The Bluebirds become the second Welsh club to ever compete in the Barclays Premier League after Swansea, and their promotion comes after a big re-branding under their Malaysian owners, which was disputed by fans everywhere. They will be scrapping for survival this season.
Predicted Flop of the Year – Peter Whittingham
Squad
Goalkeepers: Grade D
David Marshall
Joe Lewis
Defenders: Grade D
Kevin McNaugton
Andrew Taylor
Mark Hudson
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| Whittingham has played for Aston Villa in the Premier League. (via Eurosport) |
Ben Turner
Ben Nugent
Matthew Connolly
Midfielders: Grade C-
Filip Kiss
Peter Whittingham
Don Cowie
Craig Conway
Bo-Kyeung Kim
Craig Noone
Aron Gunnarsson
Kadeem Harris
Jordan Mutch
Joe Ralls
Simon Lappin
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| Bellamy has the most Premier League experience. (via Huw Evans) |
Forwards: Grade D+
Etien Velikonja
Craig Bellamy
Joe Mason
Rudy Gestede
Nicky Maynard
Fraizer Campbell
Verdict:
Cardiff have finally made it into the top flight of English football after so many years of being branded the “nearly men”. They did in style, too, invincible through the season, and it was through the sheer brilliance and inspiration of returning hero Craig Bellamy.
Steven Caulker has left the heights of Tottenham and European football to join Cardiff’s revolution and I think it might just be the coup of the season. He joins an experienced backline and is sure to add more versatility and steel to the defence. If Cardiff can defend well, they have the quality going forward to stay in the Premier League. They have had a bid for Frenchman Etienne Capoue, and if that goes through, then that will top even this move.
In midfield, they have a serious force in goalscorers including fan’s favourite Peter Whittingham and also Aron Gunnarsson. They have creativity in the middle and players with Premier League experience up-front like Craig Bellamy, Fraizer Campbell. The young Joe Mason has also impressed many pundits.
Although they are looking good in the transfer market and have a decent squad already, Cardiff’s inexperience of a big league like this and the pressure of competing with Swansea might overwhelm the Blubeirds, and for this reason I believe they will go straight down, but will come back roaring stronger than ever in two years time.
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| Cardiff won the Championship last year, the first Welsh team to do so. (via WalesOnline) |
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