Cardiff Councillor Says: 'I hate the way my team play at the

'I hate the way my team play at the moment' - Cardiff City fan's impassioned plea for his beloved Bluebirds to be more exciting to watch


By Glen Williams

Wednesday 22nd September 2021




Cardiff councillor Peter Bradbury has been a huge Bluebirds supporter for more than 30 years. Here, in words that will resonate with lots of his fellow fans, he urges McCarthy to change approach over tactics and make even better use of the gifted young guns being given their chance


Cardiff City manager Mick McCarthy has been urged to throw more caution to the wind (Image: Huw Evans Agency)
Local Cardiff councillor Peter Bradbury is a passionate Bluebirds fan and desperate for his home-town club to succeed.

But three defeats in four Championship games have set alarm bells ringing among many Cardiff City supporters, who want to see their team play a more exciting and expansive brand of football than the route one, set-piece orientated approach we have seen from Mick McCarthy's side this season.

Cardiff looked extremely one-dimensional in back-to-back 1-0 losses to Coventry City and Bournemouth. They still haven't scored in the first-half this season and most of their goals have come from headers.

Here, in comments which will resonate with a lot of his fellow Bluebirds fans, Councillor Bradbury issues a personal impassioned plea for McCarthy and Cardiff's hierarchy to address clear issues ahead of the next game at Blackburn this weekend.

This is his take on what McCarthy and the Bluebirds Board should be doing....







Cardiff councillor Peter Bradbury:


"Supporting your football team should be a largely enjoyable experience. Every week hundreds of thousands of people make the weekly pilgrimage to get behind and support their favourite side.

Friendships are formed and when you are a football fan you are a member of a wider community.

That’s what it is like for me as a Cardiff City fan. Most of my friendships from school are because our mutual love of Cardiff City.

I know every person who sits near me in the Ninian Stand solely because of our mutual love of the Bluebirds.

I look forward to the social aspect of the day when watching City. I look forward to catching up with mates of mine in the pub before the game. I look forward to joining in the communal sing-song in the Canton Cross after the match.

I’ve looked forward to this even more this season given we missed 18 months of seeing our side in person due to the pandemic. Largely, going back has been everything I have hoped it would be and more.

That is, unfortunately, until we get to the whole reason we go to Cardiff City games - which is to watch the actual football.

Let me be honest, I hate the way Cardiff City play at the moment. I hate the five-at-the-back tactics, I hate the reliance on set-pieces, and I hate the lack of any attempt to try to play some progressive passing football.

And I know, from speaking to fellow supporters, I'm not alone in holding these views.

The sad thing is, is that I have honestly felt this way for a long time, I’d say since our return to the Championship in 2019.



I hate how when we are on the TV, pundits use generic terms about my club such as 'You have to match Cardiff’s physicality' or 'Cardiff are very direct and physical, they like to get it forward'.

What’s more I hate the insinuation that this is the only way my club Cardiff City are capable of playing.

As if these well-paid professional footballers aren’t able to play quick, incisive passing football and win.

Ah winning, the great excuse that is given for playing this way.

'This is the best way we can win a game of football with these players' is the rebuttal I hear when I point out my lack of enjoyment at our style of play.

Let me be clear; I love seeing my side win. I fully understand, with the likes of Kieffer Moore, Aden Flint and Sean Morrison in the team, the enormous threat we pose at free-kicks, corners and Will Vaulks throw-ins.

When we score in such a manner, I celebrate as wildly as anybody else.

But there's a balance to be struck and for many of us fans that isn't happening at the moment.

I actually believe the way we are playing is so one dimensional that it’s easy to play against at the moment. Last week Bournemouth didn’t get out of first gear in beating us at home 1-0. We barely threatened them at all and it was oh-so easy for them.

Gary Cahill used his vast experience and know-how to win pretty much every single header, yet still we persisted with pumping the ball up to Kieffer. Which probably wasn't fair on him either. He proved, in setting up a classic goal at Nottingham Forest, he has a deft touch on the deck, too.





We rarely looked like scoring against Coventry, either. Will we see much-needed change for Blackburn this weekend?




A Plan B.

A lot of the issues with style go right back to our recruitment strategy. It simply hasn’t been good enough for a long time. Any City fan I know would have said in the summer that a ball-playing central midfielder was a must.

We signed one player who fits that mould in Ryan Wintle - and promptly sent him to Blackpool on loan, where he has been earning some good reviews.

There has been a bright spark in Ryan Giles who has been excellent, but we need far more in terms of creativity.

In my view never has the need for a Director of Football and a long-term recruitment strategy been more evident than by this summer’s transfer dealings and the fact that over the years we have recruited a lot of players who have spent their time in the Championship and are in their late 20s/early 30s, in a short-term attempt to gain promotion through one golden season.

