Cardiff City: Where’s Willo ?

Cardiff City have operated throughout the season with a small squad centering around a core group of key players. one who has failed to break into that group howver, is Republic of Ireland International Willo Flood.

Flood joined in the summer from Manchester City, a move which Man City manager Stuart Pearce admitted he was unsure of letting the player go. Since starting the season as a substitute, and scoring an excellent winner against Leeds, Flood has found it difficult to break into the first team squad making just 4 starts all season.

Due to the small squad, Cardiff City have been susceptible to suspensions and injuries but Flood picked up an injury himself at a key moment. He has had to make do with a role primarily as a substitute, featuring 18 times from the bench in the Championship, also playing in the FAW Premier Cup loss to TNS.

He has failed to make the impression he would have wanted at Ninian Park, but has looked bright, energetic and determined each time he has appeared. It is possible he would have seen more first team action at the City of Manchester Stadium this season and he seems firmly behind Whittingham and Parry for the wingers role and has not made the bench since on-loan midfielder Simon Walton returned from suspension.

Flood cannot be happy with his current situation, his style of play does not fit in exactly with Cardiff’s fluent pacy attacks but he certainly adds bite and tenascity to the squad and must keep himself at the front of Dave Jones’ mind as the pressure continues to mount in the final run-in.