Cardiff City FC In Turmoil

[w3lshrugby]

So, here's the back story. I started a new game as Cardiff City on FM08 but could not win, ever. So I got sacked in February as my beloved team was languishing near the relegation zone. Thankfully, Neil Warnock came in, took over, and saved the team. However, I decided to add a new user to the game (me, again) and retake over my favourite club. Can I be any better this time round, as the start of the 2008/9 season beckons.

The club is now in financial turmoil and I have had to get rid of some of our better players: Paul Parry, Scimeca and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - with my squad now small and average, I've been needing to look for some loan signings from reserves and youths of the big Premiership clubs to help me get a strong enough squad for next season...

Here we go then!

 

[Highlander999]

LOL, nice start, should be a good challenge for you

 

[w3lshrugby]

So, my first challenge would be to find some players to bring in on loan to improve my squad. Where do I look? The youth and reserves of the Top 4 is where I look

I offered loans to several different players from the Big 4 Premiership clubs, but in the end, only a few came to Cardiff.

Johnathan North (GK) - I've loaned him for a full season from Watford. A really good signing because he is far better than Michael Oakes.

Craig Cathcart (DC) - I've loaned him for a full season too. He looks very very good, best defender by far - and great in the air from corners.

David Edgar (DC) - Loaned. Just as promising as Cathcart.

Henri Lansbury (AMC) - Reportedly better than Joe Ledley, which is no mean feat. His partnership with Pablo Piatti should be very interesting.

My main striker, Bogdan Stancu, was voted player of the season for Cardiff last season - let's hope he can continue scoring goals all over the place!

Pre-Season Friendlies

So, how would 'new' Cardiff fare in the pre-season friendly world?

CARDIFF CITY 2 - 3 MANCHESTER CITY
A very gallant effort here by the lads. A shame that we let a 2-0 lead after 65 minutes disintergrate into a 3-2 loss, but M. City are a far stronger side, so it was a good effort!

MALATIA 0 - 2 CARDIFF CITY
No surprise here. Don't ask me why I organised a friendly match in Armenia, just felt like it, I suppose.

LINCON 2 - 1 CARDIFF CITY
Shame. Big shame. Huge letdown. Jeez.

SOUTHEND 0 - 2 CARDIFF CITY
So we beat a team far better than Lincoln in our last friendly, that makes me a lot, lot happier.

Odds suggest that we are relegation candidates this season...Let's hope not!

 

[freddiw]

great start mate and good luck - go for Barazite btw he is good and can get on loan

 

[w3lshrugby]

August 2008

So, with my new team looking semi-decent, could I get a good start?
Well, the financial side is certainly looking brilliant! After starting the season with a debt of over 2 million, I'm now over 3 million in the positive! Great financial management if I must say so myself

02/08 - A v Gillingham
My first match of the Championship season was away at newly promoted Gillingham - it was predicted to be a draw. And it was, although a nice high scoring 2-2 draw which gave me a good look at the team.

06/08 - H v Crystal Palace
Expected to lose this. But I didn't, I gave the home fans the dream start to the home season with a narrow 1-0 (Piatti 60) win over the famous London side. A nice 4 points from 2 games.

09/08 - A v QPR
My first 'real' challenge against the moneymen of QPR. Unfortunately it all went to pot as I lost this match 4-2 as the defence performed poorly and we failed to convert some of our chances. Shame.

13/08 - League Cup Rd 1 - H v Cheltenham
Complete crap. Losing on penalties is just dreadful - especially when you miss 3 out of the 4 you take! Argh! Oh well, its only the League Cup

16/08 - H v Scunthorpe
Another narrow home win. But it was a win, at least. Although it is against struggling Scunthorpe, any 1-0 win over any team is a great thing if you keep them out at the other end (they had NO chances on our goal )

20/08 - A v Plymouth
We seem to lack the ability to play football away from home. Going down to the midtable hell of Plymouth - we played crap, v. poor defence and lost 3-0. Perhaps tiredness from the League Cup loss a week ago, I hope not.

23/08 - H v Birmingham
If we won this, we'd overtake Birmingham and be right on the cusp of the playoffs. Shock horror! We went 1-0 down But some magical second half play meant that we scraped a 2-1 (Lansbury 25, Stancu 48) win over a solid Brummie team. This win certainly caused reverberations around the whole of the Championship. Thank God!

30/08 - H v Sheff Weds
What an amazing match. We won it 4-2. Our home record is amazing. We dominated the Weds in this match, and Stancu scored twice - he is an amazing signing! Great! Great start to the season

TABLE POSITION

1. West Brom 19pts
2. Watford 15pts
--
5. Cardiff 13pts
6. Wolves 11pts

We're just 2 points off second! WOW!

Bogdan Stancu, Cardiff Striker, has been announced as the young championship player of the month.

Can September match the amazing start? or can it be EVEN BETTER?

 

[Ollie_H]

Top start for the Bluebirds here!

 

[Pakistani Army]

Best of luck Rhys.

 

[thesweepmaster]

Very good start mate! Cardiff are really a good side but they just need the right manager and I think you will be that manager.
Also I'm loving the story because my beloved Baggies are on top of the table .

 

[w3lshrugby]

LOOVENS UNHAPPY AT BLUEBIRDS

Rumours are spreading from Ninian Park today that Glenn Loovens, Cardiff's once-star defender, is heading for the exits.
This season, he has not been a major part of new manager Williams first team plans, as he has been on the bench for most matches in the season.

Cardiff have better players in Cathcart and Edgar now that they will easily survive without Loovens, but it will be a sad day when a once-great servant of the Cardiff-based club leaves for pastures new.
​

 

[covlad-99]

Good start mate, but its sad to here about Loovens, but he is surplus to requirements so its no worries.

 

[Highlander999]

I'm over the moon Gillingham were promoted. I hope they beat you next time round

Great start to the season mate, looking like a good story so far :cool:

 

[treva]

Not a bad start, 5th's pretty good. Lets see if you can keep it up

 

[PaulNixon1]

5ths a really goodstart Rhys KUTGW.

 

[freddiw]

good start mate, that player looks greasy, what scum