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Premier League preview No1: Cardiff City

By on August 12, 2013

As the English Premier League season kicks off next Saturday we begin our club-by-club previews, with the newly promoted club Cardiff City is the first clubs we analyze.

Cardiff City

Craig Bellamy & Co. will be looking to stay up after their overachieving first place finish in the Championship last campaign.

Craig Bellamy & Co. will be looking to stay up after their overachieving first place finish in the Championship last campaign.

In: Steven Caulker (Tottenham, £8m), Andreas Cornelius (FC Copenhagen, £7.5m), John Brayford (Derby County, £1.5m)
Out: None.

Cardiff’s dream season last campaign ended with manager Malky Mackay leading the Welsh club back into English’s highest division after a 51-year absence, but Malky now must focus on the task all newly promoted club’s face, staying up.

Backed by the nonstop cash provided by billionaire Malaysian owner Vincent Tan, who despite controversially changing the club’s colors from red to blue added financial might to the Cardiff, Mackay was given the funds to prepare his squad for their first charge in the Premier League, which will prove a key factor in the relegation battle. The 41-year-old has already brought in Steve Caulker from Tottenham for a club-record fee of £8 million in a great piece of business, along with their acquisition of Andreas Cornelius from FC Copenhagen. Cornelius, a 6ft 4in Danish forward, scored 18 goals in 34 appearances for the club and despite being only 20 years old his hopes of a starting spot in Mackay’s lineup are high.

Mackay has also completed the signing of Gary Medel for a new club record fee of £9.5m, an acquisition which signals the Scot’s desire to make his side one of most the most physical teams in the Premier League. The former Watford gaffer believes enhanced fitness training can make Cardiff a mid-table club, while it will improve their physicality as well. Mackay has had his conditioning coach Martyn Pert push his players “harder, higher, further and faster” during preseason training in a bid to put them alongside clubs like Swansea and Fulham in the Premier League.

Although Cardiff would like to challenge fierce Welsh rivals Swansea for a mid-table position, they will find it hard to dabble with the likes of Michael Laudrup’s stars like Michu during the first ever top-flight Welsh derbies. Instead Norwich City and Aston Villa will be Cardiff’s main rivals as they battle for the 17th, 16th, and 15th positions in the Premier League.

One major hurdle Mackay will face is his and his side’s lack of Premier League experience, and he must rely heavily on the Premier League experience brought by Craig Bellamy as Cardiff battle in the unfamiliar relegation fight. Bellamy could just lead them to safety, and Cardiff certainly don’t wish to return to the Championship any time in the near future.

Last season’s position: 1st, Championship

Alex’s predicted position: 17th

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.