Neil Harris has set Cardiff City’s sights on FA Cup safe passage before gaining revenge at home to rivals Swansea City next week.
The Bluebirds manager has demanded something memorable from his players in their FA Cup third round home tie against Carlisle after the humiliation of their 6-1 Championship defeat at QPR on New Year’s Day.
Harris wants more than just the avoidance of a potential Cup banana skin against Carlisle, but any improvements will have to come without the services of flying winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who is set to undergo surgery on his ruptured hamstring next week.
“I watched the whole game back against QPR soon after and then saw the first hour again. We all know we have to be better,” said Harris.
“The Cup tie against Carlisle is an opportunity to adjust the group on the back of a defeat. On paper we should get through, but anything can happen in the FA Cup.
“The message to the players is that I want to go through, I expect to go through and I want a reaction after what happened at QPR.
“The game next week against Swansea is the best league game we could have – a local derby at home on the back of a disappointing result and performance at Swansea earlier in the season.”
Harris knows all about giant-killing acts in the FA Cup from his previous managerial experience at Millwall and points to the 3-2 fourth round win over Everton last year as the pick of the bunch. That’s why he is wary of slipping-up on a potential banana skin like Carlisle.
“They are coming off a disappointing result as well, but it’s an opportunity for them to travel to a team two leagues above and have a right go – it’s a free hit for them,” said Harris.
Neil Harris: I Need To Clear The Decks At Cardiff . . . Or I’ll Go The Way Of Warnock https://t.co/pSsRPEu4RP via @Dai_Sport_
— Dai Sport (@Dai_Sport_) January 2, 2020
“I love the FA Cup and one of my best moments in football was walking out to play at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff with Millwall in the 2004 final. I had some good moments as a manager at Millwall as well and I want to progress into the fourth round.”
The injury to Mendez Laing will give Northern Ireland cap Gavin Whyte and £10m man Josh Murphy a chance to push for a recall at a time when Harris is looking to shave to squad and try to find a way to promote some younger talent. He may not have much money to spend this month, but he is promising change.
“Some players need to move on for their own benefit and for a change a scenery. What the game at QPR highlighted to everyone is that we need to change and the culture within this group needs to change,” added Harris.
“Mendez Laing will see the specialist on Monday and at the moment we just have to look at the worst case scenario, which is that he is highly unlikely to play again this season.
“He has been great around the place since I came here. It is a disappointment, but it means there is an opportunity for some else to grasp.”
Sean Morrison has promised Cardiff City fans a reaction after Cardiff’s humbling defeat at Loftus Road.
The City skipper was on the bench but apologised to the fans for the New Year’s Day massacre.
“I have been here five-and-a-half years and never experienced a defeat like that before. All I can do is apologise to the fans who pay to come and watch us week in, week out – it wasn’t good enough,” said Morrison.
“I’m sure the manger will ensure that it never happens again and as players we need to look at ourselves in the mirror and make sure it doesn’t happen again. We need to be better than that because losing by than number of goals isn’t acceptable.
“The only way we can put the QPR result to bed is by getting a win in the FA Cup game. We were moving in the right direction before that result.
“We’ve probably under-performed in the first half of the season, but if we can raise our game 10% and go on a few runs then we have a great chance to reach the play-offs. We are only three points off at the moment.”