Neil Harris - First Press Conference

[Trigger]

Well he can only really surprise people, at least those on the forums, social media. I believed he would come across well in the press conference and I think he has.

It will be interesting to see how we play and what results we get going into January. With regards to style of play I'd be happy to see a quick direct style with an ability to mix up how the ball gets forward. Hasn't got to be death by passing or death by long ball, somewhere in the middle, but at pace would suit our fanbase far more than slow build up.

Talk of linking up with the academy more has to be a positive, if the players aren't good enough fine (this can be addressed in other ways) but at least give the more promising ones a chance to show what they can do.

[blue lewj]

I would go as far as saying if he does not at least try to play football he will be up the road very quickly.

I hope for his sake he does.

I would add that some of the comments he has made suggest he has read some of the forums.
The Warnock Mark II comment has popped up here and elsewhere a few times.

[RonnieBird]

Entirely positive and encouraging. My only constructive criticism is that the club should have organised this to coincide with the announcement of his appointment and got wider coverage .

[Shute]

Thanks for that jon1959. Sounds good to me

[Tuerto]

To me he sounds like he puts everything into his work and believes that hard work pays off. He sounds very committed, which is a good thing, also honest. It also sounds as if it's going to be direct, get the ball forward quickly and force errors in the final third, wasn't to sure about his comments on his managerial style comparable to how he played (limited but very determined) and comparing how he brings up his kids to how he'll treat Pro footballers. I'm behind him though, i'll give him every chance.

[Since62]

Excited?

A privilege to be here. A great opportunity. I left Millwall seven weeks ago and recharged the batteries. This is a wonderful job to come into, following Neil who did a fantastic job here. I’ve got a wonderful group of players who have achieved individually and collectively

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...-live-17272116

Interview process

Whirlwind. Meetings, meeting Ken, talking to Vincent on the phone. It’s been a whirlwind 48 hours rather than five or six days. Really positive. There’s some good people.

Football principles on and off the field?

Off the field is to manage with humility. When I went to Millwall in my first job, I had to build relations between the terraces and the football pitch, academy and the first team and try to bring it all together. There’s been a wonderful recent history at this club, for everybody. So I will bring humility to the club, huge energy and excitement about the group. Principles on the pitch, to be the manager the same way I played. Wholehearted, aggressive, passing the ball, getting it forward the right times. Working with a group of players who have been recruited previously, it’s not a revolution overnight. We want to be an aggressive team.

Club needed a different set of principles?

I’m a different person to Neil, younger and a different way of working. Different schedule and training methods, so the players will have to get on board with that quickly. On the pitch, you have to work with the players you’ve got at your disposal straight away and guide them. You can’t go from being Millwall, Cardiff City to Manchester City overnight. I want to maximise a good group of players.

Some very sensible comments in that press conference.
Although his appointment has been described as underwhelming or worse by others - of course everyone has their own opinion- he represents the best candidate of the various names put forward on social media. Lee Bowyer was hardly likely to have been considered by VT because of his previous racist reputation, some others were not even spoken to ( despite claims elsewhere). Chris Hughton and Tony Pulis too set in their ways and too old to change( like NW- determination is a virtue, stubbornness/ obstinacy far less so).

Personally I think Neil Harris will successfully put his own stamp on the existing squad and be far more flexible in his tactics than NW was ( which was about as flexible as I would be in a yoga class!). He will give everyone a chance, including young players rather than just picking “favourites” in positions and with tactics that don’t suit them.
Also encouraging is the immediate changes to the training personnel and methods. Not only did NWs team stick rigidly to his plans but many people will have noticed that injuries to players in training seemed to have been at far higher levels than at most other clubs- not just coincidence?

[A Quiet Monkfish]

Well he can only really surprise people, at least those on the forums, social media. I believed he would come across well in the press conference and I think he has.

It will be interesting to see how we play and what results we get going into January. With regards to style of play I'd be happy to see a quick direct style with an ability to mix up how the ball gets forward. Hasn't got to be death by passing or death by long ball, somewhere in the middle, but at pace would suit our fanbase far more than slow build up.

Talk of linking up with the academy more has to be a positive, if the players aren't good enough fine (this can be addressed in other ways) but at least give the more promising ones a chance to show what they can do.

I think anyone who expected a manager to come in and get this squad playing flowing, passing football is deluded. I'd hope for something along the lines you describe, a bit like City under Warnock before the players got a bit stale. Birmingham played us off the park for 30 minutes and we stuffed 4 goals past them..

[Tuerto]

Some very sensible comments in that press conference.
Although his appointment has been described as underwhelming or worse by others - of course everyone has their own opinion- he represents the best candidate of the various names put forward on social media. Lee Bowyer was hardly likely to have been considered by VT because of his previous racist reputation, some others were not even spoken to ( despite claims elsewhere). Chris Hughton and Tony Pulis too set in their ways and too old to change( like NW- determination is a virtue, stubbornness/ obstinacy far less so).

Personally I think Neil Harris will successfully put his own stamp on the existing squad and be far more flexible in his tactics than NW was ( which was about as flexible as I would be in a yoga class!). He will give everyone a chance, including young players rather than just picking “favourites” in positions and with tactics that don’t suit them.
Also encouraging is the immediate changes to the training personnel and methods. Not only did NWs team stick rigidly to his plans but many people will have noticed that injuries to players in training seemed to have been at far higher levels than at most other clubs- not just coincidence?

I think that he wants determination and honesty, an up and at 'em approach with some method added. I wonder if he likes his fullbacks to get forward, if so we could see a change in formation and the end of wingers, which is something i'd prefer especially as our wide players had to play as fullbacks at times.

