Bluebirds.tv

A Storming Start To 2005

2005-01-04T21:37:00.000Z

Passion. Determination. Desire.

Not words you would normally associate with the playing staff at Cardiff City this season.

However, their New Year’s resolutions must have involved ‘pulling’, ‘fingers’ ‘out of’, ‘arses’ because City followed up an away victory against Derby with a public humiliation of Nottingham Forest.

It is amazing how much more enjoyable it is to support Cardiff when the players, well, actually ‘play’ as a team, show a bit of passion and make an effort to earn their wages.

Monday afternoon’s game was nothing like a traditional ‘relegation scrap’. Forest were beaten before the match had even started.

Hardly surprising though, Nottingham showed no fighting spirit or unity 20 years ago so why should today be any different?

City were faultless all afternoon. Thorney scored yet more goals, the Langley that hid out on the wing has transformed into a tough tackling and interested wide man, while James Collins was like a human brick wall at the back yet again.

Even Tony Warner was commanding, stood tall and caught anything in the box, rather than treating us to the usual horror show.

It was all a bit emotional towards the end when Kavanagh punched the air, geed up the crowd and pulled at his captain’s armband, signalling to the press that he was very much Charlie Big Potatoes at Ninian Park.

Very Roy Keane and very welcome. Just the sort of attitude required when you are scrapping at the bottom with the rest of the dregs.

The players were genuinely pleased to see him score and while Bluebirds.tv witnessed an elated Kav hug Thorney on returning to the centre circle, Tony Warner charging out to congratulate the under-fire captain was unfortunately missed.

Cardiff have now beaten all three sides below them, i.e. Forest, Gillingham and Rotherham at home in what appears to be a winning battle against the drop.

If this type of display is repeated until May, there is no way Cardiff City will be a League One side next season.

The same cannot be said of spineless Forest – a club ‘with a better chance of staying up’ according to recent signing and ex-City loanster Neil Harris.

Blackburn Rovers on Saturday is something to look forward to, but three points away at ‘dirty’ Leeds a week later is far more important.

New Year's Optimism

2005-01-02T13:56:00.000Z

After a miserable 2004 has passed, perhaps us faithful fans have better things to look forward to this year.

Let's look at the positives of the last three games - two draws and one victory.

Lennie's new "diamond" formation seems to be working, with loanster Junichi Inamoto playing just behind the front men.

This formation has given us a more solid and balanced look, as well as guiding the side to two successive clean sheets.

We are still only two points above Gillingham, but only six points away from Leeds in 14th place.

If our mini revival continues, we could soar up the table.

Gary O'Neil's stint at Ninian Park saw City's results improve and hopefully Inamoto's arrival will inspire the Bluebirds to reach the dizzy heights of mid table.

We Want Lennie Out!

2004-12-16T20:50:00.000Z

The fans have wanted it since before we won promotion. The sycophantic local press have finally cottoned on. The overwhelming response is “We want Lennie OUT!”

A staggering 92% voted that it was time for Lennie to leave in an online poll conducted by icwales. Fans are voting on the internet and it won’t be long before they are voting with their feet, and more importantly, their pockets in greater numbers than they are already.

Just 12,500 turned up to watch a load of dross against Sunderland last Saturday and Bluebirds.tv commends the die hards who will make the long trek to Yorkshire to watch a likely similar display against Sheffield United this weekend.

This season two managers of relegation threatened teams – Andy Hessenthaler, and today Joe Kinnear, did the decent thing and resigned. They knew, in their heart of hearts, they could do no more while in charge of their clubs and realised an injection of fresh ideas and renewed impetus was required if relegation was to be avoided.

No such luck at Cardiff City.

Fans have been calling for Lennie’s head for almost two years – beginning with our humiliating home defeat against Colchester in our promotion season.

And, bar a few obvious highlights such as the play-off final win and a few scalps against former Premiership giants, City’s results have got steadily worse.

Lennie has always insisted he is the right man for the job, but even he can’t believe that any more.

The right man for his swanky apartment in Cardiff Bay more like.

12 wins in 47 games stretching back to a year ago is not the work of a manager taking this club to bigger and better things.

He doesn’t have a Graeme Souness type mean streak that would strike fear and command respect at the same time, something that’s required when you have average players earning more than their worth and simply not rising to the occasion.

Giving the players a rollocking in the dressing room, a battering on the training field or forcing them to drink cups of piss at half-time if they were losing may have given our pampered players the kick up the arse they so desperately need.

If he had slagged off the players, or the fans, as was Joe Kinnear’s downfall, his position may have become untenable and he would have been forced to leave.

His problem is he is too nice, but as the old saying goes, ‘nice guys finish last’.

And at the moment we are three places and 10 points away from just that.

Lennie has always been diplomatic when interviewed and he knows he is hardly top of the fans Christmas card list, but the vote may have come as a shock as he responded to it in a radio interview with something along the lines of ‘the fans have short memories’, obviously hinting at the play-off win 19 months ago.

Swallows. Summers.

Sam Hammam has taken a familiar stance insisting that Lennie will not be sacked and he will incredibly give him ‘more time’. How many more games does he need to be adequately judged on to prove he can’t do any more for City than he already has?

Sam also argues that there is no point in bringing in a new manager because he will want funds to purchase ‘12 or 15 new players’.

For an intelligent man this is a ridiculous statement. Given the financial state of clubs outside the top flight and City’s well documented debt situation, no prospective manager is going to demand such wholesale changes.

What makes it even more contradictory is Sam claims a transfer warchest of £10 million will be made available when the stadium is given the go ahead.

So what’s to stop him from selling the City manager’s job to the likes of Micky Adams or Gary Megson with something like:

“We have a squad full of international players who are just not doing the business – see what you can do to improve their attitude and on-field performances.

“We have some of the most talented young players in the division in Joe Ledley, Cameron Jerome and Byron Anthony, with many more coming through our academy.

“When work on the new stadium starts in March we will review our league position and I will make funds available, up to £10 million between then and during the summer.”

Not many out-of-work managers would turn their noses up at that.

It beggars belief that City are in this position with seemingly nothing being done about it until it becomes a case of too little too late.

Roll on Saturday.

The Safest Job In Football?

2004-12-13T21:55:00.000Z

It sounds too good to be true - like heaven, almost.

Would you believe Bluebirds.tv if it could tell you of a job where:

• it didn’t matter how bad your performance was?
• or how dismal you were at reaching your targets?
• you can set a performance appraisal deadline but can conveniently forget about it if results did not improve?
• you could ignore a decrease in customer sales of 25% in just a matter of weeks?
• you could fail time and time again on the most basic tasks but nonchalantly claim you will get it right, even though the facts suggest otherwise?
• public and unjust criticism of your competitors goes unpunished even though it has detrimental effects on your company’s own position in the market?

Such a job exists – the manager’s position at Ninian Park, quite possibly the safest job in football or any other sector. Ever.

It beggars belief that in football, the most results-dominated industry of them all, a manager can keep his job after just five wins in 23 games, or 12 wins in 47 games stretching back to this time last year?

City endured their eighth game at Ninian Park on Saturday without scoring a goal

“They can shoot and we can’t” was Lennie’s assessment of another dire performance in which just 12,500 masochists turned up, around 5,000 less than anticipated.

He has a point to some extent but the problem does not begin and end in the six yard box. City have proved so far this season they cannot compete at this level for a sustained period and no amount of extra shooting practice is going to change that.

Sunderland were no great shakes and it is remarkable how such an unimaginative side, lacking in any real class can be knocking on the Premiership’s door – so what does that say about us?

City undoubtedly has, man-for-man, one of the better squads in this division and one that is packed with players experienced on the international stage.

This is largely the same squad that finished comfortably in mid-table last season and one which sat in eighth position with 35 points this time last year.

So why is it that whenever the team now takes to the field they look uninterested, lack ideas and show no desire to win, let alone be able to string a few passes together in order to ‘have a shot’ if Lennie believes that is indeed what the problem is?

It has to be a question of motivation and desire. A problem that lies squarely with the manager and the manager alone. The results over the past 12 months suggest Lennie is unable to man-manage his squad effectively to gain the results demanded of them.

Even Bluebirds.tv’s own Jobi McAnuff is fast becoming a member of ‘City Anonymous’ after exploding onto the scene following his switch from West Ham and looked superb even when his useless team mates were getting thumped 3-0 at home to Watford.

Before the season started Lennie claimed City’s bunch of underachievers was the best squad of players he had ever worked with and that the play-offs were a realistic target.

If that is the case, and after 20-odd years in management and some 1000-odd games in charge, it is unlikely that Lennie is a bad judge of character – it is more likely he has just outlived his usefulness at Ninian Park.

The financial constraints at the club may be the stumbling block in showing Lennie the door and bringing in a dynamic replacement (Micky Adams, anyone?) to shake up our ‘stars’ who are happy in their own little comfort zones and have been for far too long.

But the question to Sam Hammam is, can Cardiff City afford not to sack Mr Lawrence if poor results stretch into the New Year and the club slips further into relegation trouble?

And City's New Midfield Signing Will Be.....

2004-12-08T17:57:00.000Z

After reading the report's that Lennie is looking for a "Premiership Playmaker"to the squad on loan, I have drawn up a short list of potential signings.

Kleberson - Manchester United
A World Cup winner at Ninian Park? If City want a bit of flair pulling thestrings in midfield then the overlooked Kleberson may be the man to get City playing to the Samba beat. Even though he is unlikely to be interested in the scrap at the lower end of the division, his skill and creativity would certainly add a new dimension to City's game.

Gary O'Neil - Portsmouth
I, like many would love to see him with the correct blue shirt on again. Lennie has hinted about "complicated issues" at the moment regarding the loan signing, could this be to do with the lack of a manager at Portsmouth?

Graham Stuart - Charlton Athletic
An all action midfield player, currently out of favor at Charlton. An old school box-to-box midfield player who is no stranger to rolling up his sleeves and scrapping, having previously being involved in relegation battles.

Steve McManaman - Manchester City
Overlooked and out of favour with Kevin Keegan, his contract is up in the summer and he may be after first team football to put him self in the shop window again. His experience would help "Lennie's Lads" progress their game.

Darren Ambrose - Newcastle United
A star a few years back in Ipswich's Division One campaign. He can player on eitherwing and has geniune quality but is struggling to make an impact in the Premiership. A move on loan may rebuild his confidence and help him force his way into the Newcastle first team.

Michael Brown - Tottenham Hotspur
Whilst at Sheffield United he proved to be one of the best midfield player's in the division. He is a target for the boo boys at White Hart lane and is struggling to hold down a first team place.

