" VALE UPDATE! "

I've just spent the morning at the Vale watching the team train. A few years ago I coached football in California and the head of the company i worked for was a Gwynn Williams (who used to be head of PE at Llanedeyrn High School and a City coach in the 90's). Gwynn has brought an u14 team on tour from San Diego and asked if i could take them to the Vale to watch the team train.

It was a very interesting session with a lot of drills focussed on shooting. The boys looked very sharp, focussed and relaxed. Craig Bellamy in partcular looked very fired up and was even swearing at Martyn Margetson for getting an offside call wrong! The atmosphere in the camp seemed very good which was nice to see. During the session Dave Jones stood on the sideline and at one point Gwynn went to talk to him. Dave was extremely accomodating and invited all of the boys from San Diego to stand closer to the pitch. Say what you like about the man but he could not have been nicer.

I noticed on my way back from the pitches that Michael Chopra was running from the gym to the club house. He certainly didnt look in any pain and from the way he was running I would bet he will be back in the squad very soon.

After training Jay Bothroyd, Bellamy and believe it or not, Gavin Rae, stayed behind to do more work. Those who have doubted Jays commitment in recent months will be pleased about this and he was also working very hard in training. There was certainly no sign of him just turning up, going through the motions, and going home! If anything he was one of the hardest working players !

As we approached the club house I asked Craig Bellamy if he would mind signing some autographs and having some pics with the team as the boys had all come to see him. Again, he was absolutely brilliant with the kids. He stood in the pouring rain for a good ten minutes speaking to the kids about his experiences in football and happily posed for pictures. It was great to see someone like him really take an interest in the kids and he was asking all about them and their team. Having watched him in the premier league over the years, they were in awe of him and have now all gone straight to the club shop to snap up Bellamy shirts. It was a great PR exercise from Bellers and just from him being so polite and approachable I guarantee that these kids will continue to follow Cardiff City from California.

Craig was very forthcoming about his time at Cardiff and the future. Whilst I dont want to reveal too much (it was nothing bad at all by the way!!!) he did say that if the club go up this season they shouldnt spend millions on players and wages but should focus on improving the infrastructure at the club as whilst it is excellent there is still work to do if we are ever going to have the structure and facilities of an established premier league team.

I have to say, seeing Craig speak about the club, and watching the intensity in his training, im proud that he is our captain. If we do get promoted I would want someone born and bred in the City, who loves the Club, to lead us there and we certainly have that in Craig. Whilst this season may not have gone quite as well as he hoped so far I just get the feeling that when it matters, in a big play off game, his desire and talent may just give us that all important edge!

All in all, a fantastic morning where the players and management did themselves proud!!! I have that feel good feeling that we may be alright afterall

Gwynn used to be my old sports teacher at Llanedeyrn!

Great to have such a positive story...glad the lads and yourself were treated to a good day out.

That was a nice post to read mate. Thanks for the good feeling.

Nice update jimbo...

Mr Williams was my teacher at llanedeyrn high school, got on with him very well ... we went to Belgium to play in a tournament had a great laugh

Gwynn is a top guy! Used to be my coach at City a long time ago and then completely by fluke he ran the coaching company I worked for in California. He has been living in San Diego for 10 years now and as you can imagine he absolutely loves it, although he admits he does miss watching the City play and tries to watch and listen to as many games as possible in California!

As he used to work for the club in the 90's he couldnt believe the facilities that we have now. He even spoke to Dave Jones about the difference and they laughed about how the players used to train at Jubilee Park and the car park on Sloper Road. He was really impressed with the set up and had a good chat with Bellamy ,as he knew him from when he was a kid! I cant stress enough just what a gentleman Craig Bellamy was with all of the kids, he really went out of his way. It wasnt a case of a quick photo and then running inside, he really took the time to speak to everyone and make them feel special. He gets a lot of bad press but off the football pitch Ive met him a few times now and everytime he has conducted himself like a true professional!

Very refreshing, thank you Jimbo. I have to be honest when I took my g/son to watch them train early in the season DJ was very good to him and happily have his photo taken with him and to the point he asked the rest of the squad on their way back to the clubhouse to stop and sign g/sons book. Dont believe all you read and hear about DJ

Great to read such positive vibes coming from the camp and what you said about DJ confirms what i encountered when i met him great also to hear how accomodating Bellamy was i think we are so lucky to have him

good to know the players are really going for it, taking things very seriously and putting in hard work and effort. good read. cheers for the update

Great read. That has cheered me up alot.

Im glad the update has cheered everyone up. I tell it as i see it and at times this season I have despaired but i left the Vale today feeling very optimistic. The weather was wet and windy, and I was soaked through, but I was delighted to get such a positive vibe off the players and management. From what i saw the whole team are pulling in the right direction and are looking very sharp and focussed. Hopefully the 2 week international break has refreshed everyone for the final run in! After Saturdays result, and from what I have just seen, i would definetely put money on us making the autos now, I just have that feeling that the boys are up for this now but not nervous or fearing it! Theyve been here before and know what its all about!

Great to read a positive post - well done enjoyed that

Great to see a bit of positivity mate!!

brilliant update jimbo!

VERY GOOD READ THAT....
good on bellers, glad you all had a great day

Great to hear somthing more positive about the club and players.

Fantastic post.
Thank you.

Nice to read such a positive post its put a smile on my face

an excellent read full of good vibes enjoyed this post well done

Lucky bugger for living in San Diego, went there two years ago and loved it, returning in late August too. Know any good pubs that might show a City match there if we make it to the Premiership?

Nice positive post for a change

Gwynn used to be my old sports teacher at Llanedeyrn!

Mine to back in the 70's

Great Read and has put a refreshing smile on my face.
Glad the management at the club are trying to give out the right impression. Great stuff

A couple of us had the good luck to have an half an hour in Craig Bellamey,s company the other week. i had preformed opinions of how he would come over and if i'm honest I thought he would be a bit up his own arse after the image painted in the media.

Well I'm the first to admit I couldn't have been further from the truth, what a top bloke, confident but also quite humble and appeared to me to be someone who had the maturity to appreciate how fortunate he was and that he genuinely wanted to put something back into the area he loved, i.e, Cardiff and Wales in general.

We had a couple of kids with us and he couldn't have been nicer and made the kids feel really special. What did come over is he sets high standards for himself and others at the club on and off the pitch. He don't say things that people want to hear just to please them and he certainly will say it as it is, that may upset some and in my opinion, so be it, all I can reiterate is the bloke as gone right up in my estimation for what it's worth and I will always stick up for him for at least backing up what he says.

Superb update, get up there myself a bit, not suprised to hear about Rae works his socks off in training.

cracking posative update mate nice to see my old pe teacher still going and even better to read the boys are very up for the challenge ahead

superb and thank you Jimbo

thanks, that article made me even more positive about the future of our club!