Barry-Murphy ‘not focused’ on opinions about Cardiff form

Head coach Brian Barry-Murphy says he’s not focused on opinions about Cardiff City’s recent form and only on achieving an “extraordinarily special” promotion.

The Bluebirds are second in the League One table – seven points clear of third placed Bradford – with six games remaining, a game more than most of their promotion rivals.

One of those teams, Bolton Wanderers, are the next visitors to Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday 11, April (12.30 BST).

Barry-Murphy’s side go in to the Bolton game after a 1-1 draw at Peterborough United. It means they have only managed two wins in their last eight matches.

Some fans even booed the team after their last home game – a 0-0 draw with Blackpool.

“I think anyone’s opinion on where we’re at or what we’ve done is valid, it’s an opinion, but it’s not part of our focus,” said Barry-Murphy.

“When I was a younger coach I would jump to the defence of my players and my club because it was a reaction, but I now have more experience, I understand what gets said, where we’re at and our focus is just on the next game.

“I think the supporters have to feel whatever they feel. It’s perfectly normal. We can’t hide away from it. We are in a position where we have a great opportunity to do something extraordinarily special and we have to accept that challenge and then try and do it.

“The focus for ourselves is always on the next game because the permutations of trying to figure out what will happen or what may happen in the future, what other teams do, is not only a waste of our time, it tends to take away the focus from what is the most important thing.”