Another Scot link with McBluebirds

Cardiff City and manager Malky Mackay is being linked with Scottish international striker Kenny Miller. The 31-year-old striker has been with Turkish club Bursaspor in a £500,000 deal from Rangers.

Reported have him unsettled in Turkey and wants a route back to the UK and Bursaspor are will to let him go. The Turkish club will want at least their money back on any deal. Cardiff will have to go head-to head with Rangers to get his signature as his former club wanting back. Rumours from Scotland are suggesting the striker is more than happy to return to back to the Glasgow club.

Cardiff and Rangers have been battling it out for another Scottish striker David Goodwillie, an offer was made for Goodwillie by Rangers, but his club Dundee United turned it down. Cardiff has a deal on the table, but are waiting on the outcome of a court case on Thursday.

Over the weekend boss Mackay is in no rush to fill the two or three place he believes he needs to complete his squad.

Maybe more signings Monday

Two in and all signed up for the upcoming season and possibility maybe two more on Monday, well one at least. The Cardiff City medical team are on standby for Monday with the arrival of out of contract former Middlesbrough defender Andrew Taylor who is heavily tip to have chosen to join the Bluebirds ahead of Bristol City or re-signing for Middlesbrough.

Because he is 24-years-old Middlesbrough are entitled to a compensation fee from the Welsh club because Taylor is a home-grown player. Taylor has talked of his sadness of moving on to pastures new but feels moving is best for his career, he said:

“It was my dream to play for Middlesbrough since I joined them when I was nine and it’s a hard thing to be leaving.

“I’ll miss it – I have a lot of friends here in the club.

“But, at this point of my career, it’s probably the time I should be moving on and experience something new in football and life.”

The Club and the fans will be hoping for a double signing with Dundee United striker David Goodwillie also deciding is future would be better served joining Cardiff. It is going to need a £2 million pound payment to prise him away from Dundee United all days ago they turned down a million pound off from Rangers.

Rangers need to come back with a bigger with Cardiff yet to make the step into the marketplace for the striker. News out of Scotland is that Cardiff will out bit Rangers for his signature. The dreaded rumour word again have I coming down to Cardiff for a look around this weekend. Cardiff also face competition from Championship rivals Blackpool who also looking at

Goodwillie as a possible target has they search for new striker options.

The Dundee United manager Peter Houston has advised Goodwillie to move to the English league if the opportunity arises. He believes the players off the field problems with be better severed with a move across the border than a move to Rangers and the hotbed of Glasgow rivalry between them and Celtic. Houston said:

"If Rangers match any bids from somebody else, then it is up to David where he goes.

"That will be fine by me because ultimately it will be his decision.

"But, in my opinion, he should get out of the limelight and start afresh elsewhere.

"There is no doubt that out of all the clubs mentioned, Rangers are by far the biggest.

"But as someone who knows David well and has worked with him for five years, with all the troubles he's had off the field, he would be better going elsewhere.

"Is it in David's best interests to go into the goldfish bowl that is Glasgow? I don't think so.

"What I'm saying is not a criticism of Rangers and also not because I don't want him coming back to play against us."

Some quick updates

I have been unable to update my blog owing to issue with Blogger but it is now fixed and he is a miss mash of new stories that has broken while my blog has been down.

Cardiff City could be checking out Coventry City midfielder Aron Gunnarsson according to the Rumour Mill. Another player out of contract after rejecting a new offer for is club will see him free tomorrow allow Coventry boss Andy Thorn.

Cardiff City target David Goodwillie has been accused of assault dating back to an incident in Glasgow city centre back in 3 November 2010. The case will continue until next month.

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has named is new backroom line-up ahead of pre-season that starts tomorrow. They are David Kerslake, Richard Collinge and Joe McBride all colleagues of Mackay for his time at Watford.

• Assistant manager will be David Kerslake who was first team coach at Watford.
• Joe McBride youth team coach at Vicarage Road will become first team coach.
• Richard Collinge will be the new head of performance is post at Watford was Head of Medical.

Cardiff City have agreed a compensation package with Watford.