[Tuerto]

I think anyone who expected a manager to come in and get this squad playing flowing, passing football is deluded. I'd hope for something along the lines you describe, a bit like City under Warnock before the players got a bit stale. Birmingham played us off the park for 30 minutes and we stuffed 4 goals past them..

I don't think that anyone expected flowing football and i also think that City fans will be onside if they can see an intensity to the play that Warnock lost, or maybe it was very difficult to sustain for a season. I'm happy to back Harris, it's going to be interesting, although i will say that graft, determination, aggression and honesty will only take us so far, we need quality at the right times and in the right areas, let's hope that he recognises that.

[Des Parrot]

All I ask is that he uses our players to their strengths & have the flexibility to change during a game.

[Tuerto]

All I ask is that he uses our players to their strengths & have the flexibility to change during a game.

Agreed, i don't think City fans are difficult to please.

[dembethewarrior]

Agree with that and if we get aggression, fast paced football that sees us on the front foot with a little bit of ball to feet

.

Agreed.

And I didn’t need to make a snidey remark about how you should post to agree with you, because I can leave it all in one thread and move on like a grown up does...

[Chris Pontprennau Blues]

His first presser was full of passion, excitement and sensible thinking - good luck to Neil

[jon1959]

His first presser was full of passion, excitement and sensible thinking - good luck to Neil

I agree. I just watched it on the club website, and it was far more impressive in the flesh than the blog quotes from Wales Online I posted earlier. I felt more confident about his commitment to the academy, more convinced that he would bring something different to training and selection, if not more confident that there was a different style of play there waiting to get out. Time will tell, but it was a good start. Good luck Neil!

[dembethewarrior]

I agree. I just watched it on the club website, and it was far more impressive in the flesh than the blog quotes from Wales Online I posted earlier. I felt more confident about his commitment to the academy, more convinced that he would bring something different to training and selection, if not more confident that there was a different style of play there waiting to get out. Time will tell, but it was a good start. Good luck Neil!

Might be worth me giving that a watch then, because I saw a few good bits when I read it but ultimately had the same dread over what we were going to be getting the more I read.

May help to hear him speak..

[surge]

Good answers. He'll be judged based on what happens on the pitch but a good start.

[Michael Morris]

I agree. I just watched it on the club website, and it was far more impressive in the flesh than the blog quotes from Wales Online I posted earlier. I felt more confident about his commitment to the academy, more convinced that he would bring something different to training and selection, if not more confident that there was a different style of play there waiting to get out. Time will tell, but it was a good start. Good luck Neil!

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news...nge-great-club

(you need a log in to the website)

[dembethewarrior]

I would go as far as saying if he does not at least try to play football he will be up the road very quickly.

I hope for his sake he does.

I would add that some of the comments he has made suggest he has read some of the forums.
The Warnock Mark II comment has popped up here and elsewhere a few times.

Just watched the full interview and it was the reporter that mentioned Warnock mark 2 in all fairness.

Although his comment on formation/playstyle/who the keeper should be (in reference to the fans having an opinion) did get my attention a bit as it reads like something that’s been talked about on here recently. Could be coincidence of course.

The full thing on the city app is worth a watch though I must admit, he came across very well, 28 minutes well spent for me.

[dembethewarrior]

Came across very well, certainly better than I got from reading the bits they put in the article, and the mini video on the WOL link.

Hold my hands up and admit he’s definitely a very likeable guy that grew on me the more I watched, loads of encouraging remarks, especially with creating links through the age groups, which is something I’ve moaned about incessantly for days, and also adapting play and not just being a route one team which I’ve also complained about to anyone that was reading my multiple critical posts.

First impressions are encouraging, I hope this transitions onto the pitch and we do actually mix it up and pass, I’ve never screamed for tippy tappy football, I just didn’t want aimless long balls and continuous bombardment of the 6 yard box with long hoofs, long throws, and long free kicks aimed at a giant in the box to win the flick on. It seems like he wants to evolve his style over time and understands what he’s inherited.

That said I’ll judge him on how we play and not how he says we’ll play (it’s all ideal in a press conference to put it across suppose the challenge is implementing it)


Probably could have put that essay in another thread come to think about it...

[Father Dougal]

Just watched the full interview and it was the reporter that mentioned Warnock mark 2 in all fairness.

Although his comment on formation/playstyle/who the keeper should be (in reference to the fans having an opinion) did get my attention a bit as it reads like something that’s been talked about on here recently. Could be coincidence of course.

The full thing on the city app is worth a watch though I must admit, he came across very well, 28 minutes well spent for me.

Good to see a positive thread but surely this is all stuff everybody was expecting?

Links to academy, bringing youngsters through, team wont be beaten for effort, evolution not revolution, the board want success, they will provide backing, high pressing football, good set of players already at the club, passionate group of fans and on and on....

Can anyone find me a new manager press conference from any club that doesnt have all of those things?

[Michael Morris]

neil_harris3.jpg

[Gnojek]

Seemed pretty clear that most of us were bored of the Warnock Way by the end, so any change is good. New voice, new tactics, new formation, new selections etc. I couldn't stand Slade but always got behind the team, as I will with Harris. However, I still think it's an uninspiring, unimaginative appointment.

[Tuerto]

Came across well, honest and Humble. On another note, Andy Dibble looks like Morrissey.

[Freitag 4.17]

Good God Neil, you're already boring the living shite out of me.

[Lawnmower]

Comes across a genuine guy. What you see is what you get. I never felt that was the case with Warnock who I thought played the fans card for his own gain. Slade, another one full of empty sound bites. Neil Harris wears his heart on his sleeve and I dont think we will see the everyone but myself blame culture weve had from the last two long term managers.

Underwhelming maybe but unfair to write the guy off before hes been allowed to put his own stamp on the team.

Welcome Neil

👍