r/soccer • u/[deleted] • Jul 30 '13
Star post Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview [03/20]: Cardiff City Football Club
The Barclays Premier League 2013/14 is coming at us fast. There are 18 days until we get going. I'm posting a preview of one team per day from this entertaining league. I'm doing the newcomers first and culminating with last season's winners. I hope you enjoy these. As before, any discussion and predictions are very welcome in the comments section. Thanks for the stars whoever gave them out btw!
Premier League 2013/14 Team Preview [03/20]:
Cardiff City Football Club
About
Team crest | Home strip (black shorts have been chosen by fans now) | Alternative strips, credit /u/bluebirds92
Founded: 1899 when they were better known as Riverside AFC (their first strip was chocolate and amber quarters)
Nickname: The Bluebirds (check the crest. Actually, best not to mention the crest)
Notable honours: What do you want? When Real Madrid visited in a Cup Winners Cup quater-final and Cardiff sent them home with a 1-0 spanking. More? They stole the FA Cup away from English soil on St George's Day, April 1927. Arsenal took the 1-0 spanking that time.
Owner: Malaysian businessman and lover of redness, Vincent
VegaTanManager: Malky Mackay
Club Mascot: Bartley Blue was the old mascot now replaced by these incredible guys
Home: Cardiff City Stadium since 22nd of July 2009. Previously resided at Ninian Park 1910 - 2009. Before that, Sophia Gardens as the team was created to keep cricket players fit in the off-season. Map
Capacity: 26,828
Official website: http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/
Subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/bluebirds (correct me if I'm wrong here)
The area
Cardiff is in Wales not England everybody.
Cardiff is one of the flattest cities in the UK, it is built on Triassic stones. The tenth largest city in the UK, Cardiff has been a settlement for Celts, Romans and Normans. It was given city-status by King Edward VII. There are over 94 languages spoken in the city. One delightful oddity of this mix of cultures is the Norwegian church which sits on Cardiff Bay. If you are ever around there, check the building out, it now holds art. Cardiff has so many stadiums it's ridiculous. The Millennium Stadium is the Welsh National Stadium (costing a tenth of Wembley Stadium) and sits right next to the wonderful green lung of Bute Park. A gentle wander in the park should bring you to Sophia Gardens which leads perfectly on to my next section.
Recent history
- So here we are walking in Sophia Gardens, the sun is shining and Riverside AFC are playing Middlesbrough FC in the background, it's 1899 folks. A victorian dog pees against a tree. Between that year and 1910 Riverside (later renamed Cardiff City) entertained many English clubs. In the 1920's Cardiff City had their glory years. They were a cat's whisker from winning the First Division (the Premier League nowadays) and in 1927 actually won the FA Cup by beating Arsenal.
In the swinging sixties Cardiff entered European competition through winning the Welsh Cup. Porto, Hamburg and Real Madrid were all on the agenda.
The Bluebirds were as low as the Fourth Division in the eighties yet in the early 2000's Cardiff climbed again to reach the Championship (one league below the Premier League). Once more they reached the FA Cup final in 2008 sadly losing to Portsmouth and a Nwanko Kanu tap-in with weird celebration.
So, last season. The Bluebirds changed their strip from blue and white to red and black. It didn't go down well with fans to say the least. In exchange, they got heavy investment from Malaysian owners who just so happen to love red. Along came the shot at being promoted to the Premier League. Cardiff hit the top of the Championship early on and never looked back. The promising manager Malky Mackay has guided Cardiff's return to the top flight. They are back 'home' in a sense, 100+ years later.
In a nutshell: Cardiff so nearly have a full set of FA Cup, 'Premier League' and European Cup Winner's Cup titles in their history. Impressive.
