turned down by Cardiff because the offer was too low. Allow Portsmouth show some interest for around 24hours it has been Hull who was the most persistent but the manager of Hull Phil Brown was never happy with the price wanted by Cardiff City. Since then Brown he has been linked with about every striker available.

Brown said: "I'm not convinced they (Cardiff) want to do business and in that case I'm not interested."
Dave Jones said in reply, "They (Hull) want to do the deal with add-ons such as if they stay in the division and how many games he plays etc. So we're a million miles apart at the moment.
"What we've told them, unless they match our valuation they can go and look somewhere else."
McCormack is libel to play some part in the fixture against Blackpool tomorrow, he start last week against Scunthorpe after Chris Burke who would have started becoming ill leaving the way clear for McCormack. Burke is now fully fit so who will start and who will be on the bench.

Ledley fit for Blackpool

Woke up this morning to news in the South Wales Echo that Joe Ledley could miss the away trip to Blackpool (I still can’t get over reading the Echo at 7am in the morning) the back page headline caught my eye straight away ‘Joe is injury doubt’ it was feared he picked up a leg strain in Montenegro friendly midweek.

He went off during halftime against Scunthorpe after he complained of feeling unwell after he had a strong opening half performance. He went on to play a full 90 minutes for Wales with no talk of any injury. However today the Echo was reporting he could have a slight injury picked up while on Welsh duty. An hour or so later the scare was all over has Cardiff City boss Dave Jones declared him fit and available for selection.

I am still concerned over any transfer interest for Ledley with the Premier League kicking-off tomorrow. A bad start for any for the number of clubs rumoured to have an interest and they could come a calling. I feel the club are holding the door open just in case there is a chance of cashing in this season but I believe both parties will come to a deal over a new contract for Ledley soon as the transfer window closes, hopefully.

Jones targeting a Dagger ????

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones had more than the normal interest in Tuesday night’s opponents Dagenham and Redbridge the City boss also had a chance to take a look at their midfield player Nigerian born Solomon Taiwo.

According to the South Wales Echo while in the progress of watching Dagenham and Redbridge to the run up to the Carling Cup game the Nigerian impressed the Cardiff City scouts who duly reported back the Cardiff manager. His career in English football started with non-league at Bromley he when on to play for Maidenhead, Tooting and Mitcham, Weymouth, Chesham, Windsor and Sutton United during which he had a loan spell at his present club. He also had a stint in the USA at sometime at Fort Wayne fever. Last season he was pretty much a first team regular scoring six goal, four league goals.

The Dagenham and Redbridge boss John Still is reported has saying, “He’s a player Cardiff have watched a fair bit.
“Solomon has the potential to play at a higher level.”

The Bluebirds are looking to strength their midfield and have yet to replace Paul Parry the clock is ticking down with the transfer window closing in18 days time.

Carling Cup draw

So who did we get in the second round of the Carling Cup, well we knew as one of the seeded clubs we would be home, a rematch with the Jacks would be nice but in the end it was Bristol Rovers.

It’s been awhile since the two clubs have played each other way back in 2000/01 in the FA Cup and Cardiff win 5-1 Earnshaw got a hat-trick and Cardiff City defender Andy Jordon even scored for Rovers. It’s another sevenside derby game the junior of the two, Bristol City being the senior game.

SEE FULL DRAW

One game that catches the eye is West Ham v Millwall police leave will be cancelled in London

Joe Ledley Cardiff born and a Bluebirds fan

With the no show by Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy for the Montenegro friendly tonight means Welsh manager John Toshack will be turning the Joe Ledley who he believes is the future and will be the next Welsh captain. Bellamy who is absent through injury was pencilled in to lead the Welsh team after Ledley had lead the team for the last three games.

Whilst happy with the Welsh situation Ledley has expressed some hurt at losing out the Mark Hudson for the captaincy which he puts down to the uncertainty surrounding his future at the club. Ledley only to the end of June left on his current contract and has been offered talks with the club about a new contract with a get out clause; it looks like all parties are waiting to see want happens before the transfer window shut midnight July 31st.

Since last summer I don’t know of any Cardiff fans who believed Ledley would still be here after the club received a later £6m bid for him that the club refused, I also don’t believe chairman Peter Ridsdale expected him to be here. Ledley himself must have thought he would be off and said in a number of interviews he would like to play in the Premier League but always said he was happy at Cardiff and wanted to play with the City in the Premiership. He nearly got his wish last season and if Cardiff when have when up, he would be a fully paid member of Cardiff City because there would be no need to sale.

