Tottenham kid signs with Cardiff City, and an update on Aaron Ramsey is provided before Sunderland’s match.
The latest Bluebirds news from Cardiff City Stadium
Here are the top stories for Wednesday, September 20 in Cardiff City.
young Spurs player signs
Malachi Fagan-Walcott, a former Tottenham center back and England youth international, has joined Cardiff City. For the duration of the season, the 21-year-old initially joins as an under-21 player. Sign up here to receive the most recent Bluebirds news in your email.
“I’m in the middle of a big season,” Fagan-Walcott remarked. I’m overjoyed to be here. One of the boys I already know. It only took myself and Kion [Etete] around two weeks to get close at Spurs, and we haven’t looked back since. He only has positive things to say and he likes it here.
“I’ve watched him here as well, so I am familiar with the club. For the under-21s, I want to make an impression. I need to start playing again so I can work my way up to the senior team.
Under-21s boss Darren Purse said: “He’s going to bring experience. He’ll be one of the older players in our group and he’s a specimen of a young man. He’s very good in possession of the ball and can read the game well. He’ll be a good addition to and will push our other centre-backs.
“We want him pushing to be involved in the first team. It’s a great signing for us and we’re looking forward to working with him. Like I say to all of the under-21s boys: ‘We’ll give you the opportunity, but you’ve got to go and take it’, and we’ll be hoping that Malachi does just that.”
Rambo back for Sunderland
Erol Bulut has confirmed that Aaron Ramsey will be back in contention for the Bluebirds’ trip to Sunderland this Sunday.
Cardiff has won two straight games and would want to make it three in a row. The fact that they managed to win against Coventry last night while being without three essential attacking players—Ramsey, Josh Bowler, and Callum O’Dowda—was impressive.
While Bowler and O’Dowda may still be unable to make it to Stadium of Light, Bulut assured that Ramsey, who was rested against the Sky Blues, would be there to exert his influence once more.
“Aaron was rested because he had a problem with his adductor muscle when he was away with the national team and he felt it again against Swansea,” stated Bulut.
He’ll be back for Sunderland on Sunday, but I couldn’t risk him suffering any more injuries.
At yesterday’s opening of the new Llanrumney academy site, Cardiff CEO Ken Choo praised Ramsey for the influence he has had since returning to the club in the summer. Ramsey is perhaps the best product of City’s youth system ever.
His dedication to the team, the community, and the supporters, according to Choo, speaks volumes. “His desire to support the club speaks volumes, and I only have positive things to say about him. His contribution to the youth of this community is incredible and goes well beyond what we could possibly quantify.
He will leave our city with a significant legacy.
Director Steve Borley was instrumental in bringing Ramsey back to Cardiff, along with a number of other people, of course, and he believes it’s not completely beyond the realms of possibility that he ends up managing the Bluebirds one day.
“I think he can have a future here after finishing playing,” Borley said. “Most definitely, he wants to get into coaching, football is his life and I think the club seems to be his life.
“You don’t have to ask him twice to do anything, he’d be volunteering to do it. He wants to be here and do sessions with age groups and I think he’ll just carry on.
“And you never know, he may end up managing us one day.”
Bluebirds agony in shootout loss in mini derby
Cardiff City under-21s were knocked out of the Nathaniel MG Cup in cruel fashion after a penalty shootout loss to rivals Swansea in the third round.
The young Bluebirds took on the Swans at the Swansea.com Stadium on Tuesday night, earning a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes despite Cardiff’s Kyle Kenniford getting sent off in the first half for two bookable offences.
Maliq Cadogan had earlier put the hosts ahead but Kieron Evans levelled the tie with 20 minutes to go, forcing the game to be decided on spot kicks.
Swansea managed to score all five of their penalties, while Cardiff missed one of theirs meaning the Swans booked their spot in the quarter finals of the cup.
Fagan-Walcott, meanwhile, made his debut for Darren Purse’s side at the Swansea.com Stadium.
Swansea City Under-21s: Evan Watts, Sam Parker, Kian Jenkins, Mitchell Bates, Filip Lissah (captain) (Harry Jones 90+3), Kai Ludvigsen, Liam Smith, Cameron Congreve, Kyrell Wilson (Kristian Fletcher 67’), Ben Lloyd (Joe Thomas 67’), Maliq Cadogan.
Subs: Ben Hughes, Zane Myers, Ruben Davis, Dan Watts.
Cardiff City Under-21s: Jake Dennis, Vontae Campbell, Joshua Beecher (Cody Twose 45’), Luey Giles, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, Freddie Cook, Cian Ashford, Kyle Kenniford, James Crole, Joel Colwill (captain) (Finlay Johnson 90+7’), Kieron Evans.
Subs: Joe Thomas, Will Spiers, Tanatswa Nyakuhwa, Dakarai Mafico, Daniel Barton.
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Grant: We showed resilience to back up derby win
Goalscorer Karlan Grant praised his team-mates for showing resilience to hold out for the win against Coventry City and back-up their win over Swansea last weekend.
Grant scored the crucial second goal after Dimitrios Goutas’ early header was cancelled out by Matty Godden. Grant and then Kion Etete scored before Godden was on the score sheet again, ensuring the last 10 minutes was nervy for those inside the stadium.
However, Cardiff held on and picked up the three points – six in four days – and Grant said: “I said to the boys, if we didn’t win today then Saturday is a waste. All the effort we put in on Saturday and to come away with three points and a good performance – sloppy goals to concede – but three points!
“We showed that resilience and we keep going. It’s a new group and we keep growing.”
While Grant has put in some positive performances, he had not scored a goal before last night’s win – save a strike at Ipswich which was later, and perhaps wrongly, chalked off for offside.
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