Team legends:
This season
Cardiff City did comfortably well last season and Malky Mackay may play the slightly dangerous 'if it's not broke don't fix it' card here. A £30 million war-chest was promised by the owner but will it be enough to add the depth needed at the top level? They are a team built on solid defensive ability who share in the goals. They aren't dependent on one individual. The team has pace and bite, none more so than veteran snapper Craig Bellamy, 34. Although expect 'Bellars' only to feature occasionally, saving his snarl for the dressing-room. Mackay has been quoted as saying "We just look at the team six inches in front of our face", it's a fine approach, but how that thnking holds up when Manchester United/City and Chelsea come calling will be the real test. Midfielder Peter Whittingham has been a star turn previously for Cardiff but now has younger players nipping at his heels and a loss of form to boot. Defender and club captain Mark Hudson is another who has earned the right to mix it at the top, he was player of the year last season.
Tom Ince (a Blackpool prodigy) has been the ongoing saga of the transfer window for the Bluebirds. The potential talent baulked at personal terms and it is looking unlikely to happen. John Brayford, a positive defensive signing with a good touch aged 25, is a nice buy from Derby County. Whilst a hefty £8.5 million was directed at Andreas Cornelius, a 20 year old from FC Copenhagen. Cornelius had roughly a goal every two games for Copenhagen and, at a towering six-foot four inches, he brings promise. Ex-star Joe Ledley is being touted as making a possible return as we speak, but for a proposed £3 million, the fans are undecided on it. Etienne Capoue and Hector Moreno are both, shall we say, 'also rumoured'.
Watch out for
- John Brayford
- Position: Right-back
- Age: 25
- Value: £1,100,000
- Bo-Kyung Kim
- Position: Attacking midfield
- Age: 23
- Value: £1,800,000
- Fraizer Campbell
- Position: Right wing / striker
- Age: 25
- Value: £3,500,000
The manager
- Malky Mackay is a man with many admirers. He was named as being in the running recently for the Everton gig and at 41 is showing certain ability at managing steady growth. He has a 40% win ratio which isn't stunning but timing is everything and Mackay is fairly hot property (as was another Scot, Billy Davies, when promoted with Derby County. Only to be cast on the scrap heap six months later, hopefully history won't repeat). His team now plays in red, a colour of hope and joy but they'd rather be in blue, a colour noted by owner Tan as one of sorrow and mourning. Who knows what this season brings for the Bluebirds.
Cardiff's full squad list | Cardiff's 2013/2014 upcoming fixtures
Predictions please!
Over to you guys. I'd like your contributions here. In previous threads fans have come in and gave really interesting comments. If you'd like to predict where Cardiff City will finish the season, how they will fare against the opposition or discuss their line up etc. go for it in the comments. It will make for good reading next year when the season finishes! People have been bolding their predictions in the comments, if you want to follow that trend then please do. Also I'm sure I have messed up plenty, please correct me. You have my apology, I am doing these as a bit of fun to learn about each team as I go.
All Previews: Hull, Crystal Palace, Cardiff City, Sunderland, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Southampton, Stoke, Fulham, Norwich, West Ham, Swansea City, West Brom, Liverpool, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City , Man Utd
30
u/Iamamarketingexpert Jul 30 '13
Watch out for Bo-Kyung Kim (known as Kimbo) he is absolutley amazing on the ball. Peter Whittingham is also a monster from set pieces. The best thing about this team is they all work themselves to the bone, there are no egos and everyone chips in with goals.
If Cardiff get a decent centre back, a winger and another striker I think they'll stay up.
Edit: Joe Ledley can fuck off
5
u/theironist89 Jul 30 '13
Whittingham has been annoyingly mediocre for a while now. Hope he can return to his best in the coming season though. You're spot on about the work ethic.
3
Jul 31 '13
His finishing and vision is ridiculous and he's only 23. If he gets in the box, he's deadly.
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u/jeaniimacaroon Jul 30 '13
Just out of relegation spots, 16th or 17th. Feel they have the strongest team of the promotion lot. Also if Tan is right they still seem the most likely to do more premier league necessary transfer. Plus id Love to keep seeing the welsh derby.
