Why it's time for us Bluebirds to shine....

Funny that of all the animals they could have chosen, the humble bluebird was the one that Cardiff City Football Club chose. Think carefully about that bird for a few seconds, what images does it conjure up? Surely of all the things a bluebird can mean, then happiness, positivity and good times are the most often thought of. After all, there's apparently bluebirds flying over, the white cliffs of Dover eh? Trust me i am going somewhere with this.

Cast your mind back if you will (or if you can) to a time not so long ago. I'm talking about 6 short years ago when all at Cardiff seemed lost. The club had just sold it's iconic captain Graham Kavanagh (amongst many others) and it was revealed that far from being on the verge of starting the new stadium the club was in deep, deep debt and on the verge of administration. Unfortunately this was a pattern that seemed to be all too familiar for the next three of four years despite on the pitch success.

Hardly the song of a bluebird is it? Not quite the positive story we were hoping for, yet not all was lost. We were about to embark on a journey that took us to the playoffs two seasons running, an F.A Cup final and the Playoff final just 90 minutes from the premier league and finally the bluebird began to sing. The new stadium was complete, the attendances had increased some 10,000 a game and the squad was better than ever. However, just as all seemed to be clicking together once again Cardiff City fell at the last hurdle and the most successful manager in some 40 years was sacked. Once again, the bluebird went quiet and the voices of disharmony and negativity were once again rife on the terraces.

Now where are we? We are sixth in the table after eight games, unbeaten in five games and all this despite losing that longest-serving manager, his staff and twelve, yes count them, twelve players. Which other club in the NPower Championship could have lost the likes of Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra, Craig Bellamy, Chris Burke and Jason Koumas and still make progress?

I get hugely frustrated with fickle football fans and their desire to drag the club, it's players and staff down in the mire with their constant doom-mongering. Isn't it about time for the Bluebird to shine again? If you listen carefully you can hear its sweet sweet song, drifting over the terraces like a warm bath after a hard game of football. If you insist on being one of those people who are quick to criticise and slow to praise then please, do us all a favour and don't bother turning up because to be frank, we don't need it.

This club is on the move, it's not a season of transition, it's a season of progress. Malky Mackay and his staff have got the boys playing from beginning to end and this never-say-die attitude has impressed anybody lucky enough to see the bluebirds this season. No longer will Cardiff City Football Club be seen as a club of Prima Donna's who can't play as a team, but as a battle-hardened unit who will fight for the points to their dying breath.

Now dust off your shirt, get out that scarf, wear that old hat or simply chuck on a Cardiff Coat and once again let's see those Bluebirds shining in the autumn sun.

Bluebirdblogger

A funny new smell at Cardiff....

So here we are again, another few weeks have passed and choosing to look at the positives of which they are many more than there are negatives I'm going to choose one word. Unbeaten.

Now the eagle eyed amongst you will know that technically whilst referring to Cardiff City this season we are not unbeaten and although "technically" true (darn you Brighton!) i am not referring to our season's performance, i am in fact referring to our new, altogether MASSIVELY improved mindset under our glorious new manager, a certain Malky Mackay.

Haven't you just felt it these last few weeks? Can't you just smell it amongst the Brains Bitter and Clark's Pies? It's that rarest of smells at the Cardiff City Stadium, the smell of optimism. It's a new sense of "You know what, so what if we lose? The boys are giving 100% until the final whistle and i can't fault it". No doubt some of you more battle-weary City fans have probably lost all sensitivity to this particular smell and who can blame you? However for those of us who've braved the cold nights on the Bob Bank and cold days away clinching promotion at York City and lived to tell the tale of Wembley-woes and Cup Finals then we can just about start to smile again.

At the beginning of my article i referred to us having a new mindset and i truly believe this to be the case. Malky and his staff have instilled a new ethos at Cardiff. It's a "work hard-then work harder-then work til you drop" mentality and my word it was desperately needed. For too long Cardiff City fans have endured lacklustre performance after performance and whilst all is not perfect and we still have moments where we struggle i cannot believe the team i am watching in front of my eyes.

Isn't about time we started to open our nostrils, take a big whiff and smile and say you know what, we might not make it this year but who cares we're gonna give it a blooming good go trying.