Sunderland Up Next

2004-12-07T22:17:00.000Z

Gillingham came and went. City won but are still in the same position – one place above relegation and three points adrift of Brighton.

Akin to a Gareth Gates concert, City stuttered their way through 90 minutes of dross yet still managed to please the 10,000 weary souls who bothered to turn up.

Not a single chant of ‘We Want Lennie Out’ was uttered at Ninian Park as Cameron Jerome and a brace from Peter Thorne City sealed a 3-1 victory over Gillingham.

City have registered home victories against two of their biggest survival rivals which will certainly help the cause but they need to start beating other teams if they want to avoid the drop.

Starting with Sunderland this Saturday.

Last season the Bluebirds turned the tables and had the Black Cats for an afternoon snack, smashing in four goals and prompting the Bob Bank to chant of “Newcastle, you’ll never play them again.”

And then there’s Nottingham Forest on January 3.

This match is massive since Joe Kinnear’s team are breathing down our necks faster than a lag fresh from a 10-stretch on a visit to the Ambassador.

Bluebirds.tv cannot see Forest being relegated from this division, so it is difficult to predict who will join Rotherham in League One next May, since Gillingham may experience an upturn in results with the arrival of gritty manager Stan Ternant.

These are uncertain times but three points against Sunderland would kick start City’s Christmas.

Gillingham - The Final Countdown

2004-12-03T21:05:00.000Z

Bluebirds.tv thought its pleas for some action in the transfer market had fallen on deaf ears as the deadline loomed for the ‘crunch game’ against Gillingham.

Following an injury to Alan Lee, Thorney just coming back from one, Cameron Jerome lacking experience and Andy Campbell just plain lacking, Lennie may have pulled off another loan coup by snapping up Millwall’s Neil Harris.

Excusing a terribly bad taste pun, Neil Harris was the bollocks a few seasons back and regarded as one of the deadliest strikers outside of the Premiership until he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

He fired in 25 goals during the 1999-2000 season and managed 28 in the 2000-2001 campaign but has struggled for form following his illness.

Harris has scored just once this season, ironically against City in their 2-2 draw back in October, but netted 10 goals last season and 12 the one before that.

In conclusion, even an off-form Neil Harris is better than what we have in attack at the moment.

Bluebirds.tv is delighted he has signed, even if it is only for a month as he will give the team some punch up front in the forthcoming ‘six pointers’ against the Gills, Wolves and Nottingham Forest at Ninian Park.

Harris is seen as something of an icon at the New Den and if he scores the winner against Gillingham tomorrow, he will be equally regarded by the City faithful.

Welcome to Ninian Park.

Countdown to Gillingham - Part Two

2004-12-01T22:10:00.000Z

So the big cheese Sam Hamman has stated:

"I don't think spending is the right way now, it's not necessary."

Right, so a side that hasn't created a decent chance in two games, can't defend set pieces and lacks a goal scorer of any real quality doesn't need new signings?

"We are not going to be promoted or relegated"

Well Sam, you've got one half of that right, but look at our form and the league table?

The fact is the current squad or line up isn't strong enough for this division. We had a good season last year, but the league and the clubs all improved, while we sold our top goalscorer without replacing him or reinvesting it in other areas of the squad.

Granted, we have a few decent young player's, but we need a few signings, whether it's permanent or on loan to boost our chances of survival.

Why haven't we brought in players on loan to patch up our depleted squad?

There must be quality players available. I suggest the deadly duo of Lenny and Terry play on 'Football Manager' and they'll soon find a few new names of interest!

"Lennie Lawrence, our manager, and Terry Burton will lead the team up the table."

No. They won't. Not with Lennie "judge me after 12 games" Lawrence still lingering around the club.

I wonder what Sam's reaction will be if we crash to an embarrasing 3-0 defeat on Saturday?

Countdown to Gillingham - Part One

2004-11-29T20:55:00.000Z

Forget your West Ham’s, your Sunderland’s and a return trip to Elland Road, the biggest game of the season is undoubtedly Gillingham on Saturday.

The Gills are just one point and one position behind City, but have improved somewhat in recent weeks, notably beating fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest last weekend.

City will be without Alan Lee due to the striker being sidelined with a hernia – an injury the Irish international has been carrying for some time.

Bluebirds.tv is still of the opinion that Lee isn’t up to the rigours of Championship football but at least this explains why he has been particularly poor in his last few games.

What is even more mind boggling is that Lennie persisted with selecting a player, unable to participate unless dosed up on painkillers and unfit to spearhead an already goalshy attack, when other strikers who could do a job for City are being transferred around for peanuts.

Lower league goal machine Luke Beckett left Stockport to join Sheffield United in a £50,000 deal which allowed Jack Lester to leave Brammall Lane and move to Nottingham Forest for the same fee.

While Lester’s record isn’t that great, Beckett boasts a record of marginally better than two goals every five matches.

He also has a record of one every other in the FA Cup and two every three in the League Cup – in short, the lad scores goals and City have missed out on a bargain.

Other players such as Stuart Elliott from Hull and Bournemouth’s James Hayter have both scored over 10 goals in League One this season and Luton’s bustling forward Steve Howard is interesting Nottingham Forest.

None of these players would break the bank to sign and would add some spark to our pathetic front line.

Even if Peter Thorne and Richard Langley are able to feature on Saturday, Lennie must stop bleating on about ‘addressing problems’ to the press this week and concentrate on bringing in capable reinforcements, with a creative midfielder and striker a priority.

In the words of Elvis Presley – a little less conversation, a little more action.

Please.

Winning Formation - Lennie Take Note!

2004-11-24T22:09:00.000Z

"Announcing the first post by Jon, a harsh, JD fuelled and usually unfair columnist who has more lip than Leslie Ash and longs for the day Tony Scully returns to Ninian Park…" David

Another home defeat for Lennie's laggers, this time against the very poor Preston, whose away form prior to the game was well documented.

But let's not dwell on the defeat, let's look to the future.

Saturdays game at Queen's Park Rangers, who have won five of their last six at Loftus Road, against Cardiff's five draws and two defeat's on their travels.

What should City do?

I have visions of Lennie’s prehistoric brain ticking over. He must surely be considering playing his friend Andy Campbell on the left wing.

After all, he has scored against QPR before hasn't he?

Being an avid "Football Manager" (Two League Championships in two seasons with Sheffield Wednesday) I would like Lennie to start playing to our strengths. Oh wait, we haven't got any.

Or have we?

Wouldn't it be nice to see Lennie try something a bit different? Granted the away form hasn't been too bad, but that is mainly down to the now departed O'Neil, who we have now seen the last of following his Premiership goal.

So why don't City try a 4-2-3-1 formation?

A defence comprising Williams, Gabbiddon, Collins and Barker with the gritty, yet quality-lacking Boland and Bullock just in front of them.

Paul Parry, Joe Ledley and Jobi McAnuff, who can break quickly on a counter attack, provide the ammunition from midfield.

Unfortunately our lone striker would be Alan "go to ground" Lee, but if he was capable of holding it up for the attacking trio, then City could have a system which should help them grind out a few victories at home and on the road.

Life After O'Neil?

2004-11-11T20:21:00.000Z

In the past week or so, Bluebirds.tv has seen the best and worst of Cardiff City. For weeks the campaign for fast, flowing football looked set to go unanswered until City tore through an ageing Leicester City side but could not manage to score.

Bluebirds.tv was not much more optimistic when West Ham turned up on a cold Tuesday evening, but City proved the performance a few days before was no fluke and treated the 17,000+ crowd to the best game of football seen at Ninian Park for the best part of a year.

It was no surprise that on-loan England under 21 captain Gary O’Neil was at the heart of two gutsy performances, with City playing like a team set to escape from this division rather than doing their best to remain in it.

O’Neill was a revelation. End of. Bluebirds.tv, like many others, was disappointed to see him recalled by Portsmouth, but surely the success of this football club cannot depend on a player that doesn’t even belong to us - one man doesn’t make a team.

Even without O’Neil pulling the strings in midfield, the club still has enough quality to cover in his absence and be able to cause an upset in the Carling Cup? It’s only Portsmouth after all, and half of their team is out?
Right?

Wrong.

Without O’Neil in the side City looked lost. Outplayed and outclassed by a makeshift Pompey side on the same night Watford smashed five past Southampton.

Midfielder Graham Kavanagh is a target for ‘boo boys’ this season and most of it is unwarranted. When playing alongside O’Neil, Kavanagh was superb and against West Ham, when every player earned his inflated salary for a change, Kav was one of the best on the pitch.

Many still think of Kavanagh as a marauding, attacking midfielder who creates chances and leads by example, and then turn on him when he doesn’t live up to expectation.

The plain and simple fact is Kav is no longer an attacking midfielder, his best work is done in a defensive role, which was why he played so well with O’Neil.

When playing alongside Willie Boland, the archetypal midfield grafter, the pair do not compliment eachother and there was the unusual situation of Boland trying to fulfil an attacking midfielder role while Kavanagh stayed back.

Unless Sam finds some money under the bed to buy O’Neil, or can persuade Harry Redknapp to allow him back to Ninian Park on loan, City’s midfield is likely to struggle again and the club will be dragged back into the relegation zone after working so hard to escape from it.

There is a chance though, that Richard Langley could fill the void O’Neil left. An attacking midfielder he was at QPR and a damn fine one at that. Paul Parry has been given a chance up front, so why not try Langers in his natural role when he returns from injury?

Portsmouth Provide 'Big Club' Opposition

2004-10-28T17:13:00.000Z

After literally hours of anticipation, City’s fate in the fourth round of the Carling Cup has been decided.

Big guns such as Manchester United, Arsenal (well, their reserve team
anyway) and Everton joined the Bluebirds in the last six to be drawn out of the pot, but the best Niall Quinn and Brian Marwood could manage was a home tie against Portsmouth.

Graham Kavanagh gave one of those media friendly interviews the Echo thrives on before the draw was made, indicating City could win the second best Cup competition in English football.

“The Millennium Stadium in the final would be a dream, but why not?” jested Kavanagh, who has been busy cultivating a supply of four leaf clovers in his attic for just such an occasion.

"We'll need a touch of luck along the way, but if the draw goes our way we definitely have a chance."

The man doth have a point. Potential banana skins and usual City-esque matches such as Burnley or Watford away were avoided and instead Kav & Co.were rewarded with a home tie at the fourth time of asking.

Portsmouth are certainly a beatable side and teams such as Colchester who knocked out West Brom in the second round and Burnley, who sent Aston Villa packing on Tuesday night, proved there is room in this competition for the little guy.

During a season of one disappointment after another, a good Cup run to blot out thoughts of relegation would be a welcome tonic.

