Bluebirds tour – the verdict. Terry Phillips was the only journalist to watch all five matches on Cardiff City’s week-long Cornish trip.
Pre-season plaudits
Man of the tour: Neil Warnock. Watching the gaffer’s man management skills at close quarters was a privilege. He also inter-acted with Bluebirds fans – and put himself out to ensure they were able to get autographs and photographs of players.
Warnock is the vital ingredient to a Cardiff City promotion bid. Can he bring the best out of this squad? The signs are good.
Players of the tour: Frenchman Loic Damour and playmaker Lee Tomlin. Both look outstanding acquisitions. Damour is aggressive and full of energy, while Tomlin’s quick-thinking will bring dividends for City.
Best moment: Lee Tomlin’s pass which set up Kenneth Zohore for the winner at Plymouth.
“We talked before kick-off and I told Kenneth to make his runs even if I am not looking at him,” said Tomlin. “He did that when we had a free-kick and it worked a treat.”
Best goal: Loic Damour’s first time thunderbolt strike against Bodmin Town. A belter.
Pitch quality: Excellent. The playing surfaces at Tavistock, Bodmin and Plymouth were all spot on. St Austell and Bideford also had their pitches beautifully prepared.
Neil Warnock’s first team squad
Results:
AFC Tavistock 2, Cardiff City 7 (scorers – Kenneth Zohore 2, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing 2, Idriss Saadi 2, Joe Ralls).
Bodmin Town 1, Cardiff City 3 (Loic Damour 2, Kenneth Zohore).
Plymouth Argyle 0, Cardiff City 1 (Kenneth Zohore).
Next fixtures: Tuesday v Shrewsbury Town away on Tuesday (7pm); Friday v Livingston at Cardiff City Stadium (7pm).
The 19 players on tour:
Brian Murphy (minutes played 45+45=90). Tried and trusted. Neil Warnock has faith in the keeper, who will surely be among the substitutes at Burton.
Neil Etheridge (45+90+45). Will be Cardiff’s starting goalkeeper at Burton Albion in the Championship opener. Athletic,
Lee Peltier (45+77+15=136). Among the best right-backs in the Championship. Troubled by a minor injury niggle in Cornwall, but he’s fit and ready now.
Bruno Manga (90+9+45=144). At his best a class act, but can be prone to errors. Reads the play superbly and cuts out danger with clinical ease at times, but was involved in both goals scored by Tavistock in their tour opener.
Sean Morrison, capt (90+13+90=193). A captain who pledged allegiance to the Bluebirds when Sheffield Wednesday came calling, offering him big money. Morrison told Cardiff he wanted to stay and has signed a new three-year contract. Will surely start at Burton.
Matt Connolly (90+45+70=205). Solid, dependable, versatile. Can be trusted at full-back or centre-back.
Loic Damour (45+81+45=171). The Frenchman is aggressive, mobile, can pick a pass and his stunning first time strike at Bodmin showed he has a powerful shot. City fans will love watching this guy.
Joe Ralls (90+45+90=225). Quick and athletic, a midfield player who makes the most of his ability. Works tirelessly. Looked sharp and incisive on tour.
Matty Kennedy (45+90+45=180). Impressed on loan at Plymouth last season and their manager, Derek Adams, would love to sign him again. Adams admits that won’t be possible. The skilful, tricky Kennedy has a real chance of breaking though for Cardiff.
Kadeem Harris (45) A big season for the winger, who has blistering pace and has earned the trust of Warnock. Played in the first game, but was rested after that with a slight muscle strain.
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (90+45+45=180). Strong, quick and direct. Can play through the middle or from wide areas.
Idriss Saadi (45). Scored twice against AFC Tavistock, but moved on when French club Strasbourg offered a ‘substantial and undisclosed’ fee and a four-year contract.
Danny Ward (45+80=125). Likely to link up with Zohore in attack. Ward can play through the middle or on the left, where he often operated for Rotherham when Neil Warnock was manager.
Kenneth Zohore (45+66=111). Full of confidence, scored four goals in three games on tour. Scored 12 last season – and is aiming for quite a few more in 2017-18.
Sol Bamba (90+45=135). Big Sol is number one at the heart of defence and will link up with Morrison against Burton. A sound and solid partnership.
Joe Bennett (90+75=165). A left-back of genuine Championship quality. Consistent and effective.
Ibrahim Meite (10). A raw talent who has pace and awareness. Went on near the end of Cardiff’s match at Plymouth – and then started in the development team at Bideford the next day.
