A poor international window

[The Lone Gunman]

Not very productive for our Cardiff City players, was it?

I think I'm right in saying we had nine players in the senior and under-21 squads, and six of them didn't get to play a single minute.

The list is as follows:

Joel Colwill – 0 minutes for Wales
Rubin Colwill – 0 minutes for Wales
Isaak Davies – 0 minutes for Wales
Luey Giles – 45 minutes Wales U-21 v Belgium U-21
Ronan Kpakio – 26 minutes for Wales v England
Dylan Lawlor – 0 minutes for Wales
Dakarai Mafico – 0 minutes for Wales U-21
Tanatswa Nyakuhwa – 129 minutes for Wales U-21 v Belgium U-21 and Austria U-21
Alex Robertson – 0 minutes for Australia

[Hilts]

Im pretty sure Kpakio ,Joel Colwill and Isaak Davies in particular will see their call ups as a positive.

[Cardiff-Cal]

Lawlor was apparently in line to play V Belgium but had a knock.

Rubin made the bench in a key game.

Kpakio made the bench in both games and even got some minutes.

Joel and Isaak will just be happy to have been called up I’m sure.
Joel especially, hes 20 and has only ever played at League 1 and 2 level.

Didn’t we have a total of 20 players called up across the age groups?

It’s definitely progress.

[Loramski]

Im pretty sure Kpakio ,Joel Colwill and Isaak Davies in particular will see their call ups as a positive.

Mafico and Perrett at under-21 level too. I assume Ashford and Lawlor would've played but for injury.

[North Cardiff Blue]

With ten players away, likely relegated to training opposition duties for Wales, the interruption to our tactical work and team cohesion is significant. While there's often talk about the benefit of players gaining experience with national teams, that doesn't outweigh the immediate disadvantage this creates for our upcoming fixtures.

This is especially true when you factor in the injury to Lawlor and our best central defender: while it's a setback for the upcoming games, it gives Chambers one more chance.

[The Lone Gunman]

Mafico and Perrett at under-21 level too. I assume Ashford and Lawlor would've played but for injury.

I didn't notice Perrett in the Under-21 squad, but he also got no minutes on the pitch.

[Loramski]

I didn't notice Perrett in the Under-21 squad, but he also got no minutes on the pitch.

Him and Mafico (and Kpakio) could have played under-19s this week. Kpakio, Lawlor and Joel Colwill could've played under-21s. There are pros and cons of moving players up to a higher level. From a City point of view Mafico could've done with some game time but that's not an issue for Wales to worry about.

[The Lone Gunman]

Him and Mafico (and Kpakio) could have played under-19s this week. Kpakio, Lawlor and Joel Colwill could've played under-21s. There are pros and cons of moving players up to a higher level. From a City point of view Mafico could've done with some game time but that's not an issue for Wales to worry about.

To my uneducated eye, it looks daft to call up under-21 players to a senior squad and then not even include them in the matchday squad or give them any minutes in a friendly. I appreciate in Lawlor's case it was down to an injury, but Colwill Jnr should really have been with the under-21's.

As for Robertson, I have no clue what his call-up was all about. Australia had 12 subs for their friendly against the USA last night but he wasn't among them. Did he actually go?

[Dave Blue]

With ten players away, likely relegated to training opposition duties for Wales, the interruption to our tactical work and team cohesion is significant. While there's often talk about the benefit of players gaining experience with national teams, that doesn't outweigh the immediate disadvantage this creates for our upcoming fixtures.

This is especially true when you factor in the injury to Lawlor and our best central defender: while it's a setback for the upcoming games, it gives Chambers one more chance.

I know we are all big fans of our club, many to the point of obsession but getting the country to a World Cup has to be a bigger priority than winning our next league game?

[Trigger]

To my uneducated eye, it looks daft to call up under-21 players to a senior squad and then not even include them in the matchday squad or give them any minutes in a friendly. I appreciate in Lawlor's case it was down to an injury, but Colwill Jnr should really have been with the under-21's.

As for Robertson, I have no clue what his call-up was all about. Australia had 12 subs for their friendly against the USA last night but he wasn't among them. Did he actually go?

Just saw this posted on wales online, some quotes from the Australia manager. I don't think it mentions why he didn't play for them but perhaps the first public comment we have that something isn't quite right with him at City.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/foot...d=BingNewsVerp

[Loramski]

To my uneducated eye, it looks daft to call up under-21 players to a senior squad and then not even include them in the matchday squad or give them any minutes in a friendly. I appreciate in Lawlor's case it was down to an injury, but Colwill Jnr should really have been with the under-21's.

As for Robertson, I have no clue what his call-up was all about. Australia had 12 subs for their friendly against the USA last night but he wasn't among them. Did he actually go?

I don't think there's always a right or wrong answer when it comes bringing youngsters through, at club or international level.