One becomes three - Whittingham

If you believe newspaper rumours, Cardiff City midfielder Peter Whittingham is becoming the hot property of the Championship now. Yesterday linked to Portsmouth with a fee of £1.5 million muted now other club are interested according to the press.

Today the Rumour Mill as Leicester City boss Sven Goran Eriksson has jumping in to try and steal Portsmouth thunder with a valuation closer to £2 million. Newly promoted Premiership club Norwich City are keeping an eye on the situation regarding the midfielder.

Race for Goodwillie hots up

The battle for the signature of Dundee United striker David Goodwillie could hot up this week and hopefully a decision will be made will he sign for the Bluebirds or not. It looks like the main competition for the Scottish striker will come for the other side of the Bristol Channel with Championship rivals Bristol City along relegated Blackpool and Nottingham Forest. United manager Peter Houston said,

"Nothing has really changed as regards David's situation other than the chairman has been speaking to a couple of clubs.

"However, no agreement has been reached with anyone at the moment and he remains here with us."

Dundee United wants £2 million for their top goal scorer a figure that has scare off SPL club Rangers. Dundee turned down to offers on Friday one of which was rumoured to be from Cardiff it looks like it will take £2 million or more to prize him away from United. In the quest to sign him Cardiff have is teammate Craig Conway who recently signed for the Welsh also former Cardiff City player Willo Flood recommend the Bluebirds to him saying,

“If he does go to the Welsh club, then it would be an ideal place for him”

"If Cardiff agrees a fee for him he should seriously consider it. They are a great club with good staff and they will look after him."

Former Scotland star Pat Nevin believes Goodwillie would be a fine catch for Cardiff City boss Malky Mackey and said:

“Conway will be the appetiser, Goodwillie will be the main course.

“He really is a talent.

“He has a great eye for a goal. He will always score goals and makes them himself as well.

“There are one or two weaknesses to his game, which you always find with these very, very talented individuals.

“He’s not fast – he’s not lightning, however, he does make up for that with match-intelligence.”

Owing to Dundee United having a Europa League game in just over two weeks time they have started pre-season and kick-off with a 2-1 friendly victory at Drogheda United. Cardiff target Goodwillie scored one of the goals. The Cardiff City stadium and the training facilities at the Vale are far beyond any on offer from other interested party.

A return for Earnshaw?

A campaign sprouting on the social network by Cardiff City fans to support a return of fans favourite Rob Earnshaw back to Cardiff  has seen the player talk to South Wales Echo. Simply put he would love to come back to Cardiff City and would never rule out a return.

He is one of many players out of contract at the end of the month and I am sure there would be a number of clubs who would be interested in having him in there squad. I have never really been a fan of players or manager coming back to their original clubs. Take the last two players to return to Cardiff after spells away Michael Chopra and Jason Koumas both I would say failed to hit the heights of form they had the first time around.

He (Earnshaw) only scored nine league goals last season from 27 starts plus nine appearances from the bench. Mackey will know the ins and outs of Earnshaw being a coach and manager at Watford he would have had numerous reports on him. We will have to see if Mackey wants him or feels he would fit into his system of play. Someone once told me Earnshaw was a one trick pony and easy to read by the opposition not sure what he meant or if he meant in past or now, but I think he would be better off somewhere anywhere, but Cardiff.

Speaking to the paper Earnshaw said:

“People how close I am to the club and its supporters.

“I have a lot of fantastic memories at Cardiff and once I return from my holidays next week I will sit down with my agent and see what the best step forward is for me and my family, but I would not rule out rejoining Cardiff.

“I have several offers on the table and I do not want to put any more pressure on the new manager (Malky Mackey) as he’s just been in the job for a few days, but I loved it at City when I was there. If there was a formal offer on the table when I get back, who knows it could be a goer.

“I’m aware of the whispers back home linking me with Cardiff and I’m Flattered.

“But at this moment in time that is all they are, but once I speak to my agent I’m sure things will start moving very quickly one way or another.”

Chopra linked to Ipswich

Ipswich Town are being linked with Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra in some of the press today. Ipswich boss Paul Jewell is in the market to increase his striker force and has already seen a £1.75m bid for Doncaster hotshot Billy Sharp rejected.

