The Aaron Ramsey interview: I want to be at Cardiff City next season and take us to the Premier League

[FormerlyJohnnyBreadhead]

Who are the three?

Bianchieri, Charlie Crew, and Lewys Benjamin?

In all seriousness, Ashford, Colwill, and Bagan all look like comfortable Championship players, which is a undeniably a step forward over the previous 10-15 years of academy output. Bagan is very quietly having an excellent season. The likes of Luey Giles and Ronan Kpakio look promising too and, importantly, are getting exposure to the first team at 17/18 as opposed to 20/21, as has previously been the case.

I think people are writing Will Fish off a bit too quickly as well. He seems like more of a McGuinness-type old school centre half which, as recent games have shown, are still a necessity in this league. Still only 22.

Daland is increasingly looking like a lost cause though. He really needs to get to grips with the pace and physicality of this league. That said, I remember Mark Hudson having a stinker of a first season and he turned out alright.

[The Lone Gunman]

I assume Jimmy means Colwill, Ashford and Bagan.

If he does, then I can understand his enthusiasm as far as Ashford is concerned, but I think he's being extremely optimistic in the cases of both Colwill and Bagan (and I like the latter a lot).

That said, all sorts of players who are Championship standard at best have ended up making appearances in the top flight. Don Cowie, Declan John, Craig Noone, Ben Turner, Greg Cunningham, Kadeem Harris, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Callum Paterson, Lee Peltier, Joe Ralls, Danny Ward and Kenneth Zohore all played in the Premier League for City, so I guess anything is possible.

[The Lone Gunman]

I should have added that Jimmy is clearly the optimistic type. After all, he backed City to make the play-offs before the current season started.

[jon1959]

WOL article about Riza's comments on Bagan:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...ecial-31049754

"I knew from the minute I walked in the club at the start of the season, I said, 'He's a special player'. And that was before I started to play him.

"He has qualities in possession, he could be a top, top player in possession, at the top level, with his distribution, touch and quality with his left foot and his calmness.

"He defends well enough and he's quick. His duelling can be better, aerially, but that's something that can come with his experience as a centre-half over time.

"I think he can do both (left-back and centre-back). In a back three, left-side of a back three, I think he could be superb. Maybe in a two is a little bit tougher for him, having to deal directly with big strikers. Whereas if it's a three, we can let Dimi (Goutas) go up and deal with it and he can come around and protect.

"And in possession - he is one of the best. He can find pockets, he can find deep passes. For us, he is a massive asset for the club. I don't like to say it, but I've said it from the start, he could be a top, top player."

[The Lone Gunman]

Wow.

[Rjk]

I remember Bellamy saying his best position might be the left of a back 3 or something like that, a few years ago

[Pedro de la Rosa]

I remember Bellamy saying his best position might be the left of a back 3 or something like that, a few years ago

https://roathboy.com/vftn-x-craig-be...the-graduates/

Joel is an interesting kid. I brought him in from Southampton and he was a left winger, who could also play the number 10 role. He was such a good footballer, but I didn’t see him as a tricky winger and I didn’t see him in the pocket, on the half turn. We were playing pre-season in Italy and told him I was going to play him in a back three. He was shocked because he had never played there before, but I told him not to worry about it because his defending would improve and we would get his positioning right. I promised him he would have more of the ball than he had ever had before. I knew he could break the lines with his passing and there’s not many that can do it. He has the quality to put disguise on it as well. He was outstanding and he’s a lovely kid. He’s an exceptional, intelligent footballer, so he can defend headers and launch it down the channel, but if you want to play and hurt the opposition, he can do that too.

[BlueArmy 86]

I can see Bagan becoming a key player. He’s been excellent recently.

[Bobby Dandruff]

The Aaron Ramsey interview: I want to be at Cardiff City next season and take us to the Premier League

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...gn=communities

And I want to be young and thin again.

[Rjk]

I can see Bagan becoming a key player. He’s been excellent recently.

Yes, he has.

And it wasn't at al long ago we were getting people on here saying he wan't good enough - league 1 at best, if he was going to be any good he'd have already broken into the team etc etc.

Young players improve at different rates, stall in progress and often go backwards at times - hopefully we can learn not to write off some of our younger prospects as quickly.

[Jimmy the Jock]

Yes, he has.

And it wasn't at al long ago we were getting people on here saying he wan't good enough - league 1 at best, if he was going to be any good he'd have already broken into the team etc etc.

Young players improve at different rates, stall in progress and often go backwards at times - hopefully we can learn not to write off some of our younger prospects as quickly.

Now you are being ridiculous.

[Jimmy the Jock]

I remember Bellamy saying his best position might be the left of a back 3 or something like that, a few years ago

That's a great article , where Craig runs his eye over our youngsters .

Bagans ability to put a cross field pass turning defense into attack is something to behold.
His defending is decent , just seems to have a good footballing brain.

[The Lone Gunman]

That's a great article , where Craig runs his eye over our youngsters .

It's good, but it's dated 2021...

[Jimmy the Jock]

It's good, but it's dated 2021...

It is indeed , so all the more interesting to read today ... Dont you think?

