-Credit:Huw Evans Picture Agency
Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Wednesday, January 15.
Kpakio out for months after ‘really bad’ injury
Teenager Ronan Kpakio is facing months out and the prospect of surgery after damaging a ligament in his leg during the FA Cup win over Sheffield United.
The 17-year-old has been a positive news story for the Bluebirds this year despite a terrible campaign on the pitch. He looks a really bright prospect for the future having broken through during the club’s pre-season fixtures.
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He was handed a start during the game at Bramall Lane last Thursday but had to be taken off at the break with what looked like a bad injury. And Omer Riza has confirmed the youngster will be out for months.
“He sustained a really bad injury with his syndesmosis which is the ligament between his tib and fib, which I’ve had, it’s a really nasty one and will potentially need operating,” Riza said.
“For the near future, he won’t be involved unfortunately. But what I will say about Ronan is that he done that at about 30, 35 minutes and he soldiered on through that half. He didn’t cause any more damage. But for me, that was one of our youngsters, who we gave the opportunity to, with his character and endeavour, it goes a long way, so I won’t forget that.
“Hopefully he gets himself fit, rehabs properly and we will be there to make sure he will be ready to go when the time is right. It’s definitely a couple of months, or more, so April, I suppose. Who knows? I don’t want to rush the kid, he is a young boy.”
Elsewhere, Manolis Siopis missed Tuesday night’s draw with Watford owing to a sickness big. “He got ill last night, was ill today and was very weak, it wouldn’t have been right to play him,” Riza said.
Club willing to leave players out of squad
Cardiff are willing to freeze out players who don’t leave the club this month.
The Bluebirds had a full complement of players in their 25-man squad ahead of the January window, however Ryotaro Tsunoda has since headed out on loan to KV Kortrijk.
But the club want at least two or three more out the door to keep the squad balance right and the accounts in check, if possible, before the window closes. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
And Riza warned that players who have been told they are free to leave risk being left out of the playing squad in the second half of the season if they do not seal a move away.
“We are trying for some to go out, whether it’s a loan or whether it’s permanent. That will happen as well,” he said.
“We want it to happen, if it doesn’t happen then they will be left out of the 25-man squad and they won’t be able to play. Decisions need to be made.”
Conte back after bad time at Woking
Raheem Conte is back and will be fighting for a place in the first-team squad after suffering a disappointing loan spell at non-League Woking.
The winger, who played at right-back for the first team at the back end of last season and enjoyed a decent run in the team, was sent out to gain some precious minutes in the first half of the season, but endured a difficult time which saw him play just 13 times.
Cardiff have brought the player back into the squad, but he cannot leave on loan again due to him having played in the Carabao Cup for the Bluebirds and in the league with Woking.
Speaking about the 22-year-old’s disappointing spell, Riza said: “Raz, we have brought him back in. He didn’t have a good time at Woking.
“He will work hard. There could be opportunities for him, I say that to all the players. He will play in the under-21s if he needs games. He will come in – he’s a good character and he works hard. He is a good kid.”
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Ashford: I’m playing with no fear
In-form winger Cian Ashford says he is playing with “no fear” after scoring three goals and assisting a further two in his last six games in a Bluebirds shirt.
The forward has long threatened to fulfil that potential many knew he had and now it is starting to look like he belongs at Championship level, with his latest effort, a well-taken goal against Watford, calmness personified.
After the draw with the Hornets, he said: “I’ve been stepping onto that pitch with confidence; no fear, just playing my game and trying to help the team the way I can. That’s been the big difference really. When I’ve stepped on that pitch, I’ve played to my abilities and it’s got me more game time, and it’s nice that goals and assists have followed.
“I’d say I’m a hard-working player, but also a creative one. I like to get on the ball, I like to be amongst the goals and assists, and I like to make things happen in this team.”
Ashford, 20, admitted that the players felt they dropped two points against Watford but are “in a good place” after going five games unbeaten. They know, though, that nothing other than a win will be enough for supporters on Saturday as the old enemy, Swansea, come to town.
“I’ve most definitely pictured myself scoring in a South Wales derby,” he added. “As a kid growing up, even now whenever it’s on, I always imagine what it would be like to a score a winner in it, and hopefully it can happen Saturday.
“We go into it with no fear. We know it’s going to be a tough game, but hopefully we can continue with the performances we’ve been putting in.”