It the first time Ipswich have chased the Cardiff striker the previous Ipswich boss Roy Keane was scared off when he tried to sign Chopra. Cardiff at the time placed a £4 million pound price on his head. Last season Chopra scored 11 goals after is season was bleated with a mixture of injuries and had to settle for a spot on the bench behind Craig Bellamy and Jay Bothroyd during the season.

Ipswich think Cardiff could be happy to see him go just to release him from the club hefty wage bill which has been reduced or about to be with players leaving the club. Cardiff would be looking for at least the same amount that was offered to Doncaster for Sharp if not more. If he was to leave that would leave Cardiff with only two strikers, Jon Parking and Nathaniel Jarvis who has just received his first professional contract by Cardiff. He had a short loan with Southend last season.

Soon as the issue of the manager is finalized Cardiff will also be in the market to strengthen their front line. Will Bellamy be back yesterday it was reported he would play for free to stay with the Bluebirds.

City chasing keeper

Cardiff City are reported to be keen to take Arsenal goalkeeper Vito Mannone on loan next season. The young Arsenal keeper is on loan at Hull City and will be return to Arsenal at the end of the season. Hull are keen to sign him on a permanent deal, but he signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal in 2010. Wenger and his staff rate the with Arsenal.

The Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is believed to want to lean out Mannone for a season. He joined Hull in October and today played ten games, six of which have been clean sheets. The 23-year-old has made 12 appearances for Wenger in the Premiership and Champions League.
 

Warnock chasing City midfielder?

Premiership bound QPR are rumoured to be interested in Cardiff City loan midfielder weighing Seyi Olofinjana. The Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle is reporting the story as Rangers boss Neil Warnock plans for the future.

Olofinjana is with Cardiff for the season and will return to Hull at the end of season, back to Hull City where he still has a year on his contract left. The Cardiff City boss Dave Jones would probably like to sign him, but decision would be made when Cardiff know where they will be playing, Premier League or Championship.

He moved from Stoke City to Hull City in a £3million deal in 2009, but made little impact on his arrvial, playing nineteen games, a mixture of starts and off the bench with one goal. His impact at the Cardiff City stadium has been far greater. He has been the lynch-pin of Dave Jones midfield and, but for an injury would have played more than the thirty-two games he has played to date. Only off the bench once and with five goals to his credit. A source in the QPR camp said:

"QPR need a mixture of athleticism and skill for next season, and although Olofinjana has had a mixed couple of years - look what the manager did for the careers of Heidar Helguson and Wayne Routledge to name but two."

This rumour is what it is, just a rumour. Olofinjana is a professional and will have one thought on his mind to finish the season with a promoted Cardiff City. He will be going nowhere until that final whistle of the season.

City chased Kirkland

According to the Daily Mirror Cardiff City boss Dave Jones tried to tempt Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland to Cardiff.

Wigan were happy to loan him out he spent time with tonight’s visitor playing in three games letting in seven goals. The England international admitted his loan move to Leicester did him few favours.

Jones was looking for an end of the season deal but Kirkland who is now third choice keeper decided he want to stay with the relegation threaten Wigan. Instead of vying for a spot in a team pushing for promotion Kirkland will be fight it out for a place on the Wigan bench.

To-date one out, none in

It’s been a very low key last day of the January transfer window so far of Cardiff City and boss Dave Jones.

The first bit of news was that Jones had put in a bid for Preston keeper Andy Lonergan. The Preston Chairman Maurice Lindsay seemed to have a pop at Cardiff for sending a fax, he said,

"We've turned down a bid from Cardiff for Lonergan - they didn't have the confidence to ring us up, we got a fax from them."

The offer was turned down out of hand. Will Jones go back for another try, if he does he had better pick up the phone.

A rumour was doing the rounds of the internet over the weekend that Andy Keogh would be on the move, and it turned out to be true. Keogh may have been on a season long loan with the Bluebirds but a recall back to Wolves  and now he is off to Bristol City until the end of the season.

He as not been able to hold a first team spot and with Jay Bothroyd insisting he would stay unitl the end of the season when he will then consider his future and Jon Parkin’s signing, Keogh could have seen his chances reduced. According to sources in Bristol Keogh trained this morning with his new team mates and could be in the starting line-up to face Swansea City on Tuesday. All Cardiff fans will wish him well and even more so if he helps his new club beat Swansea tomorrow.

