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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Nathan Blake

Cardiff City boss Neil Harris needs to understand what bitter rivalry with Swansea City really means to the fans and dare not lose

South Wales derby day is almost upon us and it cannot be understated just how big of a clash this is – for the two clubs.

What an occasion it will be, 33,000 screaming fans desperate to see their side take the spoils in the most important of games.

For Cardiff City, they appear to be stumbling into this showdown a little bit.

But when your back is against the wall, and I think these players will be feeling that, there is only one place you can go: Forward.

City are coming off the back of an indifferent run of form and lost the first derby in Swansea back in October, so let's be honest, they are up against it.

This Cardiff City side needs to put in a big performance. They have just been given a hiding against QPR and a turned out a poor performance against Carlisle, so they owe it to the fans to give them something to shout about.

This is a fierce, nasty derby and it means everything to these fans. It will be like the Clash of the Titans.

If Neil Harris doesn't understand it, then he needs to understand it. He needs to be fully aware of this bitter rivalry and what it means to the supporters.

I hope he does get it, understand the tribalism.

From my own experiences, when you play in a South Wales derby, you know there are going to be thousands of people inside the ground who absolutely hate you.

The Swansea fans probably hate me now, but not as much as when I was playing!

I'm from Ely in Cardiff, and Ringland in Newport, and I understood exactly what it meant. I could see what it meant to the opposition supporters and I know they could see what it meant to me in those derby games.

I would never back down, I would never be intimidated.

When I scored in a derby, I wanted to ram it down their throats. That's the sort of passion I felt in these derbies and I just hope the players can harness some of that on Sunday.

If City lose, which doesn't bear thinking about, then a whole lot of heat is coming the manager's way and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it.

Cardiff can't lose. If they don't like the heat, get out of the kitchen. This is pressure.

There is no way Harris wants to be the first manager with the tag of losing the second South Wales derby of the season and handing Swansea the double for the first time in history.

He wasn't here for the first game at the Liberty Stadium, in fairness, but no one at Cardiff City Football Club wants the double to happen. It can't.

So, whichever players are selected on Sunday, understand this: You have got to win.

That is non-negotiable.

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