City In Match Winning Shocker!

2004-10-16T23:35:00.000Z

It’s been a disappointing couple of weeks. City drew a blank against Leeds even though they should have won and Wales were made to look like mugs against both England and Poland.

But today something reignited Bluebirds.tv’s faith in Welsh football – Cardiff City won at Ninian Park.

City haven’t managed such a feat since they beat Coventry City on 10 August, the last time they also gave the home supporters a goal to cheer.

What was needed this afternoon was a little pick-me-up, an early season tonic that only a team worse than us could supply. Just as well Rotherham, the only side in the Football League without a win, were in town.

After 506 barren minutes, the wonderful Peter Thorne thumped in a header to settle the nerves early in the second half and gave Rotherham keeper Mike Pollitt more of the same with a quarter of an hour left on the clock.

It was nice to watch a match without listening to moronic ‘Lennie Out’ chants (he’s never going to go – get over it!) and booing of the team at the final whistle, although some idiots have to get it out of their system and there were a few at half-time.

A 2-0 win means City are out of relegation for the moment but Lennie will hopefully not go all Kevin Keegan on us and get carried away with the result. City has achieved NOTHING this season, they only beat Rotherham for goodness sake – pound for pound likely to be the worst side playing football at present and so inept they even made us look good.

In truth, Cardiff were terrible this afternoon. A lack of invention and creativity is one thing, it is even expected these days, but it is scandalous to charge the best part of £20 to watch the third division long ball crap that was served up today in abundance.

How Bluebird.tv longs for the fast, free flowing football of last summer, but like having a turn with each of the tarts from Girls Aloud, such things are mere fantasy.

Something more realistic will be the signing of a new striker, even if it is only somebody on loan. City have lacked a cutting edge up front since Earnie left, and for all their endeavour (or lack of it), none of the current staff will score the goals we need to avoid the drop.

Thorne, arguably our biggest goal threat, scores on average once every three games and today’s brace gives him a tally of three in seven league appearances.

It was encouraging to see Lennie give Joe Ledley a chance as substitute this afternoon rather than plonking Campbell on the wing, the one place where he is even more ineffective than up front. Why on earth did Sam fork out almost £1 million for a player who has a goal to game ratio of marginally better than one in 10?

But even if Campbell doesn’t play, then Alan Lee does and he’s not much of an improvement. Bluebirds.tv was a fan of Lee’s when he first arrived at Ninian Park and thought highly of his tenacious, bruising style of play.

However, it is becoming all too obvious that he too is out of his depth at this level and his average of a goal every four games is dwindling fast. The straightforward chance he squandered towards the end of the game when completely unchallenged was very Campbell-esque. There’s another million pounds we’ll never see again.

But enough of this cynicism. A confidence boosting win was what was required and that’s what Rotherham gave us. More of the same is required if we are to get to the giddy heights of mid-table.

A new striker scoring in a spawny 1-0 win at Brighton on Tuesday would do Bluebirds.tv just fine.

Back To Earth With A Bump

2004-09-29T12:50:00.000Z

We are going down. No, we’re staying up. Hang on, we are going down again. After a remarkable win at Wolves it was business as usual last night with an unfortunate, if not predictable, defeat at the mighty Burnley.

Lennie wants to be judged after 12 games because, as he put it, the league begins to take shape and there are no real false positions. City have now played 11 matches and are second from bottom in the league with only a shambolic Rotherham side looking up at them.

Eights points from 11 matches is not what was expected this season and the following doesn’t make comfortable or optimistic reading.

On current form, City will go down. Based on results so far, the Bluebirds can expect to win just six more games this season, earn a further six draws, but lose an astonishing 23 more matche.

The quota of 46 games will yield just 32 points, which is a dismal return by anybody’s standards. That total is just three more points than woeful Wimbledon finished bottom with last season, but four less than second-from bottom Bradford.

Paul Merson’s Walsall went down with 51 points, but managed 13 wins overall, five more than we can expect on current form.

So what is the solution? A change of management perhaps? Further additions to the playing staff? Neither of which Sam Hammam is prepared to consider at present.

Sam has said he “doesn’t do” relegation. Well, he doesn’t seem to ‘do’ a lot of things. Like sell our best players for instance, or bring in ‘three or four’ new faces before the Nottingham Forest game.

Perhaps it is a little unfair to criticise the Chairman, because Sam has done so much for Cardiff City in recent years and at times it is easy to forget that. If there is no money available, he cannot spend what isn’t there, regardless of the £3 million that Robert Earnshaw’s transfer generated.

It may also be unfair to use Lennie Lawrence as a scapegoat, because it isn’t him that crosses the white line every week and does very little to justify an annual salary in excess of £250,000. But ultimately, the buck stops with him.

During the summer months, Bluebirds.tv thought that all the ‘dead wood’ had been shown the door at Ninian Park, but the current playing staff, bar a few exceptions, are just not performing.

How can a side that is by and large the same as last term, who battered teams like Gillingham, Derby, Watford, Sunderland and Stoke at Ninian Park, simply surrender as soon as the referee blows his whistle?

If it is a question of motivation then a change of management is needed and somebody who doesn’t take kindly to prima dona’s brought in. It has worked at Newcastle, where loveable granddad figure Bobby Robson, who couldn’t get a player’s name right for love nor money, was replaced by the no-nonsense Graham Souness.

At Blackburn the fiery Scot was outraged by Dwight Yorke’s lack of effort and routinely took out his frustrations on him in training. The result? Yorke knuckled down and forced his way back into first team contention. Since Souness took over at St James’ Park, the Magpies have won four league and cup games on the bounce.

Coincidence? Bluebirds.tv thinks not.

City can’t afford to have its players suffering from ‘Juan Sebastian Veron Syndrome’, in that the style is turned on for the occasional glamour fixture, namely the 3-2 victory at Wolves, but then be completely anonymous for the bread-and-butter matches that should be won – take your pick from Plymouth, Watford, Derby, Crewe or Burnley.

There are no quick fixes and this season is going to be a long, hard slog. If City are to survive, the team need to buck their ideas up and at least start trying, as a unit, to win games.

Lennie has a final 90 minutes to convince he is the man for the job.

"The Best Manager You Are Going To Get"

2004-09-15T19:33:00.000Z

A sound 3-0 beating by average opposition. A third successive defeat at Ninian Park. Second from bottom in the League and a team of overpaid players who couldn’t care less.

Just another day at Cardiff City.

Bluebirds.tv was unfortunate enough to witness the most embarrassing, frustrating and inept performance from the team since Colchester won by the same scoreline a couple of seasons ago.

The City side looked uninterested, unfit and completely devoid of any ideas, let alone cutting edge since Earnshaw’s departure. Again, it is not time to panic but heads cannot be buried in the sand for much longer.

Lennie Lawrence knows he is treading a very thin line. The under-fire manager wanted to be judged after 12 matches, but, eight games into the season it is highly unlikely a marked improvement will be seen in the next four.

“I am the best manager you are going to get” Lawrence said to Sam unconvincingly while taking a poignant look at his Cardiff Bay apartment the same way a small child gazes at a pet on his way to the vet’s for the last time.

Even the usually vociferous Grange End and Bob Bank could only muster a few half-arsed chants of ‘We Want Lennie Out’ and ‘What A Load of Rubbish’ as the third goal went in, such was the morgue-like atmosphere of Ninian Park last night.

“It’s my responsibility” he droned, giving the press his best impression of a stuck record, “I have to come up with the answers why individual players and the team overall aren't performing.”

There were a few positives, though, which are also worthy of note. Bluebirds.tv’s new signing, Jobi McAnuff, stood out like a beacon last night. Always willing to go forward and capable of taking on the opposition at pace. How West Ham let him go for £300,000 is a question many fans will ask themselves this season.

Peter “Stick a Fork In Me I’m Done” Thorne showed glimpses of quality as he got another 45 minutes of first team action under his belt.

The sun-tanned striker had more chances in half a game than Andy Shambles has had in five. It’s about time he was properly relieved of first-team duties and sent somewhere more appropriate to his ability. Next Stop: Merthyr Tydfil.

Another surprise was Chris Barker who looked slim and fit following a loan spell with top-of-the-table Stoke City.

The full back reportedly lost more than a stone in just four weeks with the Potters and looked up for the fight, which sums up City’s current training and fitness methods. He has to be start the next match since Danny Gabbidon and Tony Vidmar are struggling with form.

It’s Derby on Saturday, another side that are no great shakes but at present are capable of beating us comfortably.

Those of you are with no conscience can get odds of 9/5 (Paddy Power) on a fourth successive away victory, the same generous odds offered about Watford last night.

New Signing Announced!

2004-09-13T21:20:00.000Z

Bluebirds.tv are delighted to announce the sponsorship of Jobi McAnuff following Robert Earnshaw’s departure to West Bromwich Albion.

Since the little fella fled the lower reaches of the Championship for the bottom three a division higher, Bluebirds.tv has worked tirelessly to bring in a new player before the match against Watford.

With the activity at City’s transfer department resembling afternoon ‘quiet time’ at an old folks home, Chris Barker’s unexpected return from Stoke meant McAnuff was available, and Bluebirds.tv wasted no time in signing him up until the end of the season.

The audacious swoop may not have been completed in time for the official matchday programme tomorrow night, but will be revealed in Saturday’s game against Derby at the latest.

McAnuff was unavailable for comment, but a suit speaking on the Jamaican international’s behalf claimed the player was ‘underwhelmed’ by the switch to Bluebirds.tv.

Cardiff City vs Watford - Betting Preview

2004-09-13T21:19:00.000Z

City may not be given much chance against Watford following such wretched form, but Tuesday’s game may give long suffering Bluebirds punters the chance to win some money back.

Recent form points to an away victory: Watford, currently 8th, have won three and drawn two in six matches played so far, while second-from-bottom Cardiff have lost four of their last five matches, including their last two fixtures at Ninian Park, and class a goalless draw at third-from-bottom Nottingham Forest as a ‘good result’.

However, what City have going for them is the ‘midweek football factor', which often throws up strange, form-busting results, while Peter Thorne may also be fit enough to finally replace the ineffective Andy Campbell in attack.

Cardiff also have recent history on their side and have won their last three home fixtures against Watford, including the 3-0 win last season and 1-0 and 2-0 victories in the early 1980s.

Likely City Lineup: Warner, Vidmar, Gabbidon, Page, Weston, Parry, Kavanagh, Boland, McAnuff, Lee, Thorne. Substitutes: Margetson, Collins, Robinson, Bullock, Campbell

Betting Verdict: Cardiff City to win @ 6/5 (Paddy Power)
Stake: 1pt

You can receive this weekend’s other top football bets directly to your mobile phone.

