Season Preview: The Championship

Cardiff City

Cardiff

The Background

Relegation from the Premier League was painful for Cardiff fans to watch, especially after starting so probingly. Results against Manchester City and Manchester United signalled The Bluebirds’ initial intent but the difficulties behind the scenes were all too much in the end. Malky Mackay’s dismissal caused controversy as did owner Vincent Tan in a season where matters off the field overshadowed the matters on the field. The initial positives to take were Jordan Mutch and his rich goalscoring form, Frazier Campbell’s sharpness, Steven Caulker’s solidarity at the back and goalkeeper David Marshall’s excellent season. However with Caulker leaving for QPR, a move to Leicester looking imminent for Campbell and Mutch and Marshall being linked elsewhere, City could find themselves left light going into August 9th. Although Cardiff lost 22 games, there were seven wins and nine draws for the fans to enjoy in their first season in the Premier League as well as a win over fierce rivals Swansea.

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The Transfers

Striker Adam Le Fondre joined the Welsh club from Reading for an undisclosed fee to add attacking options as well as Kagisho Dikgacoi from Premier League Crystal Palace. Javi Guera joined up with the club from Spanish Real Valladolid who can offer options to the squad. A key capture was Italian striker Federico Macheda from Manchester United. His signature could prove to be absolutely vital in the season up ahead for the club as his goals and partnership with other signing Adam Le Fondre will be key for a chance at a return to the Premier League again.

The Star Man

Adam Le Fondre. The Welsh club have managed to get rid of many players recently but in terms of signings, Le Fondre’s proven goalscoring record should be very helpful for Cardiff. With the striker proving to be a success at Reading, his goals and potential partnership with Macheda will be interesting to see whether it propels them back into the top flight.

Adam Le Fondre

The Gaffer Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s first campaign in charge of Cardiff was controversial after the dismissal of Malky Mackay and since taking over at the helm he could not prevent relegation for the club. After being given sufficient funds to bring in a wealth of new players, by all rights he should have assembled a side in contention for promotion. Although Solksjaer is methodical in his approach, blasted by the fans and holding a distant relationship with the media, the man who should be there in that managerial spot isn’t and that is a barrier Cardiff fans face when trying to hold a relationship with their manager. With the club having its badge, kit and most recently Mackay taken, it’s hard to like Vincent Tan. So why should the fans like Mackay’s replacement?

Tan threw more than a spanner in the works with the sacking of Mackay, he threw a knife through the heart of the club and its important that Solskjaer gets that heart beating quickly this season. His signings show that there’s a pulse there anyway.

The Verdict? 4th.

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