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Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:25 am

Management appointments are all about timing

Any new manager we sound out now will get to see us against the best team in the league whilst looking at transfer market quietly for 7 days

Then we have a great run of games against lower teams where a new manager bounce will occur sending us towards the play offs, pointless letting a new manager lose his first game, let Harris take that loss on his record.

The fixtures afterwards for the next two months are :

Qpr H
Barnsley A
Millwall H
Bristol City A
Rotherham A
Coventry H
Luton Town A 7pm
Preston North endH
AFC Bournemouth A
Middlesbrough A
Derby H

That is 11 games where arguably i would expect us to win at least 8 of them with the right tactics and set up.

I can see us hitting the play offs with that run of games if they are approached correctly

Harris to stay this week then be sacked after the Norwich game I think would give perfect timing for any new appointment.
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Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:40 am

Why waste the potential for 3 points? Its absolutely guaranteed defeat with him in charge. Sack him now and have a caretaker in or a new man in the stands. Might get a bounce from the players and something out of the game. All you can safely bet on at the moment is when in the first ten minutes we will concede and how many Norwich will beat us by. That's the terrible truth now under Harris, we can't even compete. Rotherham or Wycombe would fight for it more than us.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:45 am

Play off?

I'm going to hold you to this ThomasBlue. 8 out of 11 will be wins? Good luck with that one.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:45 am

I'd be surprised if we get 8 points with Harris in charge, no way on planet earth that we would win 8 whomever is in charge.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:47 am

EastleighBlue wrote:Why waste the potential for 3 points? Its absolutely guaranteed defeat with him in charge. Sack him now and have a caretaker in or a new man in the stands. Might get a bounce from the players and something out of the game. All you can safely bet on at the moment is when in the first ten minutes we will concede and how many Norwich will beat us by. That's the terrible truth now under Harris, we can't even compete. Rotherham or Wycombe would fight for it more than us.


I can see the logic in that but would argue a new manager needs to see what has been going wrong with his own eyes in order to fix it properly .

I dont think it matters who is in charge , Norwich will beat us regardless unless they have a massive off day.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:51 am

Bakedalasker wrote:Play off?

I'm going to hold you to this ThomasBlue. 8 out of 11 will be wins? Good luck with that one.


I honestly believe a confident cardiff team with a attack minded manager would win 8 of those games. Our team and squad is better than most of them in that list. Its being held back by the manager.

Only 2 of them are in the top 8

Why couldn't we win those games

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:56 am

I agree the next 11 games are a very nice sequence and hopefully we should win a few of them but God help us if we continue on our current run of form as after these 11 I assume we have a real horrendous run in.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:57 am

Feel for Harris, players have just let him down, plus injuries to key players.
He does however, need to really sort it ..
He won’t win all the fans over , .. however, I think a lot of fans realise it’s not all down to him.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:59 am

thomasblue wrote:
Bakedalasker wrote:Play off?

I'm going to hold you to this ThomasBlue. 8 out of 11 will be wins? Good luck with that one.


I honestly believe a confident cardiff team with a attack minded manager would win 8 of those games. Our team and squad is better than most of them in that list. Its being held back by the manager.

Only 2 of them are in the top 8

Why couldn't we win those games


All ifs and buts. That is basically asking too much for whoever is in charge. Our guys would have to be 100% for each game to stand a chance of doing that. You are not allowing for error which will happen. It is possible though as Sunderland performed that under Keene when he took over but that is like once in a lifetime. I'm sticking to my first statement and that is I'm going to hold you to that.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:07 am

OP is right, with a new manager we could win eight of those games - that wouldn't happen with Harris in charge.

You have to consider the opposition in those games and the fact there is often a "new manager bounce".

If you have momentum in the Championship, then that's the half the job done.