Being captain for most of last season was very important to Ledley being a local lad and a Cardiff City fan, he said that it meant more to him than anything else at the club and I would agree with him, its every fans dream to play for the team you support and captain it maybe that score all important goal that wins the Cup or wins that all important goal to win promotion.
“It did mean a lot to me, particularly being a Cardiff boy.
“I think it meant more to me than anyone else at the club. I was brought up in Fairwater and my family were so chuffed when I was named captain.
“I thought I did well as captain last season. We went on a good run, but the decision is down to the manager and the chairman.
Ledley believes the decision to relieve him of the captain’s armband was made due to the uncertainty
“I think it (the captaincy) is about the situation with my contract,” said Ledley.
“You would have to ask the manager and chairman what losing the captaincy says about my future at Cardiff.
“I’ve still got a year left and there’s still plenty of time to sort something out.
“There’s no rush, but it’s the club’s decision. It’s down to them.
“Everyone’s in the shop window because Cardiff are a selling club.
“They’ve proved that over the last couple of years, so it’s up to them whether they want to accept or turn down a bid.
“I’ve just got to go out there and play my football like I have for the last five years at Cardiff.
“I only played until half-time against Scunthorpe because I wasn’t feeling well, but I gave 100 per cent.
“I will always give 100 per cent. I will just get on with it because I want to achieve what Cardiff want to achieve – and that is promotion.
“When I wasn’t captain of Cardiff on the weekend the thought did cross my mind I might not be for Wales now either.
“Particularly with senior lads like James and Danny coming back.
“We are great mates off and on the pitch, so hopefully they understand and will be 100 per cent behind me.
“I’m still young and have got plenty of years left, and hopefully I can remain captain for as long as possible.
“It’s a great honour to lead a great bunch of boys out for Wales.
“But being captain doesn’t change my game at all. I’ve just got to go out there and keep doing what I’ve been doing since I first came into the squad.
“Hopefully a few of the younger players might look up to me and might take the lead from me.
“I think we have a great team here. We’ve gone out in our last two games and got some great results.” >>>>> Source of information WalesOnline

Kindergarten bench

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones had little to choose from in the away of a substitute bench last night because of international call-ups and injuries so he was left with a bench full of Academy players.
Earlier in the day bemoaned the fact the game had to be played after the League chairman vote in the summer that early rounds in the league Cup must be played and international cup-ups could not be used has a reason to call off Carling cup game.Most have the League Chairman do not have to worry about international call-up the international paper they see are wash-up ex-international eking a living at the end of their careers. Some with Welsh, Irish North/South and Scottish player could see a player call-up joking apart the Welsh team consists of lower league players, in today’s squad for the game Montenegro only seven are Premiership players the other 12 come from Football League a mixture of Championship and Division One clubs. Jones managed to field 11 senior players and was lucky keeper Peter Enckelman was excused from a Finland call-up with the other keeper David Marshall was away with the Scottish squad.

You would be hard pushed to find any Cardiff City fan to know all of the subs bench, on it was Jordan Santiago (keeper), Aaron Wildig, Kye Edwards, Zak Evans, Jonathan Meades, Nathaniel Jarvis and Ibrahim Farah and in the end Dave Jones only use on Aaron Wildig came on midway in the second half making his debut in place of Comminges. Dave Jones said, “I had a crèche on the subs bench tonight – all seven players were from our Academy.
“I was able to get Aaron Wildig on and the kid did not let himself down at all.
“When a young player gets an opportunity he has to take it and Aaron can be satisfied.”

Match Report - Cardiff City v Dagenham & Redbridge

Spot of bother, but Cardiff City are too strong - Chris Wathan, Western Mail

CARDIFF CITY ensured Carling Cup progress with a men-against-boys win over League Two Dagenham. But the 3-1 victory wasn’t without at least one moment of immaturity from two of the Bluebirds senior players that really should know better. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Bluesy's Blues Blog match report - Nigel Harris

Dave Jones' men, despite a late scare, coasted into Round 2 of the Carling Cup with a 3-1 win over Dagenham and Redbridge meaning the new stadium has opened to competitive fixtures with 2 wins and 7 goals scored. Tonight on a warm sunny evening, City were two up inside half hour with Rae and Bothroyd on target, the latter with a twice taken penalty. >>>>> FOLLOW LINK

Cardiff City 3 Dagenham & Redbridge 1 - Wanstead & Woodford Guardian

There was no dream result for Dagenham & Redbridge at Championship side Cardiff City in the first round of the Carling Cup. The Daggers slipped out of the competition following a 3-1 defeat in Wales. >>>> FOLLOW LINK

Dagenham & Redbridge, International duty and Dave Jones

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones will be scratching his head today thing about who to play tonight has international matches and injury decimate is squad. It’s not just the senior internationals, it also the under 21’s being called up for games.