Text CITY to 80508. Each tip received costs £1.50. Text STOP to cancel the service.

*Please be aware that all betting advice is for informational purposes only and Bluebirds.tv will accept no responsibility for any losses incurred as a result of acting on published advice. Bluebirds.tv advises you to only bet what you can effectively afford to lose.

Four Defeats In A Row - Don't Panic Just Yet!

2004-08-30T17:29:00.000Z

This weekend is going from bad to worse. Earnie finally signs for West Bromwich Albion (good luck little man, you will be sorely missed) on the day City slump to 23rd following a fourth consecutive defeat.

Time has run out for Lennie Lawrence’s excuses. Every time the team loses he states that things need to be addressed. So why the hell aren’t they?

Why is the defence found wanting and prone to the same mistakes every game, letting in soft goals or failing to defend a set piece?

Why are the team good at keeping possession but have no idea of what to do with the ball, even when a goal behind with time running out? (Admittedly Jobi McAnuff seems to be the exception to the rule here).

Why are the team afraid to take a shot on goal, preferring to try and walk the ball into the net?

Why is Andy Campbell, a player so obviously uninterested and unable to cope at this level preferred in attack to a hungry young buck like Stuart Fleetwood?

It’s not time to panic just yet. There are still 40 games to go to ensure Championship football beyond this season, but changes, and drastic changes at that, need to be made before it is too late.

Bluebirds.tv does not believe in calling for Lennie’s head just yet. Chants of ‘We Want Lennie Out’ are both counter-productive and pointless. The same chants were echoed two seasons ago when Colchester trounced us 3-0 at Ninian Park and he is still here.

Give him time to turn things around, it is still August remember. But if these results continue and City are still hovering at the bottom of the table in a couple of months time then of course it will be time to bring in someone new.

However, new players need to be brought in urgently because the current line-up is obviously not up to the task.

If City can lure Sean Gregan, Neil Clement and Rob Hulse – despite the latter turning his nose up at a switch to Ninian Park last summer – then the club will have a chance, not only of survival, but even a shot at the play-offs like a resurgent Crystal Palace last season.

Although Bluebirds.tv would prefer to see Watford wizard Danny Webber in a blue shirt instead of Hulse.

The former Manchester United youngster would be the perfect replacement for Earnshaw – fast, skilful, a keen eye for goal with five already to his name for cash-strapped Watford this season.

It wouldn’t take a bank-busting bid to test the Hornet’s resolve, and with Thorney and Lee to boot, City would have a formidable strike force capable of firing us out of trouble.

Bluebirds.tv new transfer preferred line up: Warner, Clement, Gabbidon, Collins, Vidmar, Robinson, Kavanagh, Gregan, McAnuff, Thorne, Webber.

You Can’t Go Away For Five Minutes…

2004-08-29T16:53:00.000Z

... without everything falling apart in your absence.

Bluebirds.tv returned from a week in the sun on Saturday morning only to be greeted by the impending loss of its golden boy Robert Earnshaw, and another humiliating defeat.

Little Earnie may have pulled on the famous blue jersey for the last time, missing yesterday’s match in favour of talks with West Bromwich Albion. But while a fee of around £3.5 million was agreed, negotiations regarding personal terms have broken down.

Bluebirds.tv’s mole in the Midlands, who had the dubious honour of pouring the champagne and adding the prawns to the sandwiches during the meeting, swears blind the discussions, apart from a bit of paraphrasing, went as follows:

WBA Suit: “So here we are, Mr Earnshaw, I’m sure you will find this a most generous contract.”

Earnie: “You’re ‘aving a giraffe innit brah? Just exactly how much is Kanu on again?”

The West Brom deal looks as dead and buried as Kurt Nogan’s career but with Everton and Charlton Athletic interested, Earnie could be playing Premiership football by next Tuesday.

No Robert Earnshaw, no goals, and no further points for the second home game in a row, or three straight defeats if you include the 3-1 hammering at Ipswich.

The strike partnership of Andy Campbell and Alan Lee looks about as potent as a Viagra placebo and some of the transfer fee needs to go on a new striker, even though there are four on the books, including Thorney and Stuart Fleetwood.

However, Jobi McAnuff looks some player and it is incredible to think West Ham let him go for a relative pittance. How encouraging it is to have a winger that can actually take players on at pace and is not afraid of having a shot or two.

But with the rest of the team devoid of any real ideas and two cast iron penalty claims ignored, Lennie Lawrence’s side looked quite harmless.

City lost. At home. Again. But things were to get worse before Bluebirds.tv resumed its usual ritual of sinking a skinful before bedtime.

What about the incident behind the Grange End at full-time? Combine a few bum-fluff lipped louts mouthing off and several baby-faced police officers clearly spoiling for a fight and it is amazing a full-scale riot didn’t follow.

The threat of a random beating from these thugs in uniform was a very real one. Parents trying to escort young children from the ugly scenes were not greeted with courtesy and a sensible exit route, but a fully-extended baton that was held just inches away from their clearly terrified faces.

It seemed everyone was fair game and it’s all the more enjoyable when protected by badge, uniform and two foot long metallic cosh.

In trying to leave the scene in an orderly fashion, Bluebirds.tv and its entourage also found itself nose to nose with one poor excuse for a police officer who displayed the look of a rabbit caught in the proverbial headlights.

A man (and I use the term in the loosest possible sense since puberty wasn’t a too distant memory) so frightened and unprepared for the job he was responsible for doing, could well have made anyone who moved, breathed or blinked too suddenly, feel the sharp end of what is essentially an offensive weapon.

“Get Back!” he squealed, oblivious to the fact there was nowhere really to go, due to sheer weight of crowd congestion.

No, how about YOU get back, to traffic duty that is, you useless cunt?

But all said and done, Bluebirds.tv managed to exit Fortress Ninian with skull intact and hopefully so did everyone else who was just going about their business that afternoon.

Cardiff City vs Plymouth Argyle - Betting Preview

2004-08-12T22:25:00.000Z

It’s been a great week for Cardiff City. An excellent comeback to beat Coventry City on Tuesday night was followed up by the signing of West Ham’s Jobi McAnuff.

But now City turn their attention to promoted Plymouth, who sit one place above them in second place after two matches played.

McAnuff will probably not start the game but the £300,000 former Wimbledon winger may feature on the bench.

The Pilgrims have built the reputation of a side which achieves results on a limited budget and stormed the second division last year, winning promotion as champions ahead of the much-fancied Queens Park Rangers.

As the supposed ‘bigger’ side and with a season’s experience at this level, City will be expected to win the match but may find Bobby Williamson’s side a tough nut to crack.

Argyle snatched a late, late equaliser when the two sides met at Home Park in City’s promotion winning season, and also claimed a 1-1 draw when that seemed to be the scoreline of choice in the return fixture at Ninian Park.

The Bluebirds have a great record in front of the Sky cameras but may have to settle for a similar score on Friday night.

Likely City lineup: Margetson, Weston, Gabbidon, Page, Vidmar, Kavanagh, Langley, Robinson, Bullock, Earnshaw, Lee. Substitutes: Campbell, Croft, Collins, McAnuff, Warner.

Betting Verdict: Cardiff City vs Plymouth Argyle draw @ 12/5 (Coral)
Stake: 1pt

You can receive this weekend’s other top football bets directly to your mobile phone.

Text CITY to 80508. Each tip received costs £1.50. Text STOP to cancel the service.

*Please be aware that all betting advice is for informational purposes only and Bluebirds.tv will accept no responsibility for any losses incurred as a result of acting on published advice. Bluebirds.tv advises you to only bet what you can effectively afford to lose.

Cardiff City vs Coventry City - Betting Preview

2004-08-09T21:01:00.000Z

City fans were subjected to one of their team’s worst performances of all last season when Coventry visited Ninian Park in March.

Down to 10 men after just three minutes following Peter Clarke’s dismissal, Coventry stunned City in the 71st minute with a penalty from Gary McShefferty, and against the lacklustre Bluebirds, this was enough to win the match.

City have a lot to prove in this match and will want revenge, but defensive frailty casts a doubt on whether they can beat the Sky Blues.

Lennie Lawrence is not convinced James Collins is the answer at the back, while midfielder Willie Boland and striker Peter Thorne will be missing again with hip and neck injuries.

Coventry have started the season well, winning 2-0 against Sunderland on Saturday evening and they will be confident of taking something from the game at Ninian Park.

Likely City lineup: Margetson, Weston, Gabbidon, Page, Vidmar, Kavanagh, Langley, Robinson, Bullock, Earnshaw, Lee. Substitutes: Campebell, Croft, Collins, Parry, Warner.

Betting Verdict: Cardiff City vs Coventry City draw @ 9/4 (Premierbet)
Stake: 1pt

You can receive this weekend’s other top football bets directly to your mobile phone.

Text CITY to 80508. Each tip received costs £1.50. Text STOP to cancel the service.

*Please be aware that all betting advice is for informational purposes only and Bluebirds.tv will accept no responsibility for any losses incurred as a result of acting on published advice. Bluebirds.tv advises you to only bet what you can effectively afford to lose.

Crewe Alexandra 2 Cardiff City 2

2004-08-08T17:51:00.000Z

City managed to snatch a late draw when victory looked certain with five minutes left on the clock.

Goals from John Robinson and Alan Lee overturned Crewe’s 1-0 lead, coming from a Dean Ashton penalty after just five minutes.

But the usual policy of easing off trying to preserve a lead, rather than going for the jugular, allowed Mike Higdon to volley in an equaliser.

Bluebirds.tv cannot be too disappointed with the result, since City were fortunate to have all 11-players on the field, after Tony Vidmar appeared to handle the ball on the goal line – the offence for which Crewe’s early penalty was given.

After the game, Lennie Lawrence bemoaned a penalty not awarded to his side after Robert Earnshaw went down to a Steve Foster tackle on 65 minutes.

But events such as these usually crop up in football and cancel eachother out so a draw on the opening game of the season was probably a fair result.

City now face a tricky match against Coventry City, who beat promotion hopefuls Sunderland 2-0 on Saturday.

Crewe Alexandra vs Cardiff City - Betting Preview

2004-08-06T21:50:00.000Z

The purpose of this column is to see if betting on matches that Cardiff City are involved in can be a profitable, rather than a frustrating experience.

Before each game a betting preview on City’s latest match will appear here along with a recommended stake. After approximately 50 matches an accurate reflection of whether your hard earned should be spent paying off your bookie’s holiday home in the Bahamas or on tea for the kids.

And so for Saturday….