Declan John (24). Merthyr Tydfil-born John played in three matches in three days – twice for the development team and once, off the bench against Plymouth, for the senior line-up. Likely to move on in search of regular first team football, but his attitude and application are spot on.
Lee Tomlin (45). Will never be the fittest player in the squad, but his football brain is razor sharp. Can spot a pass quickly – and expects strikers to be running. Loves to play the number 10 role. The Tomlin/Zohore partnership will be key for City.
The nine players who did not play:
Lee Camp (gk). Has been training and was in Cornwall for the pre-season trip, but is not yet ready to play. Camp is close, though, as his fitness levels increase and will be playing soon.
Ben Wilson (gk). Did not travel to Cornwall. Out of contract on July 30 – and looks certain to move on.
Callum Paterson. Still in rehab after injury, but did travel to Cornwall with the squad.
Craig Noone. It was thought Noone would join the Cardiff squad in midweek, but that didn’t happen. He has been with the Bluebirds for five years, but he needs a new challenge and will move on.
Has had a ‘heart to heart’ with Warnock about his future and it seems that will be away from Cardiff.
Stuart O’Keefe. Did not travel to Cornwall and Devon. Stayed in South Wales and looks likely to be leaving the Bluebirds.
Anthony Pilkington. Suffered a muscle injury during the pre-season opener at Taff’s Well and has not played since. The problem is not serious and Pilkington, who was in Cornwall with the squad, has been able to train.
Junior Hoilett. On his way back to Wales after playing for Canada at the Concacaf Gold Cup in America.
Hoilett scored in Canada’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat against Jamaica.
Frederic Gounongbe. Has a year left on his contract, but has not been seen at any of the pre-season matches. Is not in Neil Warnock’s plans.
Rhys Healey. In rehab recovering from injury.
Cardiff City under-23 development team. Coaches Jarrad Harvey and Andy Legg.
Results:
St Austell 2, Cardiff City 2 (Declan John, Mark Harris).
Bodmin Town 2, Cardiff City 1 (Ibrahim Meite, pen).
Next fixtures: v Hereford United away on Wednesday (7.45pm), v Harrow Borough away on Saturday (2pm).
The 12 under-23 players on tour – plus a number of unnamed trialists
Oliver Byrne, gk (61+73=134). The tall, athletic goalkeeper was born in Trafford, Manchester. The 19-year-old signed for Cardiff on a three-year contract a year ago after being released by Manchester United.
Jordan Duffey, gk (29+17=46). Young goalkeeper, aged 16, who officially joined Cardiff’s Academy this month. Signed from Plymouth Argyle.
Cameron Coxe (90+90=180). Tall and quick, an overlapping right-back. Keen to get forward, but also a highly effective defensively. Wales youth international who is a former pupil at Afon Taf High School, Merthyr Tydfil.
Has been in the Bluebirds academy since the age of seven.
Declan John (90+90=180). Wales international who played three matches in three days on tour, two for the under-23 team.
Jamie Veale (90+52=142). Tenacious midfield player, aged 20. Captain of the development team.
Lloyd Humphries (90+38=128). Originally from Neath, the 19-year-old is a Wales under-19 international. Played for Bryncoch FC before joining to Swansea City’s under-9 squad, but then opted for a switch to the Bluebirds.
Has pace, is confident in possession and has an excellent passing range.
Connor Young (90+90=180). Joined the Bluebirds Academy in 2012. Reliable, composed, consistent central defender.
Mark Harris (90+90=180). ’Sparky’ has played Championship and FA Cup football for the Bluebirds. Aged 18, he can play wide or in a central attacking position.
Marco Weymans (61+45=106). Belgian youth international, aged 19. Versatile midfield player, who makes strong attacking runs and can pick a pass.
Rhys Abbruzzese (45). Quick, overlapping full-back from Aberdare. Wales youth international who loves to get up and down in wide areas.
Signed for Cardiff at the age of nine, a decade ago. Technically excellent, reads the game well. Has a good attitude, works on his game and is mature for his age. Suffered an injury v St Austell and could not play at Bideford.
James Waite (45+60=105). Midfielder with an eye for the spectacular and who has shown his ability scoring from set pieces.
Tyrone Duffus (38). The Cheltenham-born attacking midfield player, aged 20, spent five years at Everton before being released this summer. He played for City against AFC St Austell in Cornwall.