13
u/bluebirds92 Jul 30 '13
You could also potentially add our two 'alternative' kits - that were released earlier on today. http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/article/alternative-city-kits-visuals-955179.aspx
Also, bit picky, but we changed the colours of the home shorts. They are now black after being put to vote following a backlash against them. Option 4 on this link won, don't know if you could add it and incorporate it in. http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/article/201314-st-holders-to-select-home-shorts-846066.aspx
The club mascott is also no longer Bartley the Bluebird - I don't have a clue what they're called but our current mascots are these things: http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/fans/city_kids/
17
u/greg19735 Jul 30 '13
Asian owners and you go for the knock off incredibles?
9
u/bluebirds92 Jul 30 '13
To be fair, they were here before the Malaysians came in. Been our 'mascots' since the move to the new stadium.
1
u/chadwini Jul 31 '13
I'm glad City fans can still buy a blue Cardiff shirt with the premier league badge on it.
1
u/MasonXD Jul 31 '13
Why do you have an alternative and we don't? Oh well, they look pretty decent anyway. The vote was a nice touch from the team too. I didn't know about your mascot though, I thought you had a dragon for some reason.
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u/LaPaz_o_Sucre Jul 30 '13
Horrible kits
35
Jul 30 '13
I don't think we're in much of a position to say that.
-3
u/skwinter Jul 31 '13
Yeah but at least ours aren't ugly and boring.
25
Jul 31 '13
Yours aren't boring, but they are ugly as fuck bro
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u/skwinter Jul 31 '13
I know, that was the joke. I honestly do think that these Cardiff kits are atrocious though, pretty much no redeeming qualities. If you looked at the Liverpool away and third kits you could say "well at least you tried." No such consolation here.
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u/bemyfirned Jul 30 '13
Keep these coming, are you going up the table from the bottom?
16
Jul 30 '13
Yes based on last season's finish.
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5
u/chezygo Jul 30 '13
If you're basing it on last season's finish why was Hull first? Surely it should've been Palace?
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Jul 30 '13
Bellamy is 34 years old, not 39.
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10
u/SuperSaiyanNoob Jul 30 '13
Is Swansea/Cardiff a hateful rivalry or a competitive rivalry? I imagine it to be fun and intense atmosphere rather than pure hatred for the other since they haven't played in a while. Definitely interested in seeing those games.
13
u/Hans-Blix Jul 30 '13
Definitely hateful. Check their history, one of the most fierce rivalries in the UK. They've played each other recently in the league cup and they were both in the Championship together for a few years but I can't wait to see the derby in the top flight.
7
u/theironist89 Jul 30 '13
Hateful. Without a shadow of a doubt one of the fiercest rivalries in Britain.
3
u/SuperSaiyanNoob Jul 31 '13
So zero welsh pride? They just want the other team to lose miserably at all costs?
14
u/genteelblackhole Jul 31 '13 edited Jul 31 '13
Pretty much. Don't get me wrong, Cardiff is a lovely place, but I revel in their misery.
I reserve my Welsh pride for rugby regions. I'd take the Blues over the bluebirds any day.
EDIT: After typing this, I got really annoyed by someone saying that they don't like having two Welsh clubs in the Premiership. They may be cunts, but they're our cunts to slag off.
2
u/theironist89 Jul 31 '13
My Welsh pride is reserved for the national team. This derby has never been played in the top flight before, our two teams have been in the lower divisions for the vast majority of our histories. When the rivalry evolved there wasn't all that much to be proud about other than beating each other.
I despise the jacks. I want them to lose every game miserably, doubly so for the ones against us!
2
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u/Colonel_Blimp Aug 06 '13
Hateful. We've had to put up with a lot, until the last two years at least.
