Lack of subs not problem, insists Jones

Feb 25 2008 by Steve Tucker, Western Mail

BLUEBIRDS boss Dave Jones’ squad crisis came to a head with defeat at Sheffield Wednesday with the City manager only able to name four substitutes for the match.

Jones admits he cannot add to his small squad until the club overcome a court case with its creditors Langston next month, but insisted a lack of numbers did not cost him defeat at Hillsborough.

“I could only name four subs because that is all we have got. I can’t put a 15-year-old or 16-year-old out there who is not ready,” said Jones.

“We still had 11 fit players on the pitch and those 11 fit players should have done better than they did.

“It is the situation we are in until they sort out the court case. We can only get on with it and that is what we are doing.

“Four subs on the bench did not cost me the result today.”

After dominating much of the game, Cardiff were sunk by a strike from Owls’ Marcus Tudgay, but Jones insisted his side should have come away with something.

“It was a game we should have won, but, if you don’t take your chances and go sloppy at the back, than that is what happens to you,” said Jones.

“Maybe we were that much on top we thought it was going to be easy and that is the most dangerous time for you. It is a lesson to be learned, but it is a very frustrating one.”

But Jones was full of praise for teenage midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who put in a man-of-the-match showing for the Bluebirds.

“The kid is going to be a special player, we have something special on our hands, we all know that, and I thought he was superb,” added Jones.

“He will get better and better as he starts to develop. This season is a massive learning curve for him. He will make mistakes, it is about how he handles that.

“But we have no problems with him. He is coming along very nicely.”

Wednesday boss Brian Laws, meanwhile, was relieved with a result which took his side out of the Championship’s bottom three.

“At this stage with the position we are in, a win is a win,” said Laws. We are not going to be able to go out and put in fantastic performances because nerves will take account of how we perform.

“Cardiff were causing us a lot of problems and we had to tighten up. Our players dug deeper as the game went on.

“Getting the goal gave everyone a huge lift and you could see the confidence start to return. Second-half, we looked a bit more comfortable and we defended very well.”