We’re the baddies aren’t we?

[March 29, 2011] This season has seen unprecedented league success for my club Cardiff City. The Bluebirds currently find themselves in fourth place of the Championship with a decent shot at promotion to the Premier League. However, rather than feeling excited at the prospect of potential promotion, this season has been one of the most frustrating and unenjoyable [...]

This season has seen unprecedented league success for my club Cardiff City. The Bluebirds currently find themselves in fourth place of the Championship with a decent shot at promotion to the Premier League. However, rather than feeling excited at the prospect of potential promotion, this season has been one of the most frustrating and unenjoyable I can remember in my time as a Cardiff City supporter. And I think I’ve finally worked out why….

The 2010/2011 season began with the club under a transfer embargo and the club failed to pay an instalment of Paul Quinn’s transfer fee. However, after the embargo was lifted, the club “splashed out” on one of the top forwards in the Premier League: everyone’s favourite moron Craig Bellamy. Cardiff City faced accusations of financial doping and “cheating the system” after the stellar Bellamy signing. Perhaps this financial doping, signing of one of the more dislikeable characters in football (in addition to the already obnoxious Michael Chopra), has blighted my enjoyment of the team? It certainly hasn’t helped. But what I think has dented the enjoyment of this season more is the reaction of Cardiff City supporters to the side’s performances. For the first time that I can remember, the fans expect to win. Every. Single. Game. If Cardiff are drawing at half-time then they will almost invariably be booed off the park.

All of these factors (and the all black away kit certainly doesn’t help), have led me to the only possible conclusion: We are the Baddies. From the board, to the players, down to the fans we are odious. Of course, it doesn’t help that the club that slayed us in last year’s Championship Final are now “Everyone’s second favourite Premier League side”: Blackpool. It also doesn’t look too good when you take a glance at our close rivals for promotion Swansea City, who appear to have built a fluid passing team on a tiny budget (and they play in angelic white). I even look at second placed Norwich City for some signs of demonic qualities and all I see are a lovely family club, with one of the best football anthems around (On the Ball City) and a lovely yellow and green kit.

I can only watch and hope that as this season unfolds, that evil prevails. But I can’t say I’m optimistic, I’ve watched Return of the Jedi thirteen times, I know how this ends.

You think Bellamy is dislikeable? Really? I find him one of the most honest, socially and politically aware footballers out there. I hope you’re not just playing to the crowd here?

March 29, 2011 Steven

There’s three sides to Bellamy.

1. On the pitch he is dislikable, horrible player. I’m not sure that can be in question.
2. Off the pitch with his dealings with the media, he is wonderful and probably the most honest player when interviewed. I love listening to him.
3. Then there’s the nightclub Bellamy, who also seems to be a nasty piece of work, though I guess the jury’s out on that (almost literally) as I haven’t seen anything of him first hand.

As a non Cardiff fan, I think you are being a bit harsh on the club – I don’t think you are demonic as – say – Leicester – with their obscene spending – or QPR, with Taarabt’s diving and Warnock’s posturing, not to mention that possible ten point deduction hanging over them.