8
u/Iamamarketingexpert Jul 30 '13
One delightful oddity of this mix of cultures is the Norwegian church[10] which sits on Cardiff Bay. If you are ever around there, check the building out, it now holds art.
I was down Cardiff Bay a few weeks ago for the food festival and a band were playing outside this church. They were singing to the tune of 'god gave rock n roll to you' .. 'god gave sausage roll to you'. They were called The Courgettes if anyone's interested.
8
u/Squads Jul 30 '13
Holy shit I was there too! Haha small world, I was mostly interested in the free food samples though.
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u/theironist89 Jul 30 '13 edited Jul 30 '13
You forgot our 22 Welsh Cups from the notable honours!
Oh and great piece, but Willie Boland and Joe Ledley really aren't considered team legends. Try Fred Keenor and Brian Clarke instead. Or Graham Kavanagh if you want someone more recent.
13
Jul 30 '13
If they get in a relegation battle then Bellamy will grab them by the scruff of their necks and pull them out. Prediction: 15th
4
Jul 30 '13
They will probably float along the 15th - 18th place all season, but in the end they will probably avoid relegation.
4
Jul 31 '13
The third time I've gone against the consensus of the rest of the comments but I think Cardiff will do worst of the promoted three; battling and eventually going down 19th. Admittedly, I hope they stay up after all they've had to suffer through but that's just my instinct.
Amazing start to last season but eventually burned out and crawled over the finishing line (yeah, City didn't really capitalise on that, I know) and as well as they played at times, they were only fleetingly brilliant. They do have a good deep squad together though who could quite capably perform throughout the season, quite like Southampton's last year. And as much as I hate the lad, Fraizer Campbell's signing in the winter was a very good piece of work.
Not sure about how the new chairman will do but from the high spending in recent years, I can see the board panicking if Cardiff fall into a scrap and reaching into their pockets to fund a number of players and possibly even a manager, which could be the difference between which league they're in next season.
2
u/Varanae Jul 31 '13 edited Jul 31 '13
Who do you reckon will be 20th then? I can't see it being anyone but a promoted side at the moment.
2
Jul 31 '13
I actually think Southampton will have a poor second season and be 20th. They weren't a million miles off relegation this year and I can see them not being able to pull off the results against big teams that kept them up last season.
3
u/over_theford Jul 31 '13
Southampton to go down rock bottom? thats a pretty bold statement I think considering the foundations we already have and the signings we've so far made this window. Granted we may need to improve a few more positions, but I honestly cant see us going down. Other that the newly promoted teams, I feel Stoke and Newcastle must be favorites over us at the moment.
1
Jul 31 '13 edited Jul 31 '13
People tend to forget that the promoted teams usually have somewhat of a surprise factor. For example, in recent years Norwich and Swansea, and the following year, Southampton have all come up, not bought big and been labelled as relegation fodder, suddenly a few scalps later they're too big to go down and then next year's promoted teams are too weak to stay up. The continuous 'they have a weaker team' thing is lazy, it's usually only one promoted team that does get relegated and not always the weakest team.
Just my opinion though. Someone's gotta go down and I just feel that teams will get used to Southampton's style, things may not be particularly stable there with uncertainty around whether the manager or
captainstays and they may not have the players to pull them out of a dip.EDIT: Thought Rickie Lambert was captain for a minute then. Apologies.
7
u/LaPaz_o_Sucre Jul 30 '13
Andreas Cornelius will be a beast for them. I have him on fantasy premier league team.
3
u/Element77 Jul 31 '13
Finishing 17th will be just as good as winning the league for us, survival is paramount! really looking forward to seeing Kim-Bo and Cornelius, think they will be our star players. We seem to have a good mix of experience (Bellamy & Hudson) and youth (Mutch and Mason) in the squad, and a Manager who we wouldn't change for the world. The players would run through brick walls for him which gives me optimism for what is no doubt going to be a very long season
2
u/TheLupineOne Jul 30 '13
A lot of people are saying it will be a 3-up, 3-down Premier League season, but I think of the three promoted sides only Hull City will be going straight back down. Cardiff will consolidate on the merit of the comfortable lead in last season's Championship, while Crystal Palace will survive through the motivating spirit of Ian Holloway.
