<div id="attachment_903" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http:\/\/epltalk.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2010/08/bellamyspeed.jpg"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div></a><p id="caption-attachment-903" class="wp-caption-text">Bluebirds player Bellamy and Blades Manager Speed</p></div>
<p>It’s a good week for Welsh football, as not only has one of the greatest ever Welsh players produced become manager of Sheffield United, but a Welsh striker of top Premier League quality has joined the Bluebirds. <a href="http:\/\/www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11683_6315663,00.html">Gary Speed is expected to be named manager of Yorkshire outfit Sheffield United</a> and <a href="http:\/\/www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11704_6317824,00.html">Craig Bellamy will make a dream move to play for Cardiff City on a season long loan</a>. The move to management for Speed was something I always felt was coming and it is great to see one of the most likeable people in the game get a start at a good club like the Blades. The move for Bellamy is one that will surprise many however, as last season Bellamy was putting Premier League defences to the sword and considering Cardiff’s uncertain financial situation it is a massive coup for the club who will feel that if Bellamy stays fit then they could finally become the first Welsh side to play in England’s top flight.</p>
<p>A first chance in management for Speed who recently received an MBE earlier in the year and his first shot at taking the reins could be rather tricky. Although a decent opening day draw at Cardiff, where the Blades went down to ten men, Hartlepool and QPR found it easier in against United in the league cup and Championship respectively. A 3-0 home defeat against QPR and former manager Neil Warnock and it appeared to be the final straw in the relationship between Kevin Blackwell and the Blades board. To me, it seemed quite bizarre to make this decision with only two games into the season. Many fans were apparently calling for Blackwell to be removed from his position after seeing their side humbled by Rangers and it appears that the board members heard those cries. I think Speed has all the makings to be a great manager, but it is important that he is put alongside and assistant who is experienced. Sheffield United have brought in a few decent signings, but due to a few financial constraints, itis difficult to expect them to really push on for a playoff berth this season and it is probably more expectant the he has a decent first season in charge of the Blades that they can then build off. As a fan of Gary Speed I wish him all the best and hope he finds success in his first managerial job.</p>
<p>The other piece of big Welsh news this week is of course that Craig Bellamy has now signed for Cardiff. This for me (and probably everyone else) is signing of the summer for any Championship side. Man City’s reluctance to give Bellamy to one of their Premier League rivals has seen the player fulfil a dream of his by finally getting to play for his hometown club. Last season, Bellamy looked like an important part of the Man City attack and if he stays fit he will terrify every defence in England’s second tier. It’s a sensational transfer and I bet there are a lot more people throwing money on Cardiff to gain promotion now. Bellamy could start in the game against Doncaster Rovers this weekend and will have a chance to get the first team football he has been craving. It’s unlikely that Cardiff are funding his entire wages and this may well be a case of Man City being unwilling to strengthen fellow Premier League sides, as Bellamy is still a quality player that can play at the top level. If he stays fit, few will doubt that Craig Bellamy will have a great season in the Championship and could give Cardiff that little extra push to help them finally achieve promotion. In any case, Dave Jones must be doing cartwheels around the streets of Cardiff right now.</p>


Welsh Dragons Bellamy and Speed Look To Shake Up The Championship - World Soccer Talk

Welsh Dragons Bellamy and Speed Look To Shake Up The Championship

<div id="attachment_657" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-657" class="wp-caption-text">Can Kevin Blackwell turn around United&apos;s fortunes?</p></div>
<p>It is probably against all the rules of a blog to direct the reader away in the first paragraph, but I think it’s worth it. Before you read this little ramble, have a listen to the <a href="http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8302861.stm">BBC interview</a> with Kevin Blackwell, conducted after Sheffield United’s 3-0 defeat at Blackpool a week ago last Saturday.</p>
<p>Fun, isn’t it? To my mind, that is an interview every bit as shocking and, let’s be honest, amusing as Kevin Keegan’s famous ‘I’d love it’ moment or Rafa Benitez’s accusations aimed at Manchester United last season. As it’s in the Championship, though, the media seemed to have largely ignored it.</p>
<p>To me, that sounds like a manager in meltdown. Poor Seth, the journalist, asks a pretty valid question: “Do you still feel the spirit is strong?” United, who came third last season and possessed an incredibly mean defence, had just lost 3-0 at Blackpool. Moreover, it followed a defeat at Scunthorpe, a last-gasp draw at home to winless Ipswich, a failure to defeat Doncaster and a loss at Swansea. After Saturday’s 4-3 home defeat to Cardiff, the Blades have failed to keep a clean sheet since September 12th and have conceded a rotten 21 goals in their last eight games. If anything, Seth was being kind in his phraseology.</p>
<p>Blackwell, however, did not see it that way at all. Seth’s question provoked a response so defensive and so visceral that you cannot help but assume the journalist had touched a very raw nerve indeed. Blackwell proceeds to spend three minutes desperately reaching for excuses. Injuries come high up the list, but excuses about injuries rarely wash – all clubs face the same problem.</p>
<p>Apart from injuries, though, Blackwell insists: “That’s life… It just happens… It’s just not happening for us… Things aren’t dropping for us at the moment.” Essentially, he seems to be suggesting that it’s just bad luck. But when even that doesn’t seem to convince anyone, he resorts to insulting the journalist who is calmly trying to do his job: “That’s a stupid question,” he retorts. “Come on, don’t be stupid,” he argues. “That’s rubbish, Seth,” he falters. But what has Seth said? Seth’s question is perfectly valid. It is Blackwell’s retorts that stink of refuse and panic.</p>
<p>Perhaps this is all a result of a bit of deja vu for the United manager. Back in 2006, he took Leeds all the way to a play-off final, one win away from the Premier League. That season he never spurned an opportunity to bemoan how little he had to spend on his team (usually just before spending over a million on Rob Hulse or Richard Cresswell) but clearly Leeds had better resources than most at that time. Following a transparent attempt to position Leeds as the underdogs against Watford in the final, Blackwell was tactically destroyed by Aidy Boothroyd as the Hornets won 3-0. Leeds’ descent the following season was rapid and they finished bottom.</p>
<p>I wonder if that season is now rattling around his brain once more. Only that injury time equaliser against Ipswich stops it from looking like a fully-fledged crisis.</p>
<p>Blackwell is keen to blame injuries, new players and a lack of fit midfielders. Yet this is a side that on Saturday included Matt Kilgallon, Chris Morgan, James Harper, Glen Little, Stephen Quinn, Kyle Walker and £3m-worth of Ched Evans. Henri Camara was only on the bench. Can a manager who can field those players in this league really be moaning about injuries?</p>
<p>Whichever way you look at it this is a dire run and the Blades’ defence, the rock on which their season was built last season, appears to be crumbling.&nbsp; Blackwell’s outburst against an honest, local journalist after a poor result only serves to highlight the pressure the manager is feeling. Perhaps the Blades’ next game, at home to Newcastle on Monday, will galvanise the crowd and shake the team up. Blackwell will hope so, because many more defeats and goals conceded and he might find himself on nodding terms with Gareth Southgate in the dole queue.</p>


Are The Cracks Showing For Blackwell Once More? - World Soccer Talk

Are The Cracks Showing For Blackwell Once More?

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Leagues: Championship

Welsh Dragons Bellamy and Speed Look To Shake Up The Championship

Leagues: Championship

Are The Cracks Showing For Blackwell Once More?