Crewe Alexandra vs Cardiff City

City have a good record at Gresty Road in recent seasons, winning 1-0 last term and earning a goalless draw on the final game of the promotion winning campaign.

Plus, the Bluebirds have an excellent record for opening games of the season, winning four and drawing five in the last nine years. They are capable of taking something from the game they are expected to win in what promises to be a tough season.

The only injury concern of note Danny Gabbidon, who is trying to shake off a heel injury, but the impressive Robert Page should start in defence. Alan Lee is likely to partner Robert Earnshaw up front, while Willie Boland and Peter Thorne may also feature in the squad.

Mark Rivers has returned to Crewe following a spell at Norwich, but manager Dario Gradi has lost midfield lynchpin Dave Brammer to Stoke, while David Wright has departed for Wigan.

The odds on a Cardiff win are appealing, but since it’s the first game, it is advisable to keep the stakes small.

Betting Verdict: Cardiff City to win @ 17/10 (SportingOdds)
Stake: 1pt

You can receive this weekend’s other top football bets directly to your mobile phone.

Text CITY to 80508. Each tip received costs £1.50. Text STOP to cancel the service.

All this weekend’s selections have odds greater than even money.

*Please be aware that all betting advice is for informational purposes only and Bluebirds.tv will accept no responsibility for any losses incurred as a result of acting on published advice. Bluebirds.tv advises you to only bet what you can effectively afford to lose.

City Line Up vs Crewe Alexandra

2004-08-05T22:09:00.000Z

Kick off against Crewe is still 48 hours away, but it is never too early to speculate on who will play in City’s opening game. If Gabbidon does not recover from a knock then Bluebirds.tv’s preferred starting line-up is as follows:

Martyn Margetson
The only keeper worth considering at present but “Wales’ Number One” deserves his place in the team on merit. An ever-present in the starting line up since Christmas, he will take some shifting.

Gary Croft
Out of favour against Lazio but the steady full-back can fill in down the left side while the preferred Vidmar moves into the middle.

Tony Vidmar
Possibly the best signing of all last season, veteran defender Vidmar is a cultured player who is best at full back, but can slot into the centre when required.

Robert Page
A better player than Bluebirds.tv game him credit, Page was excellent during the Santander and Lazio matches. However, he lacks a bit of pace and needs to play alongside somebody quick to form an effective partnership. A Page / Collins partnership is unlikely to work.

Rhys Weston
Played the full 90 minutes against Lazio and put in a solid performance. His attacking ability will be needed on Saturday in a must-win first game. If only he could defend the Gary Croft’s days would be numbered.

Richard Langley
Looked confident against Lazio and was eager to be involved in every attack, rather than last season’s usual trick of hiding out on the wing and giving the ball away whenever it came near him.

Lee Bullock
After replacing the injured Willie Boland early on the Santander game, Bullock was keen to show he could mix it against top flight players. Another commanding midfield performance against Lazio followed, even outshining Kavanagh means he must get the nod on Saturday.

Graham Kavanagh (C)
The captain looked subdued in the last two friendlies but perhaps he didn’t want to risk another injury before the season begins? He has the ability to boss the midfield at this level and will be a key to opening day success.

John Robinson
Never stops working and tries to inspire confidence in his team-mates at every opportunity. His passion for the game is unquestionable but starting two fights in the last two friendly games mean his dodgy legs won’t be the only reason for him to come off early.

Alan Lee
His tendency to get ‘stuck in’ shocked Lazio and he was rewarded with the match’s opening goal, his first in about 100 or so City appearances. A goal on Saturday would do wonders for his confidence after a dry spell last season.

Robert Earnshaw
If Earnie can recreate the form he showed at the start of last season, the Bluebirds will be challenging for promotion early on. But as City fans are all too aware, he cannot do it all on his own.

Substitutes:

Peter Thorne
Didn’t look fit against Racing Santander and wasn’t even in the squad to face Lazio.

Willie Boland
Loses out to the outstanding Lee Bullock in midfield, but if City require more steel in the middle of the pitch, Boland is the man to call upon.

Paul Parry
Has certainly made the grade since joining from Conference side Hereford, but will start the season behind a rejuvenated Richard Langley.

James Collins
Has done nothing wrong to warrant not being in the side, but a player of his tender years does not need the pressure of playing each game now Page has been signed.

Arran Lee Barrett
Outstanding performances in between the sticks for the Keltic Kids sees the 20-year-old find himself on the bench ahead of Tony Warner and Neil Alexander.

Earnie's Back But Questions Still Unanswered

2004-08-03T22:29:00.000Z

Call it an act of sheer favouritism, but Bluebirds.tv could not begin this latest instalment without championing Robert Earnshaw and that goal in last night’s gallant 3-2 defeat against Lazio.

Following a barren spell towards the end of last season, it was encouraging to see Earnie has regained his goalscoring touch going into the new season, and has both the belief and skill to do it in style.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the match was not Rhys Weston getting a game and playing reasonably well, but watching Lennie Lawrence becoming animated on the touchline, something Bluebirds.tv had often thought was the stuff of legend.

When City were in full flow during the first half, Ninian Park’s stone-age gaffer was getting quite worked up and yelling at his players. For perhaps the first time ever, Denver the Last Dinosaur was replaced by Captain Caveman.

Lennie had stated this week that City “wouldn’t be pushed around” this season and this belief clearly extended to the sidelines. A large stack of water bottles had even been placed within kicking distance for added effect should the rage become unbearable.

Unbelievably, City lead at half-time 1-0, courtesy of a rare goal from Alan Lee.

Bar Earnshaw’s wonder goal, the second half performance was similar to that played out time and time again last season and plenty before that. Same old City. A side devoid of ideas and lacking a cutting edge.

Bluebirds.tv cannot really complain that City failed to beat the side which won the Scudetto four years ago, but Lazio were there for the taking in the first half.

However, the Italians stepped up a gear in the second and City had no answer to it. The same thing happens every other week at Ninian Park, whether the Bluebirds are up against world beaters or the League equivalent of the ‘Dog & Duck’. But the question is simple. Why?

“Our problem is getting caught on the break, which shows up a lack of pace”, said Lennie, double checking the dryness of the ink on Robert Page’s contract and scrambling around for the receipt.

“I’m glad we are away on day one because defending at home we are daydreaming”. Hardly words of inspiration just days before the trip to Crewe, a team Cardiff are expected to beat in what has been built up as a ‘play-off push’ this season.

Thoughts of horses and stable doors spring to mind. This is a problem City have had for months, if not seasons. Just exactly WHAT have the players been practicing this summer?

The ‘long ball up to the little fella’ tactic? Because that always works…..

One training exercise that has been skipped is goalkeeping if Tony Warner’s calamitous performance was anything to go by. In all fairness to the ex-Millwall stopper, he couldn’t have done much about the first goal and probably didn’t even see the second fly past him, but the third?

A sliced clearance into the Grandstand set up another Lazio attack and allowed the ancient Roberto Muzzi to smack a hopeful, head-height shot straight at Warner from about 25 yards.

Bread and butter you may think for a goalkeeper who can boast Liverpool and Celtic as former employers, but instead of catching the ball or tipping it over the bar, Warner flapped at it in a manner that made Peter Zois look competent and scooped the ball over his head and into the net.

Neil Alexander may soon have a new friend to keep him company.

Bluebirds.tv had hoped this moment of sheer crapness would goad Lennie into sticking his size 9s through the water bottle stack, but Denver had clearly returned and instead he just stood there, leaning against an imaginary lamppost.

The taxi will be along any minute.

Suntans & Santan(der)s

2004-08-01T17:35:00.000Z

As far as Bluebirds.tv is concerned, Saturday was what pre-season football is all about – drinking in the sun all afternoon, watching the game without worrying about the final score, and then comparing sun burn at the end of 90 minutes.

This was Bluebirds.tv’s first friendly outing of the summer, having not travelled to footballing outposts such as Yeovil or Cheltenham, preferring the sanctuary of Ninian Park and taking advantage of the “two for £15” ticket offer like a bargain-happy Matalan shopper.

After failing to win any of the three pre-season matches thus far, and conceding goals with a regularity that saw keeper Neil Alexander slump to fourth choice, victory against Real Racing Club Santander would have been a welcome tonic.

But it wasn’t to be. The sweltering heat seemed to hinder the City players and meant for a dull first half. Willie Boland was unlucky to put the ball into his own net to give the Spaniards the lead but Andy Campbell should have been awarded a penalty after being clattered in the box by the keeper, but only a free kick was awarded.

The second half was better and provided at least some value for money. Throughout the game Santander lived up to their Primera Liga stereotype and pushed, pulled and fouled their way through the match. But one player made the wrong decision targeting City’s ‘Mr Angry’ John Robinson and one niggly challenge resulted in a free-for-all involving both sets of players and even those in the dug-outs. Pantomime season at Ninian Park, four months early!

In one great display of comic acting, a Santander player clattered Paul Parry and just as he was about to be booked ran toward and went over the Welsh international in a desperate attempt to save himself. Either that, or he slipped on the half a pint of grease that emanated from his person.

With a preferred starting line-up in mind for Crewe next weekend, a couple of other players battled their way into contention.

Andy Campbell. The £900,000 striker is clearly enjoying this pre-season and played the entire 90 minutes. He looked lively throughout and more like the player that scored all those goals while on loan from Middlesbrough three years ago. Lennie must be gearing him up to play a bigger role this season by giving him an extended run in the friendlies.

Lee Bullock. Came on as an early substitute for the injured Willie Boland and played very well. Didn’t look out of place alongside Graham Kavanagh and was unlucky not to equalise with a header that had the Santander keeper beaten.

Alan Lee. Was more effective than Peter Thorne and tormented the Santander defence with his runs down the channels. Should have had a penalty after being pulled back in the box.

If Boland doesn’t recover from injury in time this is how Bluebirds.tv hopes City will line up against Crewe, although things could change after Monday’s glamour fixture against Lazio:

Margetson, Croft, Gabbidon, Page, Vidmar, Robinson, Kavanagh, Bullock, Parry, Earnshaw, Thorne. Subs: Warner, Collins, Langley, Campbell, Lee.

Two In, One Out?

2004-07-07T19:28:00.000Z

After weeks of endless speculation linking Bluebirds.tv’s Robert Earnshaw to every second rate Premiership club in need of a striker, it makes a change to comment on some incoming transfers.

Welsh international Robert Page replaces Spencer Prior as the defender trying to break up the partnership of James Collins and Gabbs at the centre of defence, while Tony Warner’s arrival has relegated Neil Alexander to third choice.

These are two solid transfers which will undoubtedly strengthen the squad overall, as well of course as the permanent signing of goalscoring midfielder Lee Bullock.

