Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay claims opposite number Dougie Freedman has helped motivate his team for the Carling Cup semi-final.
Freedman, whose Crystal Palace side go into Tuesday's second leg at the Cardiff City Stadium 1-0 up, has doubted the hosts' big-game mentality.
"They and their supporters must be scared stiff of failure," Freedman told the Croydon Advertiser.
Mackay responded: "Needless to say, part of the team talk is done."
However, Mackay believes his players will need no extra motivation to reach a Wembley Cup final despite Freedman's comments of their recent failures.
Freedman said in his newspaper column: "[Cardiff] know only too well what it is like to fall at the last hurdle. I've seen Cardiff fall just short so many times over the past few seasons.
"When you get in stressful situations it is difficult not to think of the past, and when you have their recent history of being beaten in the play-offs so often, they must have some very unhappy memories.
"In fact the last time they got over the line was when Lennie Lawrence was their manager, but unfortunately for them he is now sitting in our dugout."
Mackay attempted not to be drawn on Freedman's psychological baiting but said: "As far as the comments are concerned I look after my own club.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Will this backfire on the Doog or was it worth 'sowing a seed' in the minds of the Cardiff players? Hopefully the latter.
Either way, looking forward to a belter tonight
C'MON PALAAAAACE!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmmmmm..........
posted on 24/1/12
Those pens, oh dear.
posted on 24/1/12
Well we gave it out best shot,to be fair Cardiff should have won it in normal time but we rode our luck,sadly it ran out in the dreaded shootout.
Proud to be a Palace fan,at least we out sung them,I thought they were supposed to be a nation of singers...
posted on 24/1/12
Its been a great cup run but now I can look forward to the Brighton game next week.
TUX - you should know by now that the PL (FA) think its 100% perfect. Until they think of another way to stamp their boots on the FL clubs.
posted on 24/1/12
Can't deny the best team won on the night.
We have Paddy to thank for going out IMO. He has too many rushes of blood to the head. He is likely to be as much of a liability as rock on too many occassions. I don't get the love-in that many fans have with him TBH,he is only average and he isn't captain material.
We had really begun to grow into the game as well.
Oh well we can concentrate on achieving mid table now and a win against the seaweed would go a long way to putting tonight right. I'll be there on Tuesday.
posted on 25/1/12
Afraid Paddy cost us but the stats don't lie - Cardiff 27 shots at goal, Palace 5 with none on target.
I'm not here to have a go at anyone either, on a night like this, but will Jools EVER save a penalty?
posted on 25/1/12
I'm so gutted about the result because I really believed we would make it to Wembley. But can't argue that the better team won.
Hastings - unfortunately I didn't make it down to the Glaziers but managed to watch it with some friends of which most didn't support Palace and everyone moaned (which annoys me so much, especially at games!) and don't need them saying "typical" Palace style of football when they don't even support the team!
I don't think it's fair to blame Paddy for the defeat (yes I'm part of the "love-in" with him) because he got sent off after 78 minutes. If we were going to win it we should have done something more in that time. At least had a shot on target! I'm not for blaming players but there seems more 'deserving' players. What about Gardner's own goal? Or the penalty takers? Or even the referee!
One of my friends is a Spurs fan so he was pleased to see Webb's consistency. Cardiff's defensive tactics was the same as Leeds, if someone is too quick for you go for the player. If Webb had given the penalty or some of those fouls on Zaha I reckon we could have won it. When I said this I was accussed of sour grapes. No, sour grapes would be what are Cardiff even doing in the competition!
Anyway it's happened and we must move on and focus on finishing as high as we can.
Rant over. I'm going to return back to sulking
posted on 25/1/12
Reading back my last post did make me sound like a sore loser so just wanted to confirm that I'm really proud of the club and our fans and Cardiff did deserve their win.
At least we have a nice friendly game to get back into the swing of things
posted on 25/1/12
Mon
Potentially there were 42 minutes left plus a bit of injury time. We were in the ascendency. We could have had 11 men on the pitch for that time. The football would have been different.
I couldn't blame Gardener in front of Paddy as he was unlucky and trying to defend an awkward cross that possibly should have been dealt with by Parr(?) anyway.
Paddy could help not being booked twice. The second was a muggy booking and don't you think that him already being on a yellow, he should have a bit more sense about him? He is the captain for crying out loud and he left his blokes with a mountain to climb.
Or we could always deflect from the obvious and blame the ref again....
posted on 26/1/12
Now I've had some time to calm down (just ) I agree it was stupid but I don't like blaming indivdual players.
Anyway, let's look forward to next Tuesday!
posted on 26/1/12
I'm over it
Onwards and upwards