Saturday Interview: Purse expecting no favours as Wednesday battle to avoid drop

DARREN Purse needs no reminding of how quickly things can change in football.

This time, last year, Purse was a Cardiff City player and needed only a point on the final day of the season to secure play-off qualification.

Defeat against Sheffield Wednesday, however, shattered the dream of a return to the Premier League and now Purse is fighting to avoid relegation to League One with the Owls.

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After being released by the Welsh club, Purse accepted an invitation to become captain at Hillsborough but initially endured a nightmare in the north.

His form in the first few months of the season was not good, supporters questioned his ability, and he was eventually dropped.

Yet now, having rediscovered his form and won over the doubters, Purse leads the Owls into battle at Cardiff today for a game they simply dare not lose.

The Bluebirds can relax, if they want to, having already secured the play-off spot that slipped through their fingers last season.

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All the pressure is on the Owls, a point adrift of safety, and Purse is expecting no favours.

"If we survive, this club is going to move onwards and upwards next season but we have got to do it over these next two games so we have something to build on," he said.

"I am surprised that we are in this position but it was tough during the last 10 or 11 games under the old manager Brian Laws," he said. "We didn't win many of those games and that is costing us now. Since the new gaffer (Alan Irvine) came in, our form has been top half of the table."

Laws took the decision to demote Purse to the bench during the final games of his three-year stint but the defender, 33, has been a regular under Irvine.

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Reflecting on the turbulent start to his time at Hillsborough, Purse insists that he never lost faith in his own ability.

"I have never walked onto a football pitch and not wanted to give 100 per cent," he said. "Although I wasn't playing fantastic at the start of the season, it wasn't for the want of trying.

"Obviously, the fans gave me stick but, if you deserve it, you have to take it on the chin. You don't become a bad player overnight and I knew that I was good enough to turn things around.

"Sometimes you come into a new club, especially as captain, and you try to do everybody else's job. It's a weird thing to say but sometimes you can try too hard. Ultimately, that costs you because you are not worrying enough about your own job.

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"But I am happy with things now. Since I have come back, my form has been there. The biggest thing for me was when I got left out for a couple of games. Sometimes you need that kick up the backside to get you going again."

With Cardiff mathematically guaranteed a play-off spot, some say there are no better opponents for the Owls to play this weekend. Purse does not agree.

"I don't think Cardiff will have taken their eyes of the ball one bit and they won't be resting anybody," he said. "What happened last season will also be in the back of their minds. Sheffield Wednesday stopped them getting in the play-offs!Hopefully, we can get the three points that will help us achieve what we want which is staying in the division. But I am glad Cardiff are in the play-offs because I still have a lot of good friends there."

Purse moved to Cardiff in the summer of 2005 after playing top-flight football with Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. One of several big money signings under manager Dave Jones, he was regarded as one of the most important pieces of his jigsaw.

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"When I signed for Cardiff, there was a big thing about me being the captain who would take them to the play-offs and the new stadium – but that never worked out for myself or the club.

"We gave it three or four years building things up but then we just missed out at the end of last season. Then the manager told me he wanted to liven things up and bring in a couple of new faces so you just have to move with the times.

"I loved it there, it was a fantastic place to live, and I had a good relationship with the manager, the chairman, and all the players. It was a good atmosphere and I am pleased that I have played my part.

"They do have debts but the stadium is set up for Premiership football and they have a very good manager in charge. If they can get promoted, who knows what might happen next season?

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"A lot of hard work has gone into getting them where they are now and you would always take promotion rather than say 'we are not quite ready yet'," he added.

Purse never got to play in Cardiff's new 27,000 all seater stadium although he went back for the first game in pre-season against Scottish giants Celtic.

Today, he will be accompanied onto the pitch by his mascot son – who spent five days stranded with his mother in Portugal due to the ban on flights in British airspace.

While the dust from the Icelandic volcano may have settled – there are still plenty of issues up in the air for the Owls.

What happens if the owls...

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WIN? Three points will lift the Owls out of the relegation zone above Crystal Palace, who play West Bromwich Albion on Monday night, and possibly Watford who host Reading. A win also takes the survival fight involving three clubs into the final weekend.

DRAW? One point will keep the Owls in the bottom three going into the final game of the season. Watford will secure safety if they beat Reading and a Palace win would more or less spell relegation for the Owls (due to a vastly inferior goal difference)

LOSE? The Owls will be relegated if both Palace and Watford win.

Cardiff City v Sheff Weds

Team news: Defender Lewis Buxton is available after recovering from a hamstring problem and midfielder Sean McAllister is back in contention after a stomach strain. Defender Eddie Nolan (ankle) is the only doubt for the Owls while midfielder Tommy Miller, who has been nursing a calf injury, should be back for next week's final game.

Last six games: Cardiff WWWDDW, Owls WDDLLD

Last time: Cardiff 2 Owls 0, December 20, 2008, Championship.

Referee: P Taylor (Hertfordshire)

SkyBet odds: Cardiff to win 4-5, Owls to win 10-3, Draw 13-5.