Last season this Carling Cup game would have been called off because of international commitments but during the summer the Football League chairman voted against allowing clubs to call off the earlier rounds because of international duties, City were only one of three that voted against the proposal. Cardiff City boss Dave Jones is unhappy. Dagenham & Redbridge are the visitors tonight for is Carling Cup game.

"It's absolutely stupid that we've been told we've got to play the games in this international week," said Jones.
"A lot of sides now in the Championship have a lot of international players."
"We can't even delve into our youngsters because we've got so many away with the Under-21s - Ireland, Wales - so we're even hindered on that.
"So we will be using a lot of the YTS boys, whether it be on the bench or on the pitch."
"It's not a problem for us. It's something we will have to get used to. We'll just get on with it.
"It doesn't mean that it's right, but it seems a crazy decision to take your players away and then throw in a cup game which you cannot cancel because you've got international players away.
"My personal opinion is yes, they are devaluing it a little bit more, because now in the Championship there are a lot of teams that have international players, not just from this country but from all over the world.
"It just seems ridiculous that you could end up with a situation where you're just making the Premier League clubs stronger at this level.
"All your Championship clubs could go out of it [the Carling Cup] because they can't field teams because they've got no players."

Dave Jones will be without 13 players tonight most on international duty away are Joe Ledley (Wales), Ross McCormack, David Marshall (Scotland) and Gabor Gyepes (Hungary) all in the senior team. On under 21 duty City will be missing another four player out of the team selection for tonight, Adam Matthews, Aaron Morris and Darcy Blake all in the Welsh squad and young City striker Josh Magennis on duty with Northern Ireland.

On the treatment table Kevin McNaughton with an ankle injury and at least “five or six weeks away”, according to boss Dave Jones while Riccy Scimeca is light working out after his groin injury. Mark Kennedy is still out with a hamstring problem and Warren Feeney has a hip injury and Chris Burke who when down with flu before the Scunthorpe game.

The only pieces of good news for Dave Jones is that his goalkeeper problem has relaxes, that one point it looked like goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson would have to come out of retiement for the game with both senior keepers David Marshall and Peter Enckelman expected to be on international duty.

Finnish international Enckelman contacted Finland’s coach Stewart Baxter during pre-season to asked to be left out of tomorrow night’s friendly against Sweden knowing that Dave Jones and Cardiff could have a problem for the Carling Cup game he said in the South Wales Echo, “I rang Finnish officials after Cardiff’s pre-season match at Swindon.
“I had a chat and asked them to bear in mind Cardiff would be left without a senior goalkeeper if Finland needed me.
“I love playing for my country, of course, but Cardiff’s need was greater at a time when Finland are playing a friendly.
“The manager understood and gave his blessing for me to play for Cardiff, and I thank him for that.
“David Marshall is in Scotland’s squad for their World Cup qualifier and hopefully he will start and play really well.
“With Cardiff, David has the No 1 shirt and kept a clean sheet in our win against Scunthorpe.
“Now my job is to play well when I get the chance, starting against Dagenham tonight, and let the manager know I am ready when needed.
“Both David and I want to be the starting ’keeper this season.
“I was delighted for David that he played well against Scunthorpe. Goalkeepers stick together – and we’ll support each other no matter who is playing.”

Cloud cuckoo land

It’s interesting that Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale has struck some kind of deal with the Malaysian group Football Focus Asia involving a "strategic marketing alliance" but what will it do for the club?

If it help bring in some cash in the way of investment in the club great, shirt sponsorship deal or the stadium rights would be fair enough, but I will always call the stadium ‘Cardiff City Stadium’ it’s all the other stuff which is a bit of a joke if you think about.

Football in Malaysia is red, Manchester Utd and Liverpool the rest of the country is either Chelsea or Arsenal. If Cardiff were to have a pre-season tour to Malaysia they would probably have to pay their own way, while any of the big four would be given 1st class treatment all paid for.

Malaysia football pay millions to bring those clubs to play pre-season games with the chances of any kind of fan base for Cardiff over they is pie in the sky. The youth development would be a waste of time if the club are going to put any money into it, they would be better offer putting the money into Welsh youth.
Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale is talking upbeat about the link-up "We think it's a massive coup for Cardiff City Football Club.
"At this stage it's essentially a work in progress.
"You don't do things overnight in the Far East. They want to know you, trust you and trust what you say.
"It will include youth development, it will include the opportunity to explore the whole fan base.
"It will certainly include sponsorship. We are already talking to them about shirt sponsorship and stadium naming rights without any definite conclusions at this stage.
"We are also talking about their assistance in trying to put this club on the sort of financial footing that we would have liked to dream of when I first arrived at this football club."

FOLLOW LINK TO CARDIFF CITY OFFICIAL STATEMENT