Cardiff’s Jones Admits Mistake Over Magennis ?

Cardiff City Boss Dave Jones has opted to release powerful young striker Josh Magennis, who will notbe a Bluebird next season.

The Northern Ireland International has barely featured for the first team but was considered a promising, if raw, prospect. In fact, Magennis looked lively and effective in one game where he was a surprise selection. That came against Blackpool but disaster struck as he suffered a broken leg and missed the majority of the season. He was playing well and looked strong, confident and willing – despite a lack of tactical and positional awareness!

With a season of costcutting and consolidation perhaps ahead, it’s maybe no surprise that Jones has opted not to offer Magennis a new deal. However, he was known to be on low wages and could easily have been sent on loan to gain experience and match time. The decision appears all the more surprising given a quote made by Dave Jones back in October (South Wales Echo):


“Wilko tells me that big ‘Wilf` up front is no worse than Cameron Jerome at the same stage of development.”


Of course Cameron Jerome went on to break into the first team, netting regularly in the Championship before securing a £3.5m move to Birmingham City where he now is a regular starter in the Premiership.

Further quotes from Academy manager Neal Ardley at the same time, also underlined the potential of Magennis:


“How many 6ft 2in, lightning-quick strikers who are powerful in the air with a great leap are there? He also has a shot like a thunderbolt.”

“He`s raw but there is so much potential and we will do everything possible to help him bring it out.”


It was early January when Magennis suffered his unfortunate injury, and he only returned to training in April. That represents a massive turn-around in the thinking of the Bluebirds management – that Magennis goes so quickly from an excellent prospect to unworthy of a new deal. He was even on crutches for much of that time!!! Either Dave Jones is wrong to release him, or now accepts he was wrong in his previous assessments of the player.

Curious, foolish or cutting our losses? Either way, Magennis moves on and we wish him the best in his future.