Personally I would prefer Harris to go before the weekend though.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:33 am

I understand your thoughts Thomas, but what makes you think that the next manager hasn t already been sounded out and watched the team already...if so he may already have given his thoughts to Dalman /Choo
Personally i wouldnt give Harris another 5 minutes
Either he has lost their confidence or they are not interested
Because he cannot eradicate these mistakes and this squad is not performing for him

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:33 am

I understand your thoughts Thomas, but what makes you think that the next manager hasn t already been sounded out and watched the team already...if so he may already have given his thoughts to Dalman /Choo
Personally i wouldnt give Harris another 5 minutes
Either he has lost their confidence or they are not interested
Because he cannot eradicate these mistakes and this squad is not performing for him

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:38 am

Bakedalasker wrote:
thomasblue wrote:
Bakedalasker wrote:Play off?

I'm going to hold you to this ThomasBlue. 8 out of 11 will be wins? Good luck with that one.


I honestly believe a confident cardiff team with a attack minded manager would win 8 of those games. Our team and squad is better than most of them in that list. Its being held back by the manager.

Only 2 of them are in the top 8

Why couldn't we win those games


All ifs and buts. That is basically asking too much for whoever is in charge. Our guys would have to be 100% for each game to stand a chance of doing that. You are not allowing for error which will happen. It is possible though as Sunderland performed that under Keene when he took over but that is like once in a lifetime. I'm sticking to my first statement and that is I'm going to hold you to that.


Good , I did allow for a 3 game margin of error.etz hope we get to see if I'm right

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:38 am

It's a thought, as much as we want him gone yesterday, Norwich home for a new manager is difficult, and itd be good for any new manager to start with a decent run.

It's a cruel call on Harris to say stay for one last defeat, but.....

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:47 am

Barclay1 wrote:It's a thought, as much as we want him gone yesterday, Norwich home for a new manager is difficult, and itd be good for any new manager to start with a decent run.

It's a cruel call on Harris to say stay for one last defeat, but.....

See your point. Another option is get rid now and have the new man watching and assessing from the stands v Norwich. Win win situation.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 12:24 pm

If Barnsley beat Tranmere today they will be in the 4th round which is due to be played on weekend of the 23rd.

Another game off doesn’t help us!

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:33 pm

I'd give NH the next 8 games at least, given that we have key players returning from injury. Give the guy a chance, look at Fergie and Ole at Man Utd awful runs of results in their early seasons. I don't want to be a season ticket holder of a club that culls managers every season because we are not top six because there will be no firm foundation built and strengthened that's going to be lasting. It's just my opinion so don't crucify me for it

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 2:11 pm

Hopski wrote:I'd give NH the next 8 games at least, given that we have key players returning from injury. Give the guy a chance, look at Fergie and Ole at Man Utd awful runs of results in their early seasons. I don't want to be a season ticket holder of a club that culls managers every season because we are not top six because there will be no firm foundation built and strengthened that's going to be lasting. It's just my opinion so don't crucify me for it

No need to crucify but I don't see Neil Harris in the same bracket as Fergie by some distance

Equally, I am a little surprised that you put OGS up there, as he has yet to prove anything other than (my opinion) he is a very lucky guy whose time as a player at his club seemed to make him 'suitable' to their Board

I've asked the question before (and I ask it of Lampard at Chelsea in a lesser sense, as he is still fresh to management) whether he has had a 'Eureka' moment in management or (more likely IMHO) any perceived 'success' to date is more in despite of him rather than because of him?

Neil Harris has now proven to most that he doesn't have the skills, knowledge or understanding to take a club forward in any real terms. His interviews are a little baffling and often leave us wondering 'What was that about...?'

His team selection and tactics during a game are so easily questioned that it's becoming a bit of a joke; and even our opponents know what our intent with during pre-game training sessions, which (like Wycombe) gives them the opportunity to 'plan ahead'

"Right guys, this is how we do it; high tempo for the first few minutes will put Cardiff on the back foot and we should be gifted a goal. Once that happens, we'll sit back and absorb for a while and then step up again. They'll huff and they'll puff in midfield but they are unlikely to punish us and we might get a second on the break. Now let's go do it..."

With the exception of a six game run, one result excepted, that has been the story of the season and it cannot go on for the sake of us being dragged back down into the relegation quagmire. The Board member (Dalman) stated Top 6 was our minimum aim; and that is how it should still be; just not with Neil Harris, I'm genuinely sad to say

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 2:18 pm

If we are going to change managers do it as quick as possible as the transfer deadline clock is ticking.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 3:22 pm

The mistake Harris is making is he is not going on the attack in press conferences - I know it doesn't really effect results on the pitch but he is making flip-flop comments the City fans, especially if allowed into the ground, don't respond well to.