Bellamy probably saw a scenario where he would've used Joel (injuries, illness, tactical etc) and would rather he was part of the squad than risk having to call him back from Austria at the last minute. Maybe he just feels it would be better in the long term to integrate him into the full squad now and that u-21 stuff wouldn't benefit him.

Like I said in the other thread, Rob Tanciewicz was captain of the u-17s yesterday as they drew with Italy. Would it be better to fast track him into the u-18s or 19s or is he better off getting more game time, learning some leadership qualities and benefitting the other u-17s by playing with him? I haven't a clue.

As far as I know, Robertson went and Ng was training with Singapore but I'm not certain of either.

[Trigger]

I know we are all big fans of our club, many to the point of obsession but getting the country to a World Cup has to be a bigger priority than winning our next league game?

Think the problem is only Lawlor was ever likely to play. I know Kpakio got ten minutes at Wembley which would have been great for him but in terms of City's involvement in attempting to improve our world cup hopes we had zero involvement.

Most fans would agree with you but for the club itself it's a huge distraction and when you have two windows so close together, quite a disruption.

[The Lone Gunman]

Like I said in the other thread, Rob Tanciewicz was captain of the u-17s yesterday as they drew with Italy. Would it be better to fast track him into the u-18s or 19s or is he better off getting more game time, learning some leadership qualities and benefitting the other u-17s by playing with him? I haven't a clue.

I don't pay too much attention to youth football or international football in general, but I've been surprised recently to see there are so many age levels. Does that actually help anyone?

Under-16's, under-18's, under-19's, under-21's and you say there's also under-17's. That seems daft to me. Surely under-16's, under-18's and under-21's would be more than sufficient?

[Trigger]

I don't pay too much attention to youth football or international football in general, but I've been surprised recently to see there are so many age levels. Does that actually help anyone?

Under-16's, under-18's, under-19's, under-21's and you say there's also under-17's. That seems daft to me. Surely under-16's, under-18's and under-21's would be more than sufficient?

I suspect it doesn't improve our performances too much but would give more players the opportunity to play. I'd imagine it benefits larger nations with far larger player pools than us.

[splott parker]

I know we are all big fans of our club, many to the point of obsession but getting the country to a World Cup has to be a bigger priority than winning our next league game?

I’m caring less and less about this coming World Cup. Purely from a selfish point of view if the finals were in say, Germany or France I’d have 100% interest in us qualifying with the travel logistics involved. No chance of me venturing over the Atlantic for this over the top, money mad jamboree.
Of course I’d love us to make it but not to be there would take the shine off it. It looks as though it’s going to trump (pun intended) Qatar as the ultimate ‘f*ck the fans’ tournament. The City are definitely my priority at the moment.

[J R Hartley]

Lawlor was apparently in line to play V Belgium but had a knock.

Rubin made the bench in a key game.

Kpakio made the bench in both games and even got some minutes.

Joel and Isaak will just be happy to have been called up I’m sure.
Joel especially, hes 20 and has only ever played at League 1 and 2 level.

Didn’t we have a total of 20 players called up across the age groups?

It’s definitely progress.

Spoilsport. Let Shrimpy have his moment of CCFC negativity. It's his oxygen.

[The Lone Gunman]

Just saw this posted on wales online, some quotes from the Australia manager. I don't think it mentions why he didn't play for them but perhaps the first public comment we have that something isn't quite right with him at City.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/foot...d=BingNewsVerp

Interesting. BBM has previously hinted quite heavily that all is not right. I think it's looking ever more likely that Roberston will be gone in January. Perhaps he would have been gone in the summer if it wasn't for injury.

[jon1959]

Think the problem is only Lawlor was ever likely to play. I know Kpakio got ten minutes at Wembley which would have been great for him but in terms of City's involvement in attempting to improve our world cup hopes we had zero involvement.

Most fans would agree with you but for the club itself it's a huge distraction and when you have two windows so close together, quite a disruption.

Kpakio got half an hour - not 10 minutes. Enough to justify his involvement.

[Rjk]

Kpakio got half an hour - not 10 minutes. Enough to justify his involvement.

And I thought he did pretty well

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

And I thought he did pretty well

Lucky Bellamy didn't let Doku loose on him....

[North Cardiff Blue]

And I thought he did pretty well

He did, he's going to be quality as is, Lawlor

[Trigger]

Lucky Bellamy didn't let Doku loose on him....

Love watching Doku, almost a throwback winger, everything done at absolute thunder **** speed.

[City123]

I don't pay too much attention to youth football or international football in general, but I've been surprised recently to see there are so many age levels. Does that actually help anyone?

Under-16's, under-18's, under-19's, under-21's and you say there's also under-17's. That seems daft to me. Surely under-16's, under-18's and under-21's would be more than sufficient?

There's also the strange case where I think only the u17s, u19s and u21s play actual competitive games, but there isn't an u21 World Cup, instead its u20 World Cup and u21 Euros

[J R Hartley]

And I thought he did pretty well

Game was over and everyone was just going through the motions by then.