Cardiff City news and chat

[editor]

Modern football, eh?

If you hadn’t heard already, the written demand for Sala’s £15m transfer feearrived in Cardiff City’s post on Tuesday, including an apparent threat of legal action from Nantes if the money continued to be withheld. Nantes had made it clear in an email the previous Thursday that they had waited long enough. The first bits of wreckage had not even washed up on the shores of Normandy by that stage.

Yet the message was clear: Nantes wanted the first £5m instalment wiring through as quickly as possible. Cardiff have been warned they face a possible transfer ban from Fifa if they do not cough up the money. And it is grim, to say the least, to see this being played out in public.

It feels particularly galling when both clubs deserve enormous praise for the touching and sincere way they have handled the tributes. Cardiff’s grief has been raw and genuine and Warnock, in particular, has shown there are different layers to his personality. Away from the caricature, Cardiff’s manager is not always “slamming” or “blasting”. There is a soft-focus Warnock and we have seen that side to him, more than ever before, since Sala’s plane went down on 21 January.

Nantes, too. Maybe you saw the television pictures of that beautifully choreographed tribute when Les Canaris played Saint-Étienne at the Stade de la Beaujoire, when the game was paused in the ninth minute (signifying Sala’s shirt number), the fans held up thousands of yellow and green cards to create a mosaic of his name and the moment, when play restarted, that the coach, Vahid Halilhodzic, took his seat again and could not hold back his emotion any longer.

Halilhodzic’s association with Nantes goes back to 1981, as a player, when he used to wear that No 9 shirt himself. Now 66, he let it all out, weeping into his fist.


Emiliano Sala 'will leave an eternal memory' says emotional Nantes coach – video
Those images will stay in the memory: something pure, untainted and so much more fitting than the subplot of two clubs squabbling over money. Nantes, who did not even wait for Sala’s body to be identified before firing off their invoice. And Cardiff, deciding it would be a good idea to corroborate the details with L’Équipe, of all the publications.

Cardiff are “shocked”, apparently, and perhaps that is genuine. But why publicise it? Why say anything when it was obvious it would create a terrible stink? Unless, of course, it is a tactic on Cardiff’s part and, without wishing to sound too cynical, there is actually more to this than meets the eye. Because somehow I don’t imagine the initial leak, to the football desk of BBC Wales, originated from France.

Money squabbles before Emiliano Sala is even buried show game’s hard face | Daniel Taylor

 

[editor]

Rivers of LOL tears
Swansea fan denied Footie5 £25k jackpot by late Cardiff drama

 

[Favelado]

Has anyone else noticed how Neil Warnock is looking ever more similar to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard?






Maybe the thetans are holding the squad back this season.

 

[editor]

A lovely memory of a very wet match

 

[elbows]

Has anyone else noticed how Neil Warnock is looking ever more similar to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard?

Maybe the thetans are holding the squad back this season.

I was thinking that I didnt see the resemblance at all, not even vaguely close.

But then I spent a few more seconds investigating and I think there is one particular era of Hubbards hair that could give rise to a vague similarity. Mostly only the hair though. Plus Warnock has a nice smile, not that he's had too many reasons to show it of late.

 

[editor]

It's a HUGE game for Cardiff tonight.

1. Five points separate 17th-placed Brighton & Cardiff in 18th
2. Albion make five changes, including start for Murray; three changes for City
3. Both teams on four-game losing streak in Premier League
4. Defeat will leave Cardiff eight points from safety with 12 to play for

Premier League: Battle at the bottom as Brighton host Cardiff

 

[agricola]

.... now do that again on Sunday, if not for your sakes then everyone elses.

 

[Gromit]

The refs won't let Cardiff stay up. This is just prolonging the agony.

 

[editor]

Well, that was unexpected! They still have to look favourites to go down though.

 

[editor]

Looks like Palace are finishing 'em off.

 

[planetgeli]

See you at the Liberty next season then editor .

 

[editor]

See you at the Liberty next season then editor .

I won't be there unless Hamlet get to play the Jacks!

 

[friedaweed]

Has anyone else noticed how Neil Warnock is looking ever more similar to Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard?






Maybe the thetans are holding the squad back this season.

Warnock's a gobshite. Be lovely to see him go down

 

[Ponyutd]

Check out @FPL_Partridge’s Tweet:

 

[mx wcfc]

I don't like Colin Wanker, but I have nothing particular against Cardiff. He is good at getting teams promoted, less so at keeping them up. They should keep him for aforementioned reason.

 

[GarveyLives]

Unsure if the Emiliano Sala tragedy has been discussed elsewhere, so here is the latest episode in the saga:

Two to appear in court over Emiliano Sala mortuary photograph

 

[nogojones]

I'm guessing this has something to do with football as it was near the stadium and I don't recognise that 4th fella...

 

[JimW]

Neil Warnock, he's their manager

 

[nogojones]

Neil Warnock, he's their manager

Does he write for Workers Girder as well?

 

[JimW]

Does he write for Workers Girder as well?

Trying to remember which footballer it was used to write for Worker's Power or one of them, not sure about Neil, think he had a Brexit spiel not so long back.

 

[Plumdaff]

Trying to remember which footballer it was used to write for Worker's Power or one of them, not sure about Neil, think he had a Brexit spiel not so long back.

Chris Hughton wrote for Newsline in the 70s. I suspect Colin's inclinations are somewhat more Partridge.

 

[JimW]

Chris Hughton wrote for Newsline in the 70s. I suspect Colin's inclinations are somewhat more Partridge.

That's the fella!

 

[Voley]

This popped up on my Twitter today. A proper screamer from 1970.

 

[editor]

This popped up on my Twitter today. A proper screamer from 1970.

Bloody hell!

 

[Voley]

Bloody hell!

Great isn't it? Love the celebration too - he seems as surprised as everyone else.

 

[editor]

Today's game must have been a cracker. Down 0-3 at Leeds and coming back to equalise with ten men. Nice one City!

 

[1927]

Today's game must have been a cracker. Down 0-3 at Leeds and coming back to equalise with ten men. Nice one City!

Oh! Are you starting to feel the love again?

 

[editor]

Oh! Are you starting to feel the love again?

I'll never be a full on, fanzine producing fan again, but yeah, I'm slowly warning back to them. Going to see them on Boxing Day so maybe I'll be surprised by my reaction!

Either way, I've always loved it when City have pissed on Leeds' chips

 

[1927]

I'll never be a full on, fanzine producing fan again, but yeah, I'm slowly warning back to them. Going to see them on Boxing Day so maybe I'll be surprised by my reaction!

Either way, I've always loved it when City have pissed on Leeds' chips

Fancy a pint on Boxing Day? Have you sorted a ticket yet?

 

[editor]

Fancy a pint on Boxing Day? Have you sorted a ticket yet?

Yeah I'm going with my nephew. I've no idea where they'll be drinking yet but I'll have to go along with him and his chums as they're providing the ticket and transport!