As one Welsh team exits the Premier League, another departs. Cardiff City are out of the Championship after a few years from their short stay beforehand. A poor period for the club seen numerous odd appointments, but under crafty veteran Neil Warnock they came up with some pretty impressive form.
They come into the new season in the top flight ready to show what they are made of. However, the main problem they might have is what got them there in the first place. Warnock is a promotion specialist, but has a pretty mediocre top flight record. That could make it hard for Cardiff to do the ‘right thing’ if things go wrong, which plenty of evidence suggests it will.
Warnock in the Premier League are not great allies. He’s often struggled to mix it with the big names, and with the league further evolving in the last few years he might struggle. While Warnock has plenty of nous himself and is no fool he’s struggled at earlier periods in his management career – and with better squads – to sustain success in the Premier League.
2018/19 Prediction
It all comes down to recruitment. Chairman Vincent Tan runs a tight ship, and will make sure that the money is spent better than last time. This might make getting targets tough, but it might also mean Warnock buys from a more familiar market.
We just can’t see them, unless they have a stellar summer transfer window, having enough to stay up.