00:00Cardiff City certainly did not have a good campaign last season in the Championship.
00:06Of course, they were relegated to League One.
00:08But are there any players worth keeping at the Bluebirds in England's third tier?
00:14Of course, they do have some players who, despite the poor campaign, did have some standout moments last year.
00:20You look at the likes of Callum Robinson, of course, in that game against Swansea City.
00:24He also won Player of the Year at the Bluebirds, just gone.
00:28And you look at the likes of Anwar El Ghazi, Perry NG.
00:32Certainly, these players who have been at the club for a bit of time and have established themselves as some of the fan favourites,
00:38despite Cardiff overall not being in the best of shapes as a club and as an outfit on the pitch either.
00:45The only concern you have, perhaps, over those players is that most of them are into their 30s now.
00:49Now, that's not to say that they're too old and they can't do a job, but one deal they'll probably need replacing.
00:53But I think for now, at least, is it a case where certainly they're the type of player, because of their experience, their age, their maturity,
01:01and indeed their ability, that they should be kept around the club at the Cardiff City Stadium heading into their campaign in League One to come.
01:10So let's go now to our Wales sport correspondent, Charles Hague-Jones.
01:13Charles, are they the type of players who I've just mentioned, your Callum Robinsons, your Anwar El Ghazis, and your Perry NG's,
01:18who, across the pitch, can just provide that bit of stability going from one division to another that they might need with that experience,
01:27that composure, and indeed, as I mentioned before, that ability as well that they could also need to make sure that the campaign next year is a successful one in South Wales?
01:36Yeah, obviously, Cardiff enter a massive sort of rebuilding period, a period of change and wanting to make sure they're sustainable once again as a club.
01:50Obviously, huge news coming in this summer about their possible takeover with Gareth Bale and the consortium there.
01:56New manager in Brian Barry-Murthy, who seems really zoned in on youth development,
02:01on getting players back into their international sides as well, the lack of Cardiff City players in that Wales team as of late.
02:09Even Craig Bellamy said it's something that has never really been seen before, the lack of Cardiff City players in the national side.
02:17So that's something that they're going to want to improve as a club.
02:20There are still some gems.
02:23Kian Ashford, for one, he's an academy rising forward.
02:27He's Wales under-21 international.
02:29He broke into the first team in 2023 with that memorable nice six-minute winner against Southampton.
02:38Three goals in 33 appearances.
02:40He's seen as a bit of a future star, a bit of a building block.
02:44But can he be focal in League One?
02:48Can he rise to that challenge of dropping a division?
02:51Some players will.
02:53Some players thrive.
02:54Can Kian Ashford be that man for Cardiff City and really boost the promotion bid and get them back to the championship?
03:04Obviously, the goals have come in and Brian Barry-Murphy's been so clear that he came in and Vincent Tan was set.
03:10This is what you need to do.
03:11We don't want to be a League One club for more than any longer than we have to be.
03:16So, we want to come straight back up.
03:18And that's the challenge.
03:19That's the goals.
03:19You have to get them playing straight away.
03:22Can Kian Ashford be a key member?
03:24I think so.
03:25He's a fantastic young talent.
03:27People sort of underestimate Wales' young talent.
03:30And certainly, they are better than what other people may be aware of as well.
03:35So, then look at Oli Tanner as well.
03:39The winger, obviously, formerly part of the squad under Omariza.
03:44You know, he's shown flashes.
03:46He's sort of, you know, scoring the South Wales derby was a highlight.
03:50He wants to be more influential.
03:51He wants to be a big part of this League One season.
03:54He could be crucial across that.
03:56City relegations, promotions.
03:59And he's invested a lot of his own money as well.
04:01So, maybe that sort of takeover is going to hold off.
04:04But the fact, you know, you just have to look at the fact
04:07that they are being considered for a takeover with Gareth Bale
04:10and a consortium who, you know, you have to look at other sides.
04:13Birmingham City, Wrexham, championship sides already in a flash
04:17due to massive takeovers.
04:19So, you know, Cardiff City have got a lot of positives.
04:23They've got a lot of pressure as well, you know, along with the positives.
04:26So, can they rise to it?
04:28And I think if they do keep a good core together,
04:31maybe add a few smart League One veteran signings as well,
04:35they can get straight back up to the championship.
04:38And, you know, the players and the outfits they deploy
04:40will be very crucial towards that.
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