CRAIG BELLAMY ON CITY v FULHAM PROMOTION TUSSLE

Craig Bellamy delivers honest verdict on automatic promotion tussle between Cardiff and Fulham
By Damien Lucas


Wednesday 11th April 2018

Former Cardiff City star Craig Bellamy has delivered an honest and considered appraisal of the automatic promotion tussle between his employers and Fulham.


The race for promotion to the Premier League from the Championship is hotting up with Cardiff City and Fulham locked in a battle for the second automatic spot behind champions-elect Wolves.

Neil Warnock and Slavisa Jokanovic are the front-runners to lead their sides back to the big time after Tuesday night's results saw the Cottagers leapfrog the Bluebirds into second spot after respective 1-0 wins and defeats against Reading and Aston Villa.

Fulham's amazing form - 16 wins in their last 20 games - has seen them storm up the Championship table with four games remaining.

Cardiff do have a game in hand, though, as they go from being the hunted to the hunters for the last month of the season.

Aleksandar Mitrovic of Fulham celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Fulham and Leeds United at Craven Cottage on April 3, 2018 in...

Many pundits are backing Fulham to seal the second automatic spot, so good has their form been.

And now former Cardiff City player and the club's current U18s manager Craig Bellamy has delivered his honest verdict on the promotion race when appearing as a guest on Sky Sports' The Debate... even if he is backing Warnock's side to avoid the playoffs.

"Look they've (Cardiff) got a lot of character in the squad, that's been enough all season to be fair to them," Bellamy told The Debate.

"We didn't quite expect - and this is us looking at it inside the club - them to do as well as they have done, we were looking at playoffs but credit to the manager, his staff, the players as well, they've shown big character all season.

"We knew we were coming into a difficult stage of the season, I tell you one thing you've got to say is well done to Fulham by the way, I think that's 20 games, 16 wins, the run they've gone on - and it's taken that good a run because that's how well Cardiff have done.

"Got to give credit to Fulham and even about a month ago we were saying they're the only one team I could see challenging Cardiff. Cardiff have even gone on a brilliant run themselves ... it's a tricky period, they are games you would expect Cardiff to go on and win, but Fulham do have the easier games but saying that they are up against teams in the relegation zone or thereabouts relegation and we all know at this stage of the season they can be very difficult.

"The class at Fulham is very good, but Cardiff's character to be fair to them they just got to get back going now... but they've had setbacks (before) and bounced back. Fulham are easier on the eye, a lot of teams are easier on the eye than Cardiff but their character, with the manager as well, the group of men they have might be enough - MIGHT be enough - to get them through."

Cardiff have Norwich, Nottingham Forest, Derby County, Hull City and Reading to play in the run-in.

Fulham meanwhile have London derbies against Brentford and Millwall before finishing the season with games against relegation threatened Sunderland and Birmingham.

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Might be enough?

Well it is still in our hands and if we win all our remaining games we will go up. I personally don't think we will. So will anyone else do us a favour and take points of Fulham?

I don't understand this easier run in bollocks.

The play against Millwall and Brentford, both London derbies and both with chance of playoffs. We play forest, Norwich and hull, all are safe and nothing to play for.

They play Sunderland and Birmingham who are fighting for survival and we play Reading.

I know I would rather go away to Norwich at the weekend than play a local Derby against a team who could push for playoffs

Watched the show he said this on last night.

To be fair, they gave a lot of time to it and spoke in depth:

I don't understand this easier run in bollocks.

The play against Millwall and Brentford, both London derbies and both with chance of playoffs. We play forest, Norwich and hull, all are safe and nothing to play for.

They play Sunderland and Birmingham who are fighting for survival and we play Reading.

I know I would rather go away to Norwich at the weekend than play a local Derby against a team who could push for playoffs

Playing teams with nothing to play for is a misnomer. Of course they do; their pride, their fans, their contracts. Eg Ipswich when we bottled it at Ninian Park.

Hull at the moment are scoring for fun. Norwich on their day can be devastating. Derby have hit form again.

Playing teams in relegation difficulties is preferable IMO. They are down there for one reason; they aren't good teams.

Fulham have beaten Cardiff, Villa and Wolves in this 20 match run and all with something to spare. It is a mystery how they were so low in December.

I don't understand this easier run in bollocks.

The play against Millwall and Brentford, both London derbies and both with chance of playoffs. We play forest, Norwich and hull, all are safe and nothing to play for.

They play Sunderland and Birmingham who are fighting for survival and we play Reading.

I know I would rather go away to Norwich at the weekend than play a local Derby against a team who could push for playoffs

Playing teams with nothing to play for is a misnomer. Of course they do; their pride, their fans, their contracts. Eg Ipswich when we bottled it at Ninian Park.

Hull at the moment are scoring for fun. Norwich on their day can be devastating. Derby have hit form again.

Playing teams in relegation difficulties is preferable IMO. They are down there for one reason; they aren't good teams.

Fulham have beaten Cardiff, Villa and Wolves in this 20 match run and all with something to spare. It is a mystery how they were so low in December.

It's funny how other teams with apparently 'little or nothing to play for' roll over for our rivals but seem to put in a performance when playing Cardiff City, isn't it?

The fact is that it doesn't really happen but there are games where it feels like that!

I was expecting Fulham to win by a few last night but it didn't happen and (as is their current form) they won it by a single goal, so it appear Reading put in a shit for their new manager

Still a way to go yet and a few twists and turns before the outcomes are known!

But everyone on here keeps saying everyone can beat everyone else in the championship.therefore everyone's run is the same then?.

I know I would prefer to play 2 mid table sides at this stage of the season than 2 local derbies who are pushing for playoffs. 20 games unbeaten or not.

Cardiff were also on 13 game unbeaten run until wolves and fulhams points return during those 13 games was 3 points more than ours having played a game more.

They will drop points in the next 4 games. Keep the faith

On current form from last 6 games Fulham have to play against 1st, 4th and 7th and 18th.

We play against 3rd, 13th, 15th, 16th and 24th.

Now looking at form who has easier run in?

I don't understand this easier run in bollocks.

The play against Millwall and Brentford, both London derbies and both with chance of playoffs. We play forest, Norwich and hull, all are safe and nothing to play for.

They play Sunderland and Birmingham who are fighting for survival and we play Reading.

I know I would rather go away to Norwich at the weekend than play a local Derby against a team who could push for playoffs

Easier run in because they're playing teams that arnt as good as the teams we're playing. It's not rocket science mate.

On current form from last 6 games Fulham have to play against 1st, 4th and 7th and 18th.

We play against 3rd, 13th, 15th, 16th and 24th.

Now looking at form who has easier run in?

This to me is a much more relevant stat and puts us on the front foot

On current form from last 6 games Fulham have to play against 1st, 4th and 7th and 18th.

We play against 3rd, 13th, 15th, 16th and 24th.

Now looking at form who has easier run in?

That's a great stat...and response!

Fulham have not beaten us in the last nine games at Craven Cottage we are bit of a bogey team for them at their place

I don't understand this easier run in bollocks.

The play against Millwall and Brentford, both London derbies and both with chance of playoffs. We play forest, Norwich and hull, all are safe and nothing to play for.

They play Sunderland and Birmingham who are fighting for survival and we play Reading.

I know I would rather go away to Norwich at the weekend than play a local Derby against a team who could push for playoffs

Easier run in because they're playing teams that arnt as good as the teams we're playing. It's not rocket science mate.

Mate how are Norwich, forest and hull better teams than Brentford and Millwall. Take a look at the league table. It's not rocket science