For the past two weeks Championship football has taken a back seat as qualification for the European Championships 2012, to be co hosted by Poland and the Ukraine, got under way. After just one match, qualification is already looking like an uphill struggle for Wales as they somewhat embarrassingly lost to Montenegro by one goal to nil in Podgorica.
As disappointing as it was, a surprise it wasn't, this is, after all, Wales we are talking about. Since the defeat the national football team has been in disarray with coach John Toshack announcing his imminent resignation from his role. As bad as Tosh has been - and there is no denying that - there is no obvious choice to succeed him, I, personally, would be happy for a foreign manager to take over the reins, I really don't know who, but thankfully it's not my job to pick one.
As much as I would love Wales to qualify for a major competition, I know that there is little to no chance of this happening and this lack of expectation at least partially contributes to my lack of enthusiasm, I also don't feel the same despair when they lose as I do when Cardiff lose.
After a decent start last season Cardiff came back from the September international break only to lose 4 of their next 5 games, and although 2 of those matches were against a Newcastle team who ended up winning the league at a stroll and Villa (away) in the league cup, it is something they will be keen not to repeat. City are visited tomorrow by Hull City, who - after a 2 year stint in the Premier League - will be keen to defy the odds and get back amongst the Premier elite. However after a poor start to the season, Championship consolidation is likely to be a more realistic objective.
But whatever does happen tomorrow and indeed during the course of the season it is important not to forget just how far the two teams have come since the turn of the last decade. Since locking horns in the basement division just 10 seasons ago the Bluebirds have celebrated 2 promotions, made 3 Wembley appearances and 1 at the Millennium stadium. In the same time the Tigers have been promoted 3 times, been to Wembley once and enjoyed 2 season in the Premier League. Not bad really, is it?
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