Football

Neil Harris booted out by Cardiff with warm message from Vincent Tan

Cardiff have sacked manager Neil Harris after a run of six straight defeats left owner Vincent Tan with “no choice” but to wield the axe.

Harris was appointed in November 2019 and made an immediate impact with the Bluenbirds. A strong second half to the season saw Cardiff reach the play-offs, only to lose to eventual winners Fulham in the semi-finals.

However, this season has been a struggle. Harris leaves the Cardiff City Stadium with the Bluebirds 15th in the Championship, 13 points from the play-off places.

Cardiff owner Tan told the club website: “I’d like to thank Neil and David (Livermore, assistant manager) sincerely for their hard work at Cardiff City.

“Their efforts to propel us towards a fifth-place finish and play-off position last year are recognised and appreciated. Although sadly we are in a result-orientated business and our on-field results of late and progress this season has been very poor.

“As such, we have had no choice but to relieve them of their duties. We hope to improve results and league position with a change of manager.

“I’d like to personally wish Neil and David the very best with their future undertakings and endeavours.

“They will always be welcome faces at Cardiff City Stadium and I wish them good luck and good health. God bless.”

Harris succeeded Neil Warnock 14 months ago with Cardiff 14th in the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League.

Following last season’s near-miss, the 43-year-old was given funds to strengthen his side.

Wales pair Harry Wilson and Kieffer Moore were recruited in the summer transfer window. Optimism of a promotion challenge in the Welsh capital was high.


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Writing on the wall for Harris

However, the writing was perhaps on the wall for Harris. He was left in no doubt as to what the club’s ambitions were when chairman Mehmet Dalman said in October he would be “disappointed” if Cardiff were not in the top six by January.

Cardiff were three points off the play-off places after beating Birmingham in mid-December.

But six successive defeats saw them lose five in the league and suffer an FA Cup exit at Nottingham Forest. That brought the end to Harris’ reign, with the final straw proving to be Wednesday’s 1-0 home defeat to QPR.

Harris’ departure leaves Tan looking to appoint an eighth manager in his 11 years at Cardiff.

 

The post Neil Harris booted out by Cardiff with warm message from Vincent Tan appeared first on teamtalk.com.

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