Cardiff have been linked with Rotherham United striker Adam Le Fondre, he could cost the Bluebirds around £500,000.

The Neverending story of Jay Bothroyd and rumorville

Playing it all cool over  rumours

Cardiff City fans are happy to hear the club had rejected a bid for top scorer Jay Bothroyd yesterday, but it comes with a risk, he could walk away in the summer of free when his contract runs out. That move could cost the club round £2million but if he helps the Bluebirds to promotion that could generate tens of millions for the club.


Bluebirds boss Dave Jones said yesterday,

"We've had one enquiry for him and Jay knows about the enquiry," said Cardiff boss Dave Jones, who refused to name the club involved.

Although the team was not named, it is believe to have been Newcastle who were heavily rumoured over the weekend to be considering a bid.

News today brings more rumours with Sunderland who are looking to go one step better than North East rivals Newcastle and sign Bothroyd. According to press reports they see the Cardiff striker as a replacement for Darren Bent who is expected to sign Aston Villa in the next few days.

With all the manager rumours and counter rumours West Ham are said to be interested in Bothroyd. However which manager wants him, the present Avram Grant, who by all accounts is living on borrowed time with the Hammers or the manager in waiting Martin O'Neill, who is reported to be having second thoughts about the only West Ham thing.

Dave Jones the Cardiff City boss would be more then happy to keep his star striker and the player himself has constantly said he is happy to stay and make a decision about his future at the end of the season. Jones told the media yesterday,

"I had a long chat with Jay yesterday and I'm sure Jay won't mind me saying: Jay wants to stay at this football club.
"Even the club we spoke about, Jay says he doesn't want to go to.
"We said no [to the approach] and Jay knows about it, because his contract is up in June and people think they can come and take him for a measly amount of money. It's not worth what we are trying to do.
"So keep him and get the best out of him and then if he decides to stay with us or he decides to leave then that's what we will do. He wants to try and sort it out here, but he is entitled to try and get the best deal for him.
"If we want him to go because we have been offered vast amounts of money then Jay can say no because he is under contract," added Jones.
"We are trying to get him to sign here and I even spoke to Jay yesterday in training about trying to get some sort of deal done, and that is ongoing.
"But he is in his rights to do what he is doing and that is the way the football world is at the moment, and they are quite entitled to see out their contract and see what other offers are around. Is there anything wrong with that?
"It's up to us and up to him to come to an agreement that satisfies all parties, and if we can't satisfy all parties and a decision will be made either way."

Bargain shopping for Jones

Other managers have the world, the WAGS have Cricket clothing boutique and the like and Cardiff City boss Dave Jones as Scotland and the connection, shopping.

According to the South Wales Echo the City boss Dave Jones as been on a scouting mission watching Hearts v St Johnstone Tuesday night and was at Dundee United v Motherwell last night. He was reported to be checking over a number of players, who could or could not be come to Cardiff.

Hearts Ismael Bouzid - Central defender

Hearts Marius Zaliukas - Centre back/Defensive midfielder

Dundee United Craig Conway - midfielder/winger

Motherwell - Mark Reynolds defender

The Scotsman is suggesting at Jones’ main targets’ he was watching was Bouzid and Reynolds in his seach to strength his defence. There might be bargains to be had up north but they need to be up for the riggers of the Championship. Over the news Jones has had some great buys but there as been some duds.

It would not be easy to do a deal for Reynolds has he plays of Motherwell who had a run-in with Cardiff last summer. It was over payment for another player Cardiff signed from them right-back Paul Quinn the payment was later but the new Malaysians had only just really got their feet under the table.

They were getting to grips with the debts has they need to but the Bellamy deal incensed the Motherwell chairman John Boyle. With the worlds media at the Cardiff City Stadium for the Bellamy conference him pop up on Sky Sports News just before threatening to issue a winding-up order on Cardiff City over the than outstanding debt. He also threatened to sending bailiffs to the ground on match day to take possession of all the day’s takings.

Only one new signing to-date! Players and club could be holding out for the madness of the last few days of the transfer window in hope of a better deal, time will tell.