The Bluebirds manager was relaxed, but had admitted he thought he might be given a difficult reception after Cardiff’s 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace. “I know the frustration everybody has and I am the same,” he said. “We are in transition and this is a difficult period. But I am a football guy, I love football and I love this club already.”
“I would rather sit and talk to supporters in times like this,” he said. It’s no good hiding until we start winning and then come out and speak. If we are relegated – and we truly believe we can survive – we will go down fighting. If that happens we will go straight back up.”
Solskjaer answered every question during an hour-long meeting and revealed winger Craig Noone will miss the rest of this season with an abdominal injury.
Noone is flying to America for treatment and Solskjaer said: “Craig took a bad knock against Crystal Palace and is going to the USA to see a specialist. We have to find out exactly how serious it is and I doubt we will see him back this season, He is a player who makes things happen for us and he has been terrific, but we will have to do without him over these next few weeks.”
The manager talked about the team, his hopes for Cardiff’s future, stressed he is here for the long-term and said he is going to buy a family house in the Cardiff area. “I met with Vincent Tan after the Crystal Palace match and he trusts me to deal with this,” said Solskjaer. “I never doubted that. He believes, like me, we can stay in the Premier League. My job is to lift the players after the defeat against Palace. Vincent Tan believed it was his job to lift Mark Dempsey, my assistant, and me.”
He went on to say, “Everybody has been hurt and I am not immune to that, but we have a job to do and the team I send out against Southampton, the whole group, will believe that can win that match and, over the last five fixtures, earn the points we need. We accept we weren’t good enough against Crystal Palace, but we look forward and must stick together. Everybody still believes we are in with a chance and we will not give up.” Solskjaer revealed Gary Medel has been suffering from a virus, but is back in full training and will be fit for Saturday’s trip to Southampton.
This was a very successful meeting and we must thank the club for helping make it happen. We hope Trust members will be able to meet the manager and players on a more regular basis next season.
