Enough Is Enough

” Enough is Enough ”

By Gary Field

http://www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=177923

At the completion of the game this afternoon, just under 25% of the way into the season, we find ourselves with 8pts and in 23rd place in the table. This equals our worst ever start to a Championship season since our return to this level in season 2003-04. In season 2004-05 after 11 games we also had 8 points and again we were in 23rd position in the table, we eventually finished 54 points and in 16th position.

In 2004-05 the club sold it’s top goalscorer, Earnshaw, after just 4 league games into the season. Later that season when the money ran out the club sold Kavanagh just before the Football League closed it’s transfer window in March, only to be followed by a massive clearout in the summer which saw players like Gabbidon, Collins, Thorne, McAnuff, Langley,Page, Robinson,Vidmar, Bullock and Croft depart.

During the summer Lennie Lawrence was “Moved Upstairs” to a “Consultant” position and Dave Jones was appointed Manager. Selling top players, replacing managers and moving managers upstairs sounds so familiar but the biggest difference, in my opinion, is then we had a new experienced manager, Dave Jones, and now ? You tell me. Despite DJ hardly having a squad worthy of the name and after signing 10 players, 3 on loan, we started the season reasonably well, after 11 games we had 15 points, 11th place in the league and, including cup matches DJ had a win % of 50% over those games. Currently PT has won just 16% which at any level is absolutely unacceptable.

Comparing that to the situation this season and, in particular the manager position, back in 2005 we had DJ a very experienced manager at this level and, in my opinion is a massive difference, DJ is a stubourn man who knows exactly the type of player that is required to compete at this level and, whilst, back then, we didn’t set the world alight we did compete, indeed at one stage we even reached 5th position and, for 3 months occupied 7th or 8th position. Anyone think DJ would accept any transfer committee telling him what players were being signed. Hmmmmm.

This season we have an inexperienced manager in PT and, with that inexperience comes huge question marks over his knowledge of how get a squad and the tactics to compete at this level, and togther with having one hand tied behind his back by the “Transfer Committee” deciding the comings and goings, in my opinion, it’s a recipe for disaster. Add to that the fact that this season there is no loan transfer window then any mistakes made during the summer stick with the squad until January.

The result of ALL of this was completely foreseeable and with just 8 points, 23rd position in the league, no Cardiff player having scored in the first 5 home League matches and a manager with a win % of just 16%. The lowest of any manager in the History of Cardiff City Football Club as a Football League Club, the consequences speak for themselves.

To put our current position into prespective over the last 10 season of the 30 teams ultimately relegated at the end of the season 83% of them had 8 points or more after 11 matches, this means that the desperate start to our season has left us squarely in the position which will probably see us ultimately relegated. Unless something changes.

Enough is enough and PT must be replaced without delay and the club must get an experienced manager at this level, our survival at this level is at stake. Warnock, Jones, Lambert, Davies ALL are currently out of work.

I have no doubt PT will be replaced but, given the quality of the “Executive” decisions taken over the last few years I’d put my money on Rowberry or Scott Young. God help us.