CATCHING UP WITH JAMILU COLLINS

I caught up with ex-Cardiff City and Nigerian international Jamilu Collins, as we discuss JC's time in the Welsh Capital, his take on his departure and his final message to The Bluebirds faithful.

Catching up with Jamilu Collins.

How did your move to Cardiff come about?

I had been in Germany for five years already, and I always had a dream to play in England, it didn't matter to me I just wanted to play in England. So when my contract was running out in Germany, all the clubs in Germany were coming in for me, some really really good clubs, but I told my family that it's time for a change and I told the club it's time for a change for me after five years, my challenge I was looking towards England. I got some calls from Coventry, I got some calls from Sheffield Wednesday and a few other Championship clubs. Then Steve Morison came calling, Steve was a really good talker, he has this charisma, he was a really special guy. The way he speaks to players, the way he wants to play. From the offers I had, he was the first manager who called me, even though I already had offers from other clubs, but he was the first manager who called me to tell me his plans and what he wants for the club, and where he wants the club to be. I could see the passion pouring out, so that told me 'yes I think Cardiff will be that team I will play for'. So, Steve Morison convinced me and spoke really good things about the club, and told me everything about the club and he told me that they really want me and they couldn't wait to have me there. I had a dream to play in England, and Cardiff made that come true, and I really appreciate Steve Morison for that. He was a great person, great coach and a great guy.

You were one of seventeen signings that summer, how exciting was the project that was presented to you? How big of a part did Steve Morison play?

Steve was the man. He knew how to handle players on a one-to-one base. He knows how to speak with the players he really wants, and that was a difference and that was one of the big things that made me excel so big in Cardiff. If unfortunately I didn't suffer my ACL injury, that year would've been a great year for me and for Steve Morison. He presented the club in a good way, he said only good things about Cardiff, even though some things aren't great inside, Steve made it look great, that is the kind of person he is. You could see the players were happy under Steve Morison, how we were performing, before the injury and some little confusion in the club, everything was going well and we were in the right direction. I could also say my injury played a big part in why Steve Morison had a few problems, because it wasn't fair on him for the short time period they gave him to integrate seventeen players he brought in and then losing one of them, and one of his key players also in the team, to replace that player in a short period is hard. I feel sorry for Steve because I know how great of a gaffer he is and he's a really great person, so I feel sorry in that sense.

Your Championship debut was one of your best performances in a Cardiff City shirt, how did it feel to step out for the first time at the Cardiff City Stadium?

Like I've said already, Steve was that person who made it feel special for me, and playing in front of the fans was a really big thing for me. Seeing the passion coming out from the fans, I really love the fans even though I didn't have the good send off that I wish I had in Cardiff before leaving the club. I really really appreciate the fans because they're special. Steve Morison is the one who made the Championship opening game special for me. I remember before I went on the pitch, Steve came to me and said 'enjoy yourself, you're a good player, you've already played in the Bundesliga, there is nothing these players can show you or teach you on the pitch'. Words like this coming out from the gaffer is exactly the kind of gaffer you want. I'm sure the same way he spoke to me, he spoke to the other players, also. That is why we won the game that was supposed to be difficult to win. Steve again was that person, because he knows how to coach his players one-on-one, he knows how to speak with them and he knows how to get the best out of them. I think he deserved longer at the club. Seeing the joy from the fans means a lot to me, that gives me the fire and makes me feel some kind of accomplishment.

A few games later you damaged your ACL, after such a good start at the club, how big of an affect did the injury have mentally?

To be honest I'm a really strong believer. So, it didn't mentally affect me because I took it in a different way. So my belief and what I felt was God used the injury to prevent me from something worse happening. That was my belief and I am grateful to God for it. My goal was I wanted to return and I wanted to prove people wrong, because when people get injured like that it looks really big and some players don't come back well. So, I watched some videos of players who had ACL's and their recovery period, how the injury affected them so bad, so I had a different type of mindset and belief because I'm really strong mentally. Throughout my recovery process, I was just going hard on myself, sometimes I told the physio 'when am I coming back?', the physios were even slowing me down. I was ready after six months to start running and playing. The physios laughed and said 'this guy is crazy, what is wrong with you? You need 9 months' and stuff like that, so that is the type of person I am. I was really motivated to come back, even when I saw the team suffering, it was really hard to watch, it was like torture. When you see the team about to be relegated, and the majority of it was part of my injury, because when I got injured the team just fell apart somehow, Steve leaving the club also made it even worse.

As soon as you returned you seemed to instantly earn the trust of new manager Erol Bulut, what was he like to work under?

Bulut is a great manager, because he had a different way of managing players. His style of managing was 'do your job', so he has that German mentality. So there's no in-between, if it's your job, do your job. He will do his job, you do your job when calls you up to play. He's more direct to players, he tells you exactly what he wants. There is no emotion in it. It's that German style of coaching, you do your job and I do my job, and when you do your job, do it well. So he is a great manager in terms of that. You have to be 100% if you want to play for him, the same with Steve. So only good things to say about Bulut, if you've seen my interviews from before, I have praised him many times. When he came, we actually did quite well that season, unfortunately things didn't go well in the next season for him.

During that season you assisted two iconic Derby goals, what did it mean to you playing in a derby for Cardiff City?

It's a dream for every player. A player that doesn't want to play in a derby, needs to change his profession. I live for these kind of games. They