Interview: Ashley James
Looking ahead to Saturday's highly anticipated match against expected promotion candidates Sheffield United, Jay Bothroyd has played the sensible diplomatic card when informed that a win at Brammall Lane could see the Bluebirds rise to the top of the Championship.
"Really? I didn't know that," was the answer when presented with the news. "I don't tend to look at the table until Christmas, January time to be honest, that's when it counts. For now, we're unbeaten in four games. That's what's important.
"We just want to be in the mix and hopefully push on towards the end of the season and see what happens. This team isn't going to get carried away, we're going to continue working hard in training, working hard during games, and hopefully we'll get the rub of the green."
Key to any success this year, Jay pointed that the players will have to be stronger mentally following the harsh lesson at the end of our previous season when too many vital points were dropped to relinquish any promotion hopes, be that automatic or via the play-offs.
He said, "Last season we really died at the end, so this season we need to kick on and be consistent throughout the whole campaign. I think there were a few players who had a good season last year, but as a team we didn't have a consistency about us.
"Last year was the highest we've finished in our recent history, the club have never finished in the play-offs, we're trying to better ourselves and we're on track to do that."
The mood in the camp, following the Bluebirds comfortable two-goal home victory over Coventry City on Tuesday night, Jay reflected on what was a good performance for the City, and good three points to boot.
"Yeah it was good, we worked hard," he admitted. "They made it a bit difficult by changing their formation and playing three in the middle so they had a bit more possession, but going forward we were always a threat and always caused them problems.
Jay also reflected on a personally pleasing night against one of his former clubs, while also spoke freely about how he sees his role in the Cardiff City side version.2009/10, indicating that goals are not necessarily his top priority;
"Yeah I'm happy with my performance, I felt I contributed - I won the penalty, I thought I held the ball up well and created a few chances for my peers. I enjoyed the game.
"I'm not worried (about not getting on the scoresheet regularly); my role is a bit different this year. You look at other forwards around the world of my sort of stature, who play my role and they're not out and out goal scorers. They're happy to chip in, and they might get to double figures in a season but ultimately they're a platform and they lead the line for their clubs.
"I'm happy, I've got three goals, but I've assisted quite a few more. Like I said I just want to be contributing and doing a job for the team which is what I'm doing at the moment. My role's a bit different this year, I am the target man because Chops loves to play on the shoulder of the defenders, and he's great at it. It means I've got to come and do the hold up play a lot more often."