Lawrence hopes these signings will silence critics who complained about the lack of transfers but Bluebirds.tv still doesn’t think these three alone will be enough for the big promotion push that Sam Hammam desperately wants and the play-off spot Lennie hopes to achieve.

The newly named (and quite aptly) Championship is looking very strong in the run-up to it’s first season and whereas these signings are positive, City will need further signings just to maintain May’s final position as a mid-table club.

But if transfer news is thin on the ground, you can always do what Lennie does, and simply make some up.

"We have effectively signed six players in the last 48 hours." said Lawrence unconvincingly, making up for the lack of transfer activity with fictional signings.

Of course he was referring to players signing new contracts and praising those coming back from injury. But just how mainstays Martyn Margetson and Gary Croft signing new deals or the fact that Kav and Thorney may remain free from injury long enough to play a bit of football next season counts as signing new players is still something Bluebirds.tv is trying to work out.

The arrival of 6 foot 5 goalkeeper Tony Warner is good news as far as Bluebirds.tv is concerned, because we may now have somebody who can dominate the box, but it spells the end for Neil Alexander’s City career.

“Scotland’s… Number One… Scotland’s, Scotland’s, Number One” as he was affectionately known as at Ninian Park has now become City’s number three, or even four if Arran Lee Barrett has anything to do with it.

"It doesn't look good for me at Cardiff” said Alexander, stating the bleeding obvious, “I thought I would be trying to win my place back from Martyn next season.”

The player, who has not started a league game since December doesn’t have much to look forward to next season, apart from sitting on the bench in the FAW Premier Cup and is likely to move away or at least go out on loan.

“It's not that easy to find a new club” he explained, “not many clubs are looking for a new goalkeeper, especially one that concedes 14 goals in five games" he only partly added.

The defensive third is looking a lot stronger in view of the forthcoming season and there could be more reinforcements on the way with Sean Gregan of WBA, Celtic’s Jamie Smith and Birmingham loan target Darren Carter still being linked strongly.

Earnie Off To Everton?

2004-06-28T19:21:00.000Z

After speculation regarding Robert Earnshaw’s future had all but died down after the press had exhausted the list of clubs to link him with, like a bad case of herpes, the rumours refuse to go away.

Charlton signed Darren Bent and Birmingham landed Emile Heskey, thus ruling out the need for Earnie’s services, while Fulham and Celtic distanced themselves from a move for the pint-sized striker.

But now a strong link to Everton has emerged and this one looks the real deal. Rumours that Wayne Rooney is about to head off to Manchester United for £20 million plus will mean there is money to spend, and with that sort of cash available, Earnshaw’s £3 million-up-front-with-more-to-follow price tag is unlikely to scare off the suits at Goodison Park.

Ominously, manager Lennie Lawrence was yesterday quoted as saying in one Sunday newspaper "There is something brewing” and he was not talking about Arran Lee Barrett making the tea at Ninian Park, “the talk surrounding Earnshaw is very strong”.

Plus, all incoming transfers are to be put on ice until Earnie’s future is resolved. Does this mean there is no money to spend unless he moves on, and, more importantly, if this is the case, just who on earth will Bluebirds.tv be providing the away kit for next season?

More is expected to be revealed by Wednesday.

Some better news is City have officially made their first signing of the season by securing the permanent transfer of Lee Bullock.

"I know that players such as Graham Kavanagh and Willie Boland will probably be starting the season ahead of me in the pecking order," shrugged Bullock. "But it's up to me to force myself into the first team.

With no further signings on the horizon, Richard Langley fannying about with Jamaica in August and if Kav suffers with injuries like he did last season, then Bullock may have a longer run in the side than he first anticipated.

France Show 'Bulldog Spirit' For What It's Worth

2004-06-13T23:00:00.000Z

Not at all Cardiff-related, but Bluebirds.tv simply has to comment on tonight’s Engerlund vs ‘Johnny Foreigner’ match.

The usual xenophobic dross about ‘Bulldog Spirit’ and foreign teams not liking it ‘up em’ was yet again trotted out in 16 page colour pullouts backed up by tenuous justification as to how an over-rated manager like Sven Goran Eriksson can take an under-achieving, done nothing side like England to European glory.

Just watching those smug morons in the stands who couldn’t tell one end of a bayonet from another, singing the theme tune to the ‘Great Escape’ and stretching their arms out as if they were Jan Aage Fjortoft in a ‘patriotic’ rendition of the Dambusters, needed something spectacular right at the end to wipe the smirks clean off their beer-stained faces, following a seemingly winning Frank Lampard goal.

And boy did they get it.

Earnshaw 'Still' a City Player

2004-06-08T21:36:00.000Z

The first update in over a week and not much has changed. The stadium is still in the ‘planning’ stage, Lee Bullock is still swanning about in Florida and yet to sign a permanent deal, and surprise, surprise, Robert Earnshaw is still very much a Cardiff City player.

The press, the ink and paper version of a dog chewing an extremely gristly bone, will stop at nothing to link little Earnie with a move anywhere, as long as it’s not Ninian Park.

The stories have become so desperate since no firm bids, official enquires or even casual chats with Sam over a pint of Dark and a bowl of sheep’s testicles, have been made. What constitutes as ‘news’ these days are tedious ‘almost signed for’ non-stories which carry about as much substance as an O.J. Simpson case for defence.

This week Earnie ‘nearly’ became a Birmingham City player. Given the option of a proven goalscorer at domestic and international level, Steve Bruce spent £6 million on Emile Heskey instead, but without even querying Earnshaw’s availability or asking price, how exactly does a ‘nearly’ transfer work?

Is it similar to Rivaldo ‘nearly’ signing for Tottenham, or Lennie ‘nearly’ deploying a tactic other than the ‘high ball up to the little fella’?

It’s never going to happen. It’s pure fantasy.

Until a rival Chairman strolls into Ninian Park with a briefcase containing at least £5 million in used currency, Robert Earnshaw is going nowhere and Bluebirds.tv will proudly sponsor the brightest talent to wear the shirt in the last decade when the first ball is kicked in August.

City made their first summer signing today by taking 16-year-old goalkeeper Scott Allison on a year’s work experience from York. With Arran Lee-Barrett likely to be farmed out to some god-awful dungeon side next season, the tea still needs to be made and Thorney told how wonderful he is on a daily basis.

The club’s listing in Ad Trader worked a treat and Gavin Gordon has fixed himself up with a new club for next season. Notts County warmed to the ‘Offered: goal-shy useless lump, sorry, ‘target man’ available – free to a good home’ advert and promptly offered the former Lincoln man a contract.

Hopefully Gordon can recapture the form that saw him net five goals (yes, in one game) against Rushden a few years ago, and Bluebirds.tv wishes him the best of luck.

Confirmed speculation regarding transfers into Ninian Park have been few and far between. Lennie has confirmed his desire to bring Wales dinosaur Robert Page in to warm the bench, but other names have recently surfaced, Mansfield’s Liam Lawrence and out-of-contract Danny Tiatto.

Australian international Tiatto was touted on Bluebirds.tv weeks ago as a possible signing but as yet no official approach has been made to secure the former Manchester City winger’s services, according to Danny’s brother and agent, Frank – the poor man’s Claude Anelka.

A move for Tiatto is unlikely, due to the player entering his fourth decade and taking into account his colourful disciplinary record. Plus, in a City midfield already devoid of imagination in Kavanagh’s absence, another huff-and-puff player should not be a top priority.

"I may not be the most creative player” Tiatto snarled, “but what I lack in that aspect, I make up for with heart and soul”

Roughly translated as “I make up for general crapness by kicking lumps out of the opposition”, a quality that may endear him to Ninian Park supporters still pining for Gareth Stoker and his ‘unique’ style of play.

However, serving a third ban of the season and pocketing around £10k a week in the process for doing sod all is bound to grate on even the most gladiatorial City fan.

Frandsen A Legitimate Target?

2004-05-29T20:52:00.000Z

Gossip. Rumour. Tittle-tattle and idle hearsay is what it’s all about during the media's ‘silly season’, a time when only absolute bollocks is reported because there’s nothing legitimate, or even remotely interesting to write about.

With paper to be wasted, newspapers stuff their blank pages with stories of who Jordan’s shagging, Charlotte Church smoking ‘large, roll up cigarettes’ and the all-important Shane Ritchie debt-o-meter.

But, if the truth be told, Bluebirds.tv is interested in this type of ‘novelty’ reporting, only in a different context. At this time of year, kiss and tell stories or the Big Brother losers are not given a second thought. Only one thing occupies the mind of this dedicated City fan – football transfers.

Unconfirmed speculation creates a buzz around the club and gives the supporters hope, but the stories must be believable and non-contradictory for them to appear valid – two factors missing from the South Wales Echo’s latest article.

With a bare back page staring back at the sportsdesk hours before deadline, and with only tired old news about missing out on Jason De Vos and probably Julian Gray needing to be recycled and padded out to 500 words, what better way to keep the editor sweet than to toss some transfer gossip into the mix?

Lennie Lawrence’s sloth-like performances in the transfer market are bound to be the basis of many ‘nearly’ signings over the coming weeks, but they need to be researched a little before going to press, otherwise they just don’t ring true.

Apparently, City’s number one central midfield target was not Lee Bullock, an exciting young prospect going for a song, but ageing former Bolton midfielder Per Frandsen, who conveniently joined play-off nearly men Wigan almost a week ago.

If Cardiff are faffing around over whether or not to sign a desperate kid from York then how could a move for a big earner like Frandsen even be contemplated?

While Lee Bullock’s proposed wage would be meagre to say the least, Frandsen would be looking for a lucrative salary after playing for moneybags Blackburn and twice for Bolton, a club now set to sign Rivaldo on wages in excess of £100,000 per week.

And fans begrudged Gareth Whalley his 23-match bonus.

The more Bluebirds.tv thinks about it, the more unrealistic this transfer sounds. You have been rumbled, South Wales Echo, there is no way Frandsen was even a back-up target, let alone a primary one.

Furthermore, at 34-years-old, Lennie would have ruled him out instantly after his ‘I don’t want a squad full of 30 year olds’ comment last week when rejecting Nathan Blake’s plea to return to Ninian Park.

What next? Paul Gascoigne lined up to play alongside Kav because Rhyl couldn’t afford to pay him enough kebab money?

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

2004-05-26T19:52:00.000Z

While kicking a ball and poncing around in designer clothes must be classed as a ‘hobby’ and not really ‘work’ as such, the woman at the Job Centre helpline begged to differ, even after half an hour of arguing the point with Bluebirds.tv and threatening to report the call to British Telecom.

