http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/under-fire-cardiff-city-boss-10741895 It's Wales Online so make of it as you like.
Speak as you feel is always best. Despite yesterday, there you go Russ - back to your former club and true level. http://www.skysports.com/football/n...t-company-with-ian-hendon-after-exeter-defeat
It ticks me off when papers say things like 3 games to prove themselves or they're out. Slade has done an average (being generous) job on the playing front. How can the next 3 games determine his future. Does he, overnight, become Sir Alex, the team gels, (fantastic win over Wolves) with 3 resounding victories and is praised as a tactical genius. Then for the remainder of the season it's same old fare churned out. In my opinion, it should have been, enough is enough, pack your bags and off you pop. Will the Wolves win secure his position, irrespective of the next two results? Have we one 3 in a row this season?
I honestly don't think Slade has done too bad. Unless somebody exceptional pops up, why bother changing right now. He knows the team, knows the players, and sits 5 points outside of the playoffs. A few of the players who pull on the shirt need to find a great big mirror to look into. Also, the club is run by a pack of monkeys and snakes. It can't be an easy club to work for.
Agree about some of the players being as much to blame, but I still believe Slade is the architect of these poor team performances this season. It is up to him to get the best out of what he's got and sort the buggers out accordingly. Tactically he appears inept and unable to react to situations as they arise. If you start with a plan that clearly isn't working, it needs the manager to change things around. It seems he's locked into a level of self belief that it will all come good in the end. The telling thing was the Wolves game at the weekend. Virtually forced out his comfort zone to play Pilks up front as a striker (I did suggest that several weeks ago ), it made all work. Noone and Mason buzzing around him, and with Ralls, O'Keefe and even Whitts feeding them, we looked a different side.
I am with you that he seems to struggle to read the game and is very stuck in his ways. Despite that, he has kept the team within striking distance of the playoffs and if he can get an extra 5-10% from 3 or 4 players we still have a great chance of making them. I just feel (and have always felt) that changing for the sake of change rarely works longer than 3 or 4 matches. Also with the current situation, Slade may have to be more open to change in terms of team setup as he can't try to use the transfer window.
Read all you want into that result but that was one of those games when City just had their shooting boots on, Wolves played an open game allowing our 5 man midfield (yes our 5 man midfield) to boss the game, and had some luck with one stonewall penalty (Mason push) rejected and Manga nearly gifting them a goal. I cannot see City doing that again in a hurry but fair play to the team for their quality play, and the manager for changing the formation. He has to go 4-5-1 now all the time and try to find a proper no 9 who can play off the shoulder.
