Chris Wilder believes Cardiff City can thrive in the Championship this season, despite the Bluebirds have not following Wrexham and Birmingham’s lead by spending big after promotion from League One.
Sheffield United boss Wilder was happy to leave the Cardiff City Stadium with a point on Saturday despite the fact they led for much of the first half.
Cardiff included only two players – Jack Moylan and debutant Krystian Bielik – who were not part of Brian Barry-Murphy’s promotion-winning squad last season.
Yet Wilder, a four-time promotion winner in his managerial career, said he was “really impressed” by a Cardiff side he described as being “really difficult to deal with”.
“I know they’ve not gone and signed player after player after player like maybe the teams that got promoted last year did in terms of Wrexham and Birmingham,” Wilder said.
“[It is] a different situation, different scenario, but they are well coached by Brian. You’ve got to give credit to Brian and his coaches and his team.
“I’ve been here [at Cardiff] when it’s been a negative environment, but it was a real positive environment. The Cardiff fans got right behind the team and gave them the lift and the energy to go and try to get a big free three points.
“They’re going to be a difficult team to play against if they if they continue in the way they’ve started the season.”