Cardiff City boss Jones must find hitman

May 7 2008 by Steve Tucker, Western Mail

Dave Jones' striker signings

JIMMY-FLOYD HASSELBAINK

Age: 36.

Signed from: Charlton (free transfer) August 2007.

Current status: Still at club.

Western Mail verdict: Nine goals in 39 starts for the veteran. Not an awful return. Looks increasingly like the FA Cup final will be his last game.

ROBBIE FOWLER

Age: 33.

Signed from: Liverpool (free transfer) July 2007.

Current status: Still at club.

Western Mail verdict: Six goals in 13 starts before injury indicate what might have been. It looks like the former England international will be given another season to prove himself.

JASON BYRNE

Age: 30.

Signed from: Shelbourne (£75,000) January 2007.

Current status: Moved to Bohemians on a free in January this year.

Western Mail verdict: Phenomenal in the Irish League where he has since returned. Byrne got few chances at City, Just two league starts, eight off the bench. The winner on his debut at Molineux raised hopes never fulfilled.

MATT GREEN

Age: 21.

Signed from: Newport County (£10,000) January 2007.

Current status: Still at club.

Western Mail verdict: Barely figured. Eight sub appearances and been out on loan at Darlington and Oxford United.

IWAN REDAN

Age: 27.

Signed from: Willem II (loan) January 2007.

Current status: Ended his loan in May 2007, released from Willem II and currently without a club.

Western Mail verdict: Controversially left the Dutch club. A total failure at Ninian Park. Two substitute appearances were enough to prove to everyone the Bluebirds had a dud on their hands.

STEVE THOMPSON

Age: 29.

Signed from: Rangers (£250,000) January 2006.

Current status: Sill at club.

Western Mail verdict: Are 16 goals in 73 games enough? Dave Jones did not think so when he put the Scot on the transfer list last summer.

MICHAEL CHOPRA

Age: 24.

Signed from: Newcastle (£500,000) June 2006.

Current status: Went to Sunderland for £5m in July this year.

Western Mail: Jones’ one sure-fire hit with 22 goals in 44 appearances. You would have wanted him to have stayed, but the selling price was pretty good too.

ANDREA FERRETTI

Age: 21.

Signed from: Parma (free) July 2005.

Current status: Left City by mutual consent in April 2007. Now at Italian club Cesena.

Western Mail verdict: Seemed too lightweight to break through at City and had an uninspired loan spell at Scunthorpe as well.

GUYLAIN NDUMBU-NSUNGU

Age: 25.

Signed from: Darlington (free) January 2006.

Current status: Left Cardiff for Gillingham in May 2006 on a free transfer.

Western Mail verdict: After a prolific spell at Darlington he failed at Cardiff after four league starts and no goals. Moved on to Bradford now back at Darlington.

LUIGI GLOMBARD

Age: 23.

Signed from: Nantes (free) July 2006.

Current status: Left Cardiff on a free in May 2007.

Western Mail verdict: One miserable league start away at Norwich and it was all over for him. Loan spells at Leicester and Oldham were not much better. Now at French club Grenoble.

KEVIN CAMPBELL

Age: 38.

Signed from: West Brom (free) August 2006.

Current status: Left Cardiff in May 2007 and retired from the game to pursue business interests.

Western Mail verdict: Had a great career, but Cardiff did not see the best of him with no goals in 20 appearances.

MICHAEL RICKETTS

Age: 29.

Signed from: Leeds (on loan) August 2005.

Current status: Returned to Leeds in January 2006. Had a spell on loan at Burnley, signed for Southend, then Preston and Oldham and had a loan spell at Walsall this season.

Western Mail verdict: A pretty useful few months on loan. Five goals himself and forged a good partnership with the up-coming Cameron Jerome.

WARREN FEENEY

Age: 27.

Signed from: Luton (£75,000) March 2007.

Current status: Still at the club.

Western Mail verdict: Frustrating time at City with just five starts and no goal. Productive loan spell at Swansea, but injury scuppered any deal.

STEVE MacLEAN

Age: 25.

Signed from: Sheffield Wednesday (free) June 2007.

Current status: Left Cardiff for Plymouth in January this year in a deal worth £500,000.

Western Mail verdict: Just the one goal in 17 appearances for Cardiff was not amazing and the profit made by the sale has looked very good business.