Yes, there are mitigating circumstances. The lack of parachute payments, Covid and upcoming court cases are taking their toll on the club's finances. I get that.



One of the positive aspects of all of these factors has been the emergence of Academy graduates such as Rubin Colwill, Joel Bagan, Tom Sang, Sam Bowen and Mark Harris. The fans I know aren’t unrealistic and we fully accept that with the introduction of youth, it’ll take time.

We will get behind the youngsters, of course we will. That's in our DNA as Bluebirds fans, we very much look after and get excited by our own.

But I cannot help but think the development of these teenagers and early TwentySomethings isn’t aided by constantly bypassing the midfield and playing for throw- ins and corners as our principle threat for goals.

I have no doubts whatsoever these youngsters are capable of playing good, progressive football. Look at our second goal against Forest. That came from playing through midfield, Kieffer's clever flick and Colwill’s excellent footwork and finish.

That was a footballing goal and it proves that we can do it.

I’ve not yet mentioned McCarthy. This article should not be read as criticism solely on him. I remember McCarthy's Ireland side in the 1990s and early 2000s. They were a joy to watch and played fast, exciting football.

Yes, they had top players such as Roy Keane, Robbie Keane and Damien Duff, but he moulded that team into an adventurous one.

I certainly don’t want Mick sacked, I just want him to play the kind of football I remember from that Ireland side of his.

Fans have not yet returned in the numbers that they did pre-pandemic. This isn’t solely down to the style of football, but in order to get them back, people want to see progress.

City fans aren’t daft, we all know these are different economic times than we’ve been used to in recent years. We want to get behind these youngsters and build an identity that is sustainable and more in keeping with the modern demands that Championship football requires.






I’ve spent a lot of time watching local sport as the Councillor for Caerau. I love watching Caerau Ely FC and RFC play. You get a sense of a common purpose and community. What has struck me is how many City fans I’ve seen taking in games at this level.

I watched Caerau Ely away up in Pontyclun the other day. The crowd was almost totally made up of lapsed or current City fans. When I spoke to a few of them the message was clear. The game we had watched between Pontyclun and Caerau had been more exciting than anything we had watched down the City in a long while.

We all still love City but it has become remote and not as fulfilling as it once was.

The Bluebirds' hierarchy need to understand this, they need to put in place a plan to improve the experience of watching Cardiff City play and they need to do it now before thousands start voting with their feet.

I’ve been a City fan since 1990 and they’ll always have my support and more importantly my money.

The only thing I'm asking for in return is for my club to have a footballing plan that sees goals scored from open play and which is beyond playing for corners and throw ins.

Come on, Mick, let's try to play some football from here on in. There's more than enough talent in that side.

We may even win some games in the process - and start charging up that table with more and more fans flocking back to watch.

That, surely, has to be the aim for everybody - club, manager, players and supporters."

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I'm 50/50 about playing football on the ground.

Ok it will suit the youngsters we are binging in but will they be able to control games doing it? From what I have seen from the other Championship sides I will say not yet.

A very good write up IMO

It's hard to go against anything said there

I mentioned in another thread that the Club seem to be taking the U23 team seriously this season and that the next few years will be a real change but I do feel as though it will all be for nothing if we cant adopt different tactics

I'm 50/50 about playing football on the ground.

Ok it will suit the youngsters we are binging in but will they be able to control games doing it? From what I have seen from the other Championship sides I will say not yet.

I see where you’re coming from but totally disagree with you.

The perfect time to play this type of football was prior to McCarthy coming in, but it’s not too late to change but the trick is to mix it up.

Constant one dimensional football we are watching is so poor and uninspiring most of the time and I agree with the OP in most of what he says.

Of course Mick won’t change his prehistoric ways and I’m sure his tactics will continue.

I think we had a crowd of just over 19,000 last game out with a walk up of roughly 7,000.
I can see the crowds falling off rapidly like they did under Slade if the football continues to be this dire.
Season ticket holders also but they’ll be counted in the attendance regardless.

I didn't go to the Bournemouth Game , because I am totally peed off with watching how we play , it is dire, boring , predictable football , that most clubs in this division have sussed out .
Why don't we try and play some decent passing football , pass and move , foot on the ball , Look up find a player , that's what I would like to see . Instead of the Hoofball and hit and hope passes that we constantly play.
Keiffer Moore looks half the player he was, now that could be covid or overplayed last year with CCFC and Wales. i dont know , but he looks disillusioned to me.
I hope he can come back to form or we are screwed .
McCarthy , seems to see a different team playing to the one I see , overall happy he says!! Jeez its abysmal.
I would rather lose trying to play decent football , than lose playing the way we play currently!

