Over the last week I have been very quiet on social media on the subject of Cardiff City I have been surprised just how affected I have been by the whole Emiliano Sala story. I have watched from the sidelines always knowing this was going to end in a disaster. Heart breaking for his family and everyone who cares.
I remember reports about a plane going down but at the time didn’t know who was involved. Tuesday when the story was breaking about who was on board my dad and I were discussing how much we were looking forward to Sala joining the club and hoping Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock had found a goal scoring striker. I clicked on the BBC sport website to check the Arsenal game and was shocked by the news that Cardiff’s new record signing was on the plane.
We were both shocked and when I read the plane had gone down in the sea our concerns grew.
The authorities scoured the area looking for Sala and the pilot but found nothing not even any wreckage of the plane. The search was called off on Thursday afternoon but a fundraising site was set up with €300,000 being pledged so far to finance a private search, the fund page was only set up Saturday morning.
He never kicked a ball in anger, never trained, I doubt he met the players but I understand the effect it has had on Cardiff City fans and others. The day he said yes to the deal he became one of ours and we as fans invested in him has much as the club did. We were ready to welcome him with open hands as our saviour but if he failed but played good football, we would still love him.
My sons and others wonder why I rate Robin Friday so highly but I always tell them I saw him play. Yes, he was a bit player in the history of Cardiff City and joined the club with many issues but on the pitch he was special. I wish I could have seen Sala play.
What happens now? I suppose Warnock will need to find a replacement for Sala and it has been reported Cardiff tried to get an extension on the transfer window claiming it took months of watch and talking to Sala and this club to broker the £15million deal that brought the player to Cardiff. It was dismiss by the Premier League. The deal for Sala was completed so are Cardiff libel to pay Nantes the transfer fee has I have no idea. I suppose it will be played out in the press one day soon.
Cardiff are reported to have an interest in Bayer Leverkusen striker Lucas Alario in the search to bolster the attack options and the Welsh Club willing to pay a €1m loan fee with an option to buy for €15m … rumoured.
The Bluebirds travel to London to face Arsenal in the Premier League earlier in the season at the Cardiff City Stadium in a pulsating game the Londoners walked away with a victory 3-2. To find the last time Cardiff win away in the league you have to look way back before I was born 1960 with Cardiff beating them 3-2 and mum and dad were waiting for me to enter the world a month or so later.
The pundits are queuing up to give the game to Arsenal but I believe and always will until the hammer comes down on the season whatever it holds.
Cardiff boss Warnock admits he will wait and see which players are in the right frame of mind to play at Arsenal following the disappearance of Emiliano Sala. Cardiff captain Sean Morrison is definitely out as he recovers from an appendicitis operation.
This is our league table Brighton are four points ahead of Crystal Palace but this table is not written in stone clubs could escape and drop in.
Mid-week fixtures that matter.
Huddserfield v Everton
Fulham v Brighton
Newcastle v Man City
Man Utd v Burnley
Southampton v Crystal Palace
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