And while we are at it , I would like to retract the remark "youngsters" and replace with home grown with regard players coming through. Obviously you can't be youngster at 22 in some places.

[The Lone Gunman]

It is indeed , so all the more interesting to read today ... Dont you think?

And while we are at it , I would like to retract the remark "youngsters" and replace with home grown with regard players coming through. Obviously you can't be youngster at 22 in some places.

It is interesting, particularly when you consider how the players' careers have developed. For instance, Bellamy seemed to think very highly of Sam Bowen. At the age of 24 he's now playing in the National League.

Meanwhile, Bagan's career has been a bit odd so far. His Championship stats are as follows:

2020/21 - 5 (+2) appearances
2021/22 - 22 (+4) appearances and 3 goals
2022/23 - 1 appearance
2023/24 - 0 appearances (on loan in the Belgian second tier)
2024/25 - 11 (+11) appearances

I like Bagan, always have, but I'm more than a little surprised at the plaudits he's suddenly getting. I think he's done OK this season, but it does feel like people are going a bit over the top at the moment.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

I like Bagan, always have, but I'm more than a little surprised at the plaudits he's suddenly getting. I think he's done OK this season, but it does feel like people are going a bit over the top at the moment.

He looks like a competent Championship footballer, so he stands out...

[The Lone Gunman]

He looks like a competent Championship footballer, so he stands out...

There is that.

[Jimmy the Jock]

I should have added that Jimmy is clearly the optimistic type. After all, he backed City to make the play-offs before the current season started.

I tend to bet with my head rather than my heart , so at the time I believed there was value in that bet , it was little more than an interest bet . The bet to finish top half was far more painful to the pocket.

Being a pessimist is a very gloomy dull existence, especially when it comes to football.

[The Lone Gunman]

Being a pessimist is a very gloomy dull existence, especially when it comes to football.

It’s not compulsory to be either an optimist or a pessimist. You can be a realist instead.

[Jimmy the Jock]

It’s not compulsory to be either an optimist or a pessimist. You can be a realist instead.

I consider myself to be a realist . Its the pessimists who see me as an optimist.

[KingOfSiamIAm]

WOL article about Riza's comments on Bagan:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...ecial-31049754

"I knew from the minute I walked in the club at the start of the season, I said, 'He's a special player'. And that was before I started to play him.

"He has qualities in possession, he could be a top, top player in possession, at the top level, with his distribution, touch and quality with his left foot and his calmness.

"He defends well enough and he's quick. His duelling can be better, aerially, but that's something that can come with his experience as a centre-half over time.

"I think he can do both (left-back and centre-back). In a back three, left-side of a back three, I think he could be superb. Maybe in a two is a little bit tougher for him, having to deal directly with big strikers. Whereas if it's a three, we can let Dimi (Goutas) go up and deal with it and he can come around and protect.

"And in possession - he is one of the best. He can find pockets, he can find deep passes. For us, he is a massive asset for the club. I don't like to say it, but I've said it from the start, he could be a top, top player."

The comments made about going up against big strikers is a bit strange, given the fact that in the last game against the Wurzils, he was mostly marking their main “big striker” and did a good job from what I could see… deffo in the first half anyway.

I like Bagan, he seems a tough cookie which belies his young innocent looking features.

[B. Oddie]

I'm not knocking Riza or the team. I like Riza and think he is growing into the job - and comes across as an honest and decent person who is willing to learn and change - and has given Academy players more of a chance than most of his predecessors.

There have been some good individual and team performances - and a handful of very entertaining games. Even when it is more of a slog it is better than the stuff Bulut served up.

But we are in a relegation fight with a porous defence of players who are often out of form, out of position, inexperienced or crocked. There was also Elland Road - a different kind of suicide watch football!

If we survive in this league I am more optimistic about next season.

I am warming to Riza as a man after what I considered to be a bad start in his whining about wanting the job longer term.

A big turning point was his reaction to that shit house Swansea player.

Yes, he was grieving, but he showed he has "the minerals" as they say where he's from.

[Enoch Mort]

Is anyone allowed to suggest that giving Aaron Ramsey another contract would almost certainly be a terrible idea? Asking for a friend.

I think your friend is right to be concerned. If the rumours of Rambos remuneration are true then he is certainly an expensive option. Whether he has been value for the money spent on him so far or not is a matter of opinion. Returns on the pitch have been limited. The off the pitch effect - who knows ? Affordability is obviously a major concern. If we are relegated or not there are some major financial impacts upon the Club just around the corner. Given the Club's wage bill the increase in employers national insurance is going to be a big hit, also on contractors who supply services to the Club (stewarding for example?). I don't know to what extent the minimum wage might effect the Club either directly or indirectly but that is something else where an increase is imminent. Unless they find room for him in the existing Coaching establishment on a salary commensurate to his coaching experience it may be difficult to re-employ him on wages that are similar to what he is rumoured to be receiving at the moment. Relegation or not it's going to be interesting to see what they decide. Also. given the known cost increases facing the Club it's also going to be interesting to see how they pitch season ticket prices for next year.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Meanwhile, police arrest Ramsey on suspicion of smoking illegal substances.

He's got the first bit early.