She was adamant football is as much a job as working on a building site or driving a taxi, because apart from getting paid for what they do, the players have other interests besides the beautiful game and don’t spend ‘after hours’ work practicing taking penalties or doing keepy-ups in the garden, unless they are Michael Owen of course.

It is well documented that Alan Shearer enjoys creosoting his garden fence and Keith Gillespie spent more time at the bookies than was good for him, so as the rest of us slave away thanklessly for the minimum wage, Bluebirds.tv was interested to know what the terrace idols at Ninian Park do with their leisure time in between training, checking their bank balance and playing the odd game of football.

Does Barker collect butterflies? Is Campbell keen on crotchet? As yet, both are unconfirmed, but this week Lennie Lawrence revealed he enjoys nothing better than switching off his two mobile phones (how Hollywood) and going for a jog to escape the day-to-day rigours of (Ninian) Park Life.

“One day I just started running” he said in a soft Southern drawl. “It's probably the only 'hobby' I have - there just isn't time for anything else.”

While it’s not for Bluebirds.tv to suggest what Lennie does in his waking hours, spending less time avoiding the dog mess on Heath Park and more time pulling his finger out in the transfer market should be enough to keep him occupied.

Even though the Football League season doesn’t officially end until the last play-off final ball is kicked on Bank Holiday Monday, City may have already lost out on four potential transfer targets, because Lennie has been too busy stretching his legs rather than the club’s limited transfer budget.

Former Wigan defender Jason De Vos, the perfect antidote to Lennie’s sickening for a ‘big and ugly’ defender, joined Ipswich on a free transfer this afternoon, while former Bluebird Mark Delaney has vowed to fight for his place at Villa Park, or join either Newcastle or Middlesbrough, depending on who you believe.

Winger Julian Gray, a former loan signing and a player keen on a move to the Welsh capital, is unlikely to join either. City were not prepared to stump up £800,000 to secure his services when he was unwanted and unloved at Crystal Palace, but scintillating performances following his return to Selhurst Park is likely to ensure Premiership football for Gray next season, whether the Eagles win promotion or not.

City are also stalling on the £75,000 (12 ½ weeks of Gareth Whalley’s wages) transfer fee to sign York midfielder Lee Bullock. If the club doesn’t move soon then vultures Leeds, Leicester, Nottingham Forest, both Sheffield clubs or the mighty Stockport County are circling.

In the event that Cardiff have missed out on all of the above players, City's failsafe transfer system of showing-interest-but-not-following-it-up-allowing-another-club-to-step-in added another player they won’t sign to the list, step forth Millwall goalkeeper Tony Warner.

The former Liverpool and Celtic stopper has all the credentials of a sound transfer target, therefore ruling him out of a move to Ninian Park.

Highly rated, available on a free transfer and, at 6ft 4ins, has the imposing between-the-sticks presence both Alexander and Margetson have failed to provide.

Make a move, Lennie, and let’s not have a repeat of last year’s transfer fiasco.

Blake Not Returning To Ninian Park

2004-05-21T22:27:00.000Z

Getting the all-clear from the G.U.M. clinic after a drunken three-stroker with the cackling wench from Canton, or when that bird you’ve been knocking off for a few weeks takes a home-pregnancy test and it comes back negative.

Both great senses of relief, but not as great as the news this afternoon when Lennie Lawrence firmly dispelled any chances Nathan Blake had of making a return to Ninian Park.

"Signing Nathan would be popular with a lot of our supporters - but my job is to get us results," said Lennie, clearly unimpressed with Blake’s solitary goal in 13 Premiership appearances for Wolves this season.

Even if it is an improvement on Alan Lee’s.

The goal Blakey scored to dump Premiership outfit Manchester City out of the FA Cup in 1993 will always be remembered, but that was 11 years ago and apart from a 25 goal haul for Bolton in 1996/97, he has done very little since.

Earlier this week five-times relegated Blake, who helped City win promotion to Division Two in 1993, admitted "it would be good to play for the club again".

Call Bluebirds.tv cynical but where he talks about ‘the’ club, it is difficult not to replace it with the word ‘any’.

But while the unemployed Welsh international desperately talked-the-talk and improvised an accompanying walk, Lawrence refused to budge.

"Nathan Blake is not on my list. I don't want a club full of players in their 30s."

Just how first teamers Martyn Margetson (32), Gary Crofit (30), Tony Vidmar (34), John Robinson (32), Graham Kavanagh (30), Gareth Whalley (30) and Peter Thorne (30) react to this news remains to be seen.

Premiership Football in Two Seasons

2004-05-19T20:48:00.000Z

When not commenting on the daily goings on at Ninian Park or speculating on / creating idle transfer gossip, Bluebirds.tv spends its time, placard in hand and sandwich board over shoulders, advocating safe and sensible sunbathing now that summer is creeping upon us.

The three rules to live by are simple:

1. Use a high-factor sunblock
2. Always wear a baseball cap (full marks to the jobless pond life that hang around Bluebirds.tv towers and throw stones at the windows - they love number two!)
3. And, if you are out in the garden sunbathing, for goodness sake wrap a towel around your legs.

These suntan-avoiding techniques are faxed almost daily to Lennie’s office but it appears he hasn’t heeded the warnings and has come down with a bout of sunstroke. That is, unless, those cruel ‘Mad Lennie’ jibes have some substance after all.

“We are expected to reach the Premiership within two seasons”, he said, pausing for the nurse to feel his forehead and pop a thermometer in his mouth.

“Nobody, not even Sam, has said that to me but we have to earn promotion to the Premiership or be as close as you can in two seasons.”

"The new stadium will be growing before our eyes in the meantime and that will increase expectation for Cardiff City to take the next step.”

What? Work on the new stadium? Nurse! Come back!

Knock Outs, Knock Backs & Knock Offs

2004-05-18T21:01:00.000Z

While Len Ashurst’s testimonial against Birmingham was nothing to write about, Bluebirds.tv is unduly concerned that, due to an uncontrollable need for liquid refreshment, missed Earnie’s winning goal shortly before half-time.

Forking out a tenner and missing the only goal of a dull and pointless match is neither here nor there to Bluebirds.tv, or that Lennie Lawrence may have cast an eye over veteran Jason Perry as a replacement for Spencer Prior. Bluebirds.tv is a little anxious, however, that it may have missed Robert Earnshaw’s last goal for the club if the Welsh tabloid rumour mill is to be believed.

On what was hopefully a slow news day, one media jockey decided to cause unrest in the Ninian Park bootcamp by regurgitating a week old story:

“Charlton Athletic are missing a prolific marksman - their top scorer in 2003-04 was Jason Euell with 10 - and Earnshaw could fit the bill.” the old hack wrote with the sound of a barrel bottom being scraped echoing in the background.

“And Curbishley fuelled speculation the 23-year-old could be on his way to SE7 by saying he expects to see several new faces at The Valley when his squad reassemble in July”

How can probably the most tenuous of links that could be created, i.e. Charlton expect to buy new players, and the sheer fact that Robert Earnshaw plays football, be described as 'fuelling speculation?'

Bluebirds.tv is more than aware that column inches need to be filled but couldn’t something a little more original be used? There is plenty to be written about the death of Welsh club rugby, especially since the Warriors have now gone to the wall.

Imagine all the valley folk who will readily be vox-popped and proclaim to be ‘devastated’ that another club has tragically died, yet the irony of never setting foot through the Brewery Field or Sardis Road turnstiles in their lives (if recent attendances are anything to go by) will be conveniently ignored?

That would be good for a laugh - expect the 16 page colour pull-out this weekend.

But even if the unthinkable happens: Earnie leaves the club and Bluebirds.tv has to find another player to sponsor and love like its own, contrary to last summer's transfer drought, there appear to be plenty of players literally begging for work at Fortress Ninian.

First up is centre-half Robert Page, current Welsh international and transfer-listed Sheffield United captain:

“If I had the chance I would definitely consider a move - it would be lovely” he said in a tone a little camper than his Rhondda heritage suggests.

"I believe I still have plenty to offer a Division One club".

Bluebirds.tv thinks so too, just not Cardiff.

Next up was Nathan Blake, the prodigal son of Ninian Park. Everyone remembers Blakey for his goal that dumped Premiership side Manchester City out of the FA Cup a decade ago, but the injury-plagued hitman has won an even greater accolade by becoming football’s biggest jinx by suffering five relegations with Sheffield United, Bolton, Blackburn, and this season, Wolves.

When City won promotion to Division One last season, Blake was heavily linked with a return to the club, but opted to try his luck in the Premiership. One goal in 13 appearances later, he was not offered a new contract.

“Of course Cardiff would appeal to me” the out-of-work striker said, “that goes without saying. But we'll wait and see.”

“I just want to play for another couple of seasons and try to win a trophy somewhere. Plus there’s loads of great amusement arcades in the City” he only partly added.

On the way out from the game, Bluebirds.tv witnessed one brazen street trader on Sloper Road flogging bootleg play-off T-shirts. Quite innocuous you may think, apart from they were for City’s 1-0 Millennium Stadium victory against QPR almost a year ago!

Unbelievably, 12 months on, fans can’t part with their hard-earned fast enough for these shoddily-produced keepsakes and as yet another punter crumpled a used fiver into the “street entrepreneur’s” greasy palm, Bluebirds.tv imagined the mobile telephone conversation he was having while accumulating a tidy tax-free sum.

“You were right, Phil (referring to legendary knock-off supplier ‘Phil the Greek’), these mugs will buy any old rubbish!

“Have you still got that other suitcase on the go ‘cos at this rate I’m gonna be empty by Saturday, innit?”

No conversation of this calibre would be complete without throwing in a well-timed “Next year Rodders...”, and with that Bluebirds.tv was ready for another pint.

Bluebirds.tv Transfer Targets

2004-05-16T18:23:00.000Z

With no money to spend and four squad players (Mark Bonner, Jason Bowen and this week Gavin Gordan and Spencer Prior) shown the door, reinforcements are needed fast, and at bargain basement prices!

Bluebirds.tv is all too aware of the difficulties Cardiff City had attracting players to the club last season, so has taken the initiative to present Lennie Lawrence with a list of potential targets, one in each position, who are all available on free transfers.

Goalkeeper: Andy Marriott
Marriott's arrival would please the "Only sign 'em if their Welsh" brigade at Ninian Park. The experienced keeper has clocked up over 300 appearances for Wrexham, Sunderland and Barnsley, and played in the Premiership for Birmingham (once). Would be a useful player in City's quest for European glory as he now possesses continental savvy following a spell with Portuguese outfit Beira Mar.