Results and style of play can help you get away with this as we saw with Dave Jones, who several times came close the chop too, but ultimately survived due to a bounce back to a winning streak, playing great football at times, but ultimately sliding back into another rut, similar to Harris only NH is not getting us playing a good style of football.

We need a no-nonsense manager with passion for attacking/aggressive football, that will always be the blueprint here.

Again I will stick by that NH has made good signings so far, perhaps it is impossible to transition our squad into what we all want to see though straight away. The results & performances have not been good enough this season. I love the idea of a new manager but in reality I am unsure as to how certain players will change that much just with a new manager, this club desperately needs a squad overhaul. Ageing key players, ageing/limited CB's, pedestrian midfield, poor cover for RB and ST... We are miles off, and need some players to run down their contract or move on to help free up the wage bill for a fresh start.

Would a new manager now be tainted by the limited squad... And would a new manager make better signings than NH?

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 3:59 pm

I think if we sack him we are in caretaker terrority . It would be a massive move, but asking Pulis if he fancies the gig until the end of the season with a big bonus if we made the playoffs. This team/squad should be made for him.

I am not saying long term as I firmly believe we need a DoF/General Manager first before the first team coach. I would never employ anyone as the manager again. Its so 20th century

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:21 pm

Not for me, Tan must act now, get in a no nonsense manager, give him this transfer window, back him and see where it takes us go for it mr tan appoint Eddie Howe, show the fans you mean business

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:28 pm

pengamblue wrote:Not for me, Tan must act now, get in a no nonsense manager, give him this transfer window, back him and see where it takes us go for it mr tan appoint Eddie Howe, show the fans you mean business


Howe is waiting for a prem job and is beyond the club’s budget.
Pointless sacking him now unless the right manager is coming in.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:33 pm

OriginalGrangeEndBlue wrote:
pengamblue wrote:Not for me, Tan must act now, get in a no nonsense manager, give him this transfer window, back him and see where it takes us go for it mr tan appoint Eddie Howe, show the fans you mean business


Howe is waiting for a prem job and is beyond the club’s budget.
Pointless sacking him now unless the right manager is coming in.



It'd be a real shot in the arm and a coup for the club and a real statement of intent should we appoint Howe.

What a high profile project for his CV.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 6:08 pm

I'm not trying to defend Harris but not too long ago we won 7 out of 10 games. We had a really tough run of fixtures (Wycombe aside) and been without Moore who we've been over reliant on. If we keep Harris we'll probably finish comfortably mid table
I think we need a change of manager and just as important a change in style.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 6:16 pm

thomasblue wrote:Management appointments are all about timing

Any new manager we sound out now will get to see us against the best team in the league whilst looking at transfer market quietly for 7 days

Then we have a great run of games against lower teams where a new manager bounce will occur sending us towards the play offs, pointless letting a new manager lose his first game, let Harris take that loss on his record.

The fixtures afterwards for the next two months are :

Qpr H
Barnsley A
Millwall H
Bristol City A
Rotherham A
Coventry H
Luton Town A 7pm
Preston North endH
AFC Bournemouth A
Middlesbrough A
Derby H

That is 11 games where arguably i would expect us to win at least 8 of them with the right tactics and set up.

I can see us hitting the play offs with that run of games if they are approached correctly

Harris to stay this week then be sacked after the Norwich game I think would give perfect timing for any new appointment.


To be fair I normally agree with you but Harris has to go now. New manager bounce I think we can take something off Norwich.

Agreed looking at those fixtures and hopefully with players back from injury we can go on a decent run.

Reluctantly I think Pearson might get the best out of our current squad. The football will be dire similar to Warnock but he'll get results.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 6:39 pm

What's the point in waiting for a game that will just be another defeat. I say the sooner the better so the new gaffer gets the rest of January to bring players in.

Re: Give Harris the Norwich game

Sun Jan 10, 2021 11:27 pm

East 17 - Stay Another Day ;)