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" NEW CARDIFF CITY PLAYER REVEALS "

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:35 am
by worcester_ccfc
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Monday 17th July 2017

By Dominic Booth

Cardiff City new boy Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has revealed Neil Warnock – and his promotion-winning experience – was the main reason behind his decision to join the Bluebirds this summer.

The 25-year-old signed for Cardiff on a Bosman deal from Rochdale and arrives with Warnock backing him to prove a surprise success, despite being relatively unknown to some Bluebirds fans.

Mendez-Laing scored 10 goals from wide positions last season to help Rochdale challenge for a play-off spot in League One last term.

But he’s adamant Cardiff can go one better in 2017/18, especially with Warnock as their guiding light.

“It’s very early days but when I sat and had a chat with the manager when I first came here, promotion was the aim – whether that’s the top two or the play-offs,” said Mendez-Laing.

“And with the squad we’ve got here, we are more than capable of doing that.”

The Birmingham-born wide man had a stop-start career before breaking through at Spotland in the last two seasons.

And he believes Warnock’s man management skills make his move to Cardiff City Stadium the perfect one.

“There’s no manager who’s got more promotions out of the Championship, so the gaffer knows what he’s doing,” he added, referencing Warnock’s previous promotions with Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers in recent years.

“He said that to me when I first came down, so I think if there’s anybody who knows how to get out of this division, it’s him.

“Speaking to him, there’s something about him that makes me feel I will thrive under him and he works well with players like me.

“It’s a big squad though, everybody’s fighting for the shirt and we’ve got a number of players in every position.”

Mendez-Laing made his unofficial Bluebirds bow in Friday night’s charity friendly at Taff’s Well, which Cardiff won 1-0.

It was a game that saw him debut alongside Danny Ward, Loic Damour and Neil Etheridge, with Mendez-Laing starting on the right wing before switching to a centre-forward berth after goalscorer Anthony Pilkington hobbled off injured.

“I’m a winger but I can play in the hole as well, “ Mendez-Laing added, clarifying his best position. “I have played across the front three quite a bit.”

Re: " NEW CARDIFF CITY PLAYER REVEALS "

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 10:02 am
by Wolfpac
I like the look of this kid, he's on instagram and Snapchat training hard in the gym, he looks the article and wants to thrive under Warnock, cant wait for the new season :bluescarf:

Re: " NEW CARDIFF CITY PLAYER REVEALS "

Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2017 11:47 am
by AfricanBluebird
We have players hungry and with something to prove.

What a remarkable difference the last 9 months has made.