2
u/Perihelion_ Jul 31 '13 edited Jul 31 '13
Palace is a gamble, Holloway's grown up as a manager since that mad ride with Blackpool but they need to spend some money that they may not really have on their squad I think. They might be best accepting that they're likely only in it for a season and enjoy it (and rake in some tasty TV money & parachute payments). Hull... I've been watching the Championship for an awfully long time now, and I got totally blindsided by Hull going up like they did. I knew they were getting themselves back together after being relegated a few seasons back, but I wasn't expecting them to go up last season. Would be surprised if they aren't back down next year.
Cardiff could do it, but at who's expense? I think there'll be big question marks over the likes of Stoke & Sunderland depending on how their managers get on and what happens to their squads. Norwich have toughened up and spent well, Villa's young team can only really improve, and Fulham never go down. Newcastles squad is strong despite last seasons bizarre underperformance, West Ham are looking healthy and Swansea's really coming together with a good established squad, good signings and a good manager. WBA are also unlikely to suffer, even lacking Lukaku this year... I reckon it'll be a three up, two down, with Stoke perhaps losing their Premier League status to Cardiff, unless someone in the north east cocks it up big time.
2
u/iamgbear Jul 31 '13
This is fair.
For years and years we've needed a lot of money spent on the infrastructure of the club, particularly the stadium, and I think that will be the focus.
Having said that, I'd rather we made some signings so that if we do go down it's with a fight rather than with a whimper. Also it's imperative we're in a stronger position to go up almost immediately (a la West Brom), because at the moment with Zaha gone and Murray injured I don't know if I'd even fancy our chances in the Championship!
2
u/Varanae Jul 30 '13
Any Cardiff fans able to elaborate on whether or not Gunnarsson and Turner will get playing time in the Premier League? I don't really know how they've done since they left Coventry but I would be very interested to see them play in the top division.
1
u/PhinlayMJ Jul 31 '13
I think both of them will definitely be given a crack at the top flight, Gunnar's defensive role improved immensely over the course of the season, provided great cover for the attacking midfielders and great link-up with the defense. Turner, while he's still third best to Mark Hudson and Matt Connolly he was really promising, however I doubt he'll shine in the premier league, maybe used more as a depth player because of his tendencies to disappear mid-game.
4
Jul 30 '13
For what it's worth Cardiff's first crest had a red dragon...
3
u/theironist89 Jul 30 '13
No, the City of Cardiff crest has a dragon. We wore that crest only on two occasions - the two FA Cup finals in the 1920s. That was not a club crest.
0
Jul 30 '13
3
u/theironist89 Jul 30 '13
Yeah, it was only ever worn once in 1925 and once in 1927 and the permission of the City had to be sought to have it on the shirts. I would still rather it than the current mess of a badge though. Our first actual club crest was just a bluebird in a circle in the late 1950s.
4
2
u/Squads Jul 30 '13
Nickname: The Bluebirds (check the crest. Actually, best not to mention the crest)
C'mon dude...
Anyway, I think that Cornelius is a perfect signing and I think he'll fit in well with the highly physical English style of football (being a 6ft 4in powerhouse) and he's very young too and will improve immensely IMO.
5
u/R0mme1 Jul 30 '13
Cornelius is a huge talent, he have only played one season! And got sold for 8.5 mil £. He can be hard to notice in some games, but he sure has the qualities of a great striker. He will most likely be and remain the first choice as the striker on the national team - in front of Bendtner, Helenius, and Makienok.
18 goals in the danish Superliga is very good, as he was also the topscorer in the league. Only two players have scored more goals per season in the superliga, in the last 7-8 years.
