RUSSELL SLADE ON THE VERGE? ? ?
‘ RUSSELL SLADE ON THE VERGE? ? ? ‘
By Carl Curtis
Before yesterday’s away win over Huddersfield I was told, on more than one occasion and by different people, that Russell Slade has become so disillusioned with what is going on that club that he would not stay on at the end of season if he was asked.
After being told that he would be able to buy a couple of players in this window but was hit with a transfer embargo to stop him, also told that he would not have to sell any of more his players.
Twice in a number of weeks Slade has told the press that certain things would happen, like Tony Watt would be signing and he wouldn’t be selling any of his first team players, but he has had the rug pulled from under him and has been made to look foolish when neither of his public statements coming off.
Slade knew that the club had to make cuts to its wage bill but he has done so but the heirarchy told him that enough had been done and he could build his squad in this window, that must be extremely frustrating for a manager at any club when it fails to materialise.
I have also been told that if, and it is not totally out of the question, Slade walked away right now then City would struggle with FFP constraints to bring a new manager in on higher wages than Slade, that is how tight our finances we actually are to falling foul of the rules and Slade is a very cheap option to many other managers.
As well as the frustrations he faces from within, the manager has to put up with pelters from fans who are not happy with his performance, despite the fact we are doing better than most thought we would and we are close to the play offs. It is not just at matches does he face criticism either, he even has to put up with abuse when he is out and about in Cardiff.
I believe that Russell Slade could, and probably would, manage another Championship club if he left Cardiff City right now, his cv will be enhanced with what he has done at our club when the whole of the league is aware of the constricts he is working under.
It would be ironic if Slade did decide to walk away and our season petered out. So many want him gone, from fans to people in the club but with everything that is going on and the issues we have at present, Russell Slade could just be the biggest loss of them all at this current time.