Please try something different Mr McCarthy . Just give us something decent to watch.

I'm 50/50 about playing football on the ground.

Ok it will suit the youngsters we are binging in but will they be able to control games doing it? From what I have seen from the other Championship sides I will say not yet.

I don’t think anybody is asking us of play like Man City, but vary it up a bit. Rather than always going long, move it through the middle - rather than floating a free kick in where Flint is outnumbered 4 to 1, play a free kick in and get in behind.

It so easy to plan for - mark Moore and Flint out of the game and we have nothing to offer.

We should be able to play some football - it’s a choice the manager is making.

Careful what you say about our dire football i have all ready been ticked off about it on season ticket post by "worcester" and "sven"
I said tounge in cheek that we could do with a refund for this season the way we are playing
Was told if you want to watch your team winning and a nice style of football go and get a season ticket with man city? Well is' nt that the point you want to see your team play nice football and win? Rather than the opposite
Well it seems i am not the only fan that thinks the same then that what we are watching is complete dros at the moment and we need a change of direction.

It’s hard to argue with anything the councillor has said. We are playing the worst football I can remember in my 20 years of supporting city. It’s just one dimensional pish week in week out, As I’ve said in a previous post it makes Slade’s football look adventurous and exciting. Even with the changes he makes during games it doesn’t really change the game, yes with Forest they did but the starting line up was wrong to begin with. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a manager out, but with Mick it really is hard to see any better days coming football wise. Whilst I’m confident we won’t be anywhere near the bottom, I can’t see much chance of a play off push with MM at the helm. But I’m more than happy for him to prove me wrong.

I would rather we have a go at teams and get stuck in and lose than how we are currently playing and lose

Careful what you say about our dire football i have all ready been ticked off about it on season ticket post by "worcester" and "sven"
I said tounge in cheek that we could do with a refund for this season the way we are playing
Was told if you want to watch your team winning and a nice style of football go and get a season ticket with man city? Well is' nt that the point you want to see your team play nice football and win? Rather than the opposite
Well it seems i am not the only fan that thinks the same then that what we are watching is complete dros at the moment and we need a change of direction.

The only two ways change will be brought about is if we plummet down the league and/or there is a considerable fall in attendances.

I don't believe for one minute that the hierarchy are happy with our style of play nor our results but I would suggest the poor results at least are no surprise to them, given the lack of investment in first team strengthening this season and the promotion of so many young players from the under-23 side.

I totally agree about the style of play being dire.

However i think it suits us a direct style of play it just needs some tweaks the ball has got to be moved around a lot quicker get the wing backs up the pitch and get the ball wide or to the by line then wip it in its so easy to defend a straight ball into the box which we do time and time again

Well, as Malcolm Allison said on the Big Match last night - 'its all about enjoyment'..

I cant remember when I last enjoyed a game.. maybe Birmingham at home when Tomlin came on for half an hour and was magic. Thats it in the last four years..

Careful what you say about our dire football i have all ready been ticked off about it on season ticket post by "worcester" and "sven"
I said tounge in cheek that we could do with a refund for this season the way we are playing
Was told if you want to watch your team winning and a nice style of football go and get a season ticket with man city? Well is' nt that the point you want to see your team play nice football and win? Rather than the opposite
Well it seems i am not the only fan that thinks the same then that what we are watching is complete dros at the moment and we need a change of direction.

Ticked off...?

Can't speak for Ned but I think I just remarked that maybe it was better (for you) not to comment on 'help' threads where you have no constructive response to the question in hand, which you most certainly didn't; and now you jave a sly 'bleat' because you couldn't absorb a response (again)

There's an old say my (late) old man taught me...

'Sometimes it's better to say nothing and let people think you're a fool rather than opening your mouth and confirming it beyond doubt'

Take that as you like but I stand by it as a broad rule and it's good advice to others, too...!

If we went for Bournemouth we probable would have got done big time. Pick your battles I guess.

I can't stand watching them either.. I've been going down since 1982..I still go.. But god I hate watching them.. Its depressing watching that ball being thumped aimlessly game after game. Got to admit. Its getting harder to part with my money for that crap.

I suppose if you’re on 20k a week, reality becomes distorted, and you just do as your told, bang, up in the air, and you’ve just won 20k.. every week. What a fantastic job.

All that is left is to give it the hoof call whenever we hoof it.. it is the longest day.

I haven’t been able to make a home game yet this season but am even fed paying a tenner on the web to watch .
5 at the back , a team full of giants with no creativity means we can only be one dimensional.
The councillor guy makes lots of fair points ....for me , we are not a top 6 side even though says we have strength in depth etc etc .
I can’t remember us playing such boring stuff in many a year .
Once we are safe in mid table then we will probably starting playing football and not hoof ball