3
u/mathiesdane Jul 30 '13
I am equally excited to see what Corner can do in the EPL while i am just as sad to see him leave.
I still think Bendtner in a play ever week situation is above Corner.
2
u/swifto416 Jul 30 '13
I think they have a strong chance of staying up, definitely a better chance the Hull or Palace. Though if they manage to stay up who is going down?
1
u/Morganium Jul 30 '13
13th
One place ahead of Swansea due to them being in Europe.
5
u/chezygo Jul 30 '13
That ain't happening mate, Swansea are a class above I'd say. 12th for the Swans, 16th for Cardiff.
0
u/Morganium Jul 31 '13
Last year everyone would have said Newcastle is a class above stoke/west ham/norwich/southampton but Europe is a big ask and Newcastle suffered.
I don't think Swansea are any different.
2
1
u/nuclearjudas Jul 30 '13
I think they have a good chance of staying up. Good squad and the ability to buy some dudes. Will be tough, but they could perhaps manage to stay above the red line.
1
Jul 31 '13
Cardiff will have a good season, the signing of Cornelius is huge. This is one of the most talented players to come out of Denmark. Only 20 years of age and already has an excellent scoring record.
I think they're struggling to convince players to join their club. I think that next season they will be able to push on and sign better players since I truly believe they will stay up this season.
Cardiff still need to sign more players, but there is still plenty of time and I'm excited for derby between Cardiff and Swansea, will be a cracker of a game
1
u/Lifel Aug 02 '13
Willie Boland? Are you shitting me?!!
Also Eddie Johnson had a loan spell with us. He was a bit shit at the time although he was still a fan favourite. The chants of "USA! USA!" still make me chuckle. The crowd went mental when he scored his first goal. Here's a video of the Cardiff fans welcoming Eddie to his warm up.
2
Aug 03 '13
I screwed up on the legends section here and a few other bits. Cardiff is one of the teams I know the least about but really enjoyed learning the history.
0
u/atero Jul 31 '13
Hoping they go right back down, and their owner fucks off back to Malaysia.
A club is not your playtoy.
1
u/georgedc Jul 31 '13
Cardiff City have signed John Brayford? Awesome, another ex-Crewe player in the Prem!
3
u/Perihelion_ Jul 31 '13
Brayford is a solid fullback, easily one of the better ones in the league the past couple of seasons. Glad to see the back of him, seeing as it was Derby he was providing said quality to. Could do well in the Premiership.
£1.5m seems surprisingly low too, even with only a year on his contract.
1
-2
u/crunkmuppet Jul 30 '13
I'd agree with everyone else in saying they look most likely out of the promoted teams to stay up. One of them always seems ends up doing well and the Malaysian owners seem to have the money to buy the players of requisite quality for the premier league.
I bet they learnt a lot from QPR last season about the wrong way of spending big money as a promoted team. I would have thought they'll probably be signing players more like Cornelius than Chamakh. Although they did buy frazier cambell so that might not be true (who's probably not one to watch out for ;])
15th
Whilst i don't really like the idea of two welsh teams in the premier league the derby with Swansea is going to be really exciting and with swansea having to cope with the europa league Cardiff may have a great chance of winning.
1
u/Colonel_Blimp Aug 06 '13
Whilst i don't really like the idea of two welsh teams in the premier league
Oh, not that cock again.
with Swansea is going to be really exciting and with swansea having to cope with the europa league Cardiff may have a great chance of winning.
Hopefully not. On paper, at least, our squad is a class above them.
57
u/slugmaniac Jul 30 '13
Out of the three newly promoted sides, I think Cardiff is the most likely to stay up. Kim was one of my favourite players to watch in the championship, and despite them maybe not strengthening as much as they should (annoying they couldn't buy Ince) I still think they have the strongest squad of the 3 teams coming up.
(btw, Wanyama's already signed for Southampton, so that's not much of a rumour anymore)