Alternatives: Perennial bench-warmer Pegguy Arphexad has played just 16 senior games in four seasons and being asked to keep goal rather than sit down and do nothing in exchange for wages may be expecting too much. Fatties such as Roger Freestone and Kevin Pressman are best avoided, while only the desperate would want Gavin Ward to return to Ninian Park 11 years after he departed for Leicester.

Left Back: Danny Tiatto
Too good an opportunity to miss? Tiatto is a defender who can run at players and possesses the silky skills most wingers can only dream of. He also has a tendency to 'get stuck in', an attribute the City faithful regard higher than things like ability and is guaranteed at least one crowd pleasing red card per season. A current Australian international, he would probably link up well with Tony Vidmar who has been a revelation since signing from Middlesbrough last summer.

Alternatives: Forget about world class players such as Bayern Munich’s Bixente Lizarazou, Christian Ziege from Spurs, and Manchester City free-kick specialist Michael Tarnat signing for City. Peter Kennedy, released by Wigan is a more likely option.

Right Back: Curtis Fleming
The former Republic of Ireland international played in almost half of Crystal Palace's league games this season despite being 36 years of age. The full-back enjoyed an illustrious career at Middlesbrough and clocked up nearly 250 appearances in 10 seasons. Calling him ‘experienced’ would be an understatement and if signed on a one-year contract, he would provide valuable cover down the right and thankfully keep Rhys Weston away from first team duties for another season.

Alternatives: Surprisingly there is a shortage of right backs going for a song this summer, so it’s either Fleming or lower leaguers such as George Abbey (Macclesfield) and Danny Boxall (Brizzle Rovers) who should never be allowed to inflict themselves upon City's first team squad.

Centre Back: Dion Dublin
A former City loan target who chose a temporary switch to Millwall over our fair capital, has been given the boot by Aston Villa. Now approaching the ‘veteran’ stage of his career, Dublin is squeezing a few more miles out of the tank by playing in defence. He has scored over 200 goals as a striker for the likes of Manchester United, Coventry City and of course Villa and would therefore also add some much-needed firepower to the squad.

Centre Back: Jason De Vos
The perfect answer to Lennie’s plea for a “big and ugly” centre back. The 6’4” Canadian powerhouse was sent off twice this season and fits the bill as a player able to “knock people about”. De Vos has scored 15 goals in 87 league appearances for Wigan, mainly from set-pieces, something City have failed to capitalize on time and time again in recent years.

Alternatives: Dublin’s defensive partner at Villa, Ronny Johnsen, has also been axed, while Sheffield United’s Welsh international Robert Page and Manchester City’s Gerard Wiekens have been given the chop. Former Derby defender Taribo West , 30 (but reported to be up to 10 years older), has been released by Partizan Belgrade but is more likely to be tempted by the retirement homes at Middlesbrough or Wolves. Norwich, Derby and Leicester seems a solid pedigree until you find out it’s Spencer Prior and Cardiff released him because he was crap and paid loads.

Left Winger: Lionel Morgan
Once courted by Spurs for £750,000 but has seen his chances of a Premiership move wrecked by injury and is a victim of Wimbledon’s cost cutting measures. Undoubtedly talented and looking for a club to take a chance on him, it’s a similar tale to that of ex-Don Gareth Ainsworth. Bluebirds.tv doesn’t need to remind anybody of what a fan favourite he was at Ninian Park during his short stay at the business end of the 2002/03 season.

Alternatives: Former England internationals Jason Wilcox and John Salako have been released by Leeds and Reading but are both at least a decade older than Morgan. Martin Phillips, the winger once predicted many moons ago by prehistoric manager Alan Ball to be the first £10 million English player has been booted out of Plymouth. But at 28 years of age he should be reaching his peak, such that it is.

Right Winger: Darren Anderton
Bluebirds.tv is of the opinion that you need an occasional glamour signing. They give the fans optimism and renewed hope, but more importantly they divert their attention from the fact the club has no money and work still hasn’t begun on the proposed new stadium. At this level of football, signings don’t come much glitzier than Anderton. By his standards he has stayed injury-free this season and clocked up 20 league appearances plus three more in the Cups. The only stumbling block could be his wages and he’d have to take at least a 50% pay-cut on his reported £20,000 per week salary. However, he could be tempted with an appearance-related bonus package. “You see Mr Anderton, it’s like this. We will give you £X bonus and all you need to do to achieve that is play 23 league games…”. As long as the South Wales Echo isn’t available in North London (or he doesn’t share the same agent as Gareth Whalley), this plan may just be crazy enough to work.

Alternatives: Relegated Leicester no longer require the services of Andy Impey, while Terry “I used to play for Manchester United” Cooke has been released by Sheffield Wednesday.

Central Midfielder: Gareth Farrelly
A player who does the rounds in Division One and incredibly turned out for Burnley, Bradford and Wigan this season. Sooner or later Bluebirds.tv predicts he will end up at Ninian Park. As a left footer, he would add balance to central midfield and consign Gareth Whalley to being the reserve team’s highest earner on £6,000 per week. Capped six times by the Republic of Ireland, he would link up well with Graham Kavanagh.

Central Midfielder: Mark Kinsella
A classy Ireland international with over 40 caps to his name, and given the choice of two, a better signing than Farrelly. Bluebirds.tv was disappointed City didn’t sign Kinsella when he was made available by Aston Villa and Midlands neighbours West Brom snapped him up until the end of the season. He made 15 starts for the Baggies, scoring one goal and would add strength and quality to City’s shaky midfield. Again the Irish connection with Graham Kavanagh could only be beneficial. Sign him Lennie!

Alternatives: Many old-timers who fall into the ‘used to be good’ category have been handed their P45s this summer. Leeds hardman David Batty, ex-Chelsea and Spurs goalscorer Gustavo Poyet, Sheffield Wednesday’s Robbie Mustoe and Walsall deserter Vinny Samways are all available. Ex-City target Paul McLaren has been turfed out at Sheffield Wednesday while Richard Langley’s old midfield partner at QPR, Stuart Wardley, has been released by Rushden & Diamonds.

Striker: Paul Heffernan
Future Republic of Ireland star Heffernan enjoyed his best season yet, firing in 21 goals for relegated Notts County. Not relishing the prospect of dungeon football, he is not renewing his contract but at just 22-years-old, a transfer-scuppering compensation payment will be required.

Striker: Delroy Facey
The former Huddersfield wonderkid didn’t get much of a look-in at either Bolton or West Brom, but scoring five goals in 12 starts on loan for struggling Burnley proves he can cut it at first division level. With Gavin Gordon shown the door and young Stuart Fleetwood not ready for a run in the side there is a requirement for a new striker and Bluebirds.tv thinks City could do a lot worse than Facey.

Alternatives: Welshman and one-time City target Iwan Roberts, who made an International career for himself by coming on for the last five minutes of each game has been released by Norwich after seven years service. Andy Liddell, another player released by Wigan is a viable target. Georgi Hristov didn’t find the womenfolk in Barnsley up to much so Bluebirds.tv dreads to think what he’ll make of the munters who frequent St. Mary’s Street each weekend. Only a crazy person would bank on a return to Ninian Park for either Kevin Nugent or Paul Brayson, released by their respective clubs, Swansea and Cheltenham.

Penalty King to Arrive at Ninian Park?

2004-05-16T14:31:00.000Z

Speculation is rife that Darren Carter, made famous by scoring THE penalty that sent Birmingham into the Premiership a couple of years ago is wanted at Ninian Park.

In return for bringing top flight and a realistic chance of European football to the city and luring class players like Christophe Dugarry and Matthew Upson to St. Andrews, as well as prologing Jamie Clapham's Premiership career, young Carter has barely kicked a ball for the club since and is keen on a season-long loan move.

"I would definitely be up for a loan move to Cardiff" pleaded Carter before referring to his copy of Stock Responses to Talk Up Prospective Employers:

"Big club...." blah blah blah.... "sure they will be challenging for promotion next season..." heard it all before... "great fan-base..." but of course... and end with the standard line of "always hearing good things about a club which has Premiership ambitions...".

"Plus, I scored a penalty once" he may or may not have added.

Andy Campbell, who could be concerned for his position as City's one-trick pony, was unavailable for comment.

Bluebirds.tv in Major Transfer Coup!

2004-05-13T18:31:00.000Z

Bluebirds.tv was cordially invited to last night's sponsors bash and while not particularly interested in watching a sullen-faced Gareth Whalley posing for photographs with Gromitt & Sons Ltd, attending the draw for 2004-05 player sponsorship was top of the evening's priorities.

To prevent certain companies from monopolising the best players by continuing their sponsorship year-in-year-out and leaving the rest to scrap over reserves and youngsters, some clever dick in Marketing decided an exciting 'FA Cup Third Round' style draw was the way forward, with players names and prospective sponsors being drawn together at random.

With an away kit sponsorship for any of the 25 first-team squad on the horizon, Bluebirds.tv felt like a damp-knickered teenager at a Westlife concert as the names were drawn out of the hat.

"Chris Barker", "Arran Lee Barrett", the rollcall began. Phew, at least we didn't get lumbered with the third choice keeper. "Peter Thorne"... shit! Bluebirds.tv grimaced as it saw the 25/1 shot that was sponsoring Thorney go down the pan.

And so the draw went on. Classy first team players that Bluebirds.tv would quite happily be associated with were read out much to the delight of other sponsors: "Richard Langley", "Tony Vidmar", "Danny Gabbidon".

Then IT happened. 'Robert Earnshaw'.

Fuelled by alcohol and the smugness that goes with the knowledge that other sponsors have played this game for years and have never pulled off a coup this large, Bluebirds.tv let out a huge cheer that caught the room's full attention.

After the draw was completed, old man Lennie (Lawrence) commented on how happy certain sponsors were with their respective players, but added fuel to the raging inferno that is Eanshaw's Ninian Park future by hinting that certain players may be plying their considerably talented trade elsewhere before kick off in August.

"But we'll be signing a third string keeper so you'll be alright" he joked, momentarily glancing up from his bumper book of well spun yarns to look in Bluebirds.tv's direction.

While Arran Lee Barrett made that all important phone call to his agent, Bluebirds.tv took another gulp of watery-tasting Fosters and asked outrightly: "Dropping any hints there Lennie?"

"No, no", was the nervous reply that came out of his mouth faster than Leslie Grantham can log into a webcam-enabled chatroom, so Bluebirds.tv (and in all likelihood Cardiff City) is still none the wiser on the little fella's future.

But now is not the time to worry about such matters. Bluebirds.tv has made THE corporate signing of the summer. Bar none. Well, maybe apart from Thorney.

So here we are. A new website. Robert Earnshaw and another season of (the Football League's) top flight football. Roll on August....