Tuesday October 14th 2014 CCFC Update

http://www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=149318

Early September Ole Gunnar Solskjaer moved into a new home in the Vale of Glamorgan, previously he had been staying in an apartment at the Vale resort. Ole’s children had started in a new school in September and one of his son’s were in our academy.

Up to Friday September 12th Ole was going about his job as normal, he was respected hugely by the academy staff and loved by the kids, Solskjaer would spend hours down the training ground with the academy staff and youngsters, taking his time to speak with them.

A few academy coaches have said that Ole was a total opposite to Malky as far as the acdemy was concerned, Malky didn’t show anywhere near the level of interest hardly for those involved from the kids to the coaches but Ole would make it his business to get to know those involved, some of the coaches genuinely believed Ole would turn the results around and be successful.

On Thursday September 18th the acdemy coaches had a massive shock, they were called in and told to go straight down the Vale and take the training of the senior squad, these coaches had been training the academy kids up to this point and never dealt with multi million pound players before.

It was explained today that when they entered the training ground dressing room they were confronted with a squad who were “dejected, shocked and glum”, the players were as shocked as the coaches by what was happening.

These 5 academy coaches had the job of lifting moral, motivating the players after Ole was given his orders.

The club wasn’t prepared for the wipe out of a manager and 7 other coaches at first team level, the academy coaches who were the ‘experienced’ ones were rapidly moved into coaching the first team who had no experience at this level and the junior coaching members of the academy took over the coaching of the academy kids.

With Scott Young and Danny Gabbidon leadng the way, the coaches had to turn the chaos on its head and lift the players through a turbulent time.

A few will question did Ole walk or was he sacked? Ole had just bedded his family in to a new life and right up to the Norwich and Middlesbrough games there was no inkling of his impending departure.

Vincent Tan received reports on the players fitness levels and as a result I understand it was Tan who instructed that the players receive more training to improve their fitness so that’s where the double training sessions came from.

Tan now believes that having seen two managers before Ole leave and their coaches leave as a result, Tan is insistent that the club choose the coaches and not the manager so that if the manager does leave for whatever reason then the coaches remain as they are chosen by the club’s hierarchy and not the manager. Maybe 4 years too late but better late than never I believe.

Kevin Nugent has been offered a contract to become an assistant manager to Russell Slade but Nugent is not interested in signing on the terms offered.

Tony Pulis ‘agent on two occasions made contact with the club but had Pulis had no interview, apparently Pulis was very disappointed at not having the opportunity to speak to the club.

Neil Lennon was another whose agent expressed an interest in the then vacant managers position but we didn’t give him the benefit of an interview either. Vincent Tan already had his target in mind and the names that come forward didn’t matter, it was Russell Slade and no-one else for Tan.

We weren’t the only club who declined Lennon, Southampton, Crystal Palace, Leeds and Norwich were other clubs who Lennon’s agent contacted after he left Celtic.

Due to current success of the Welsh games being played at the CCS, the FAW are in talks with Cardiff City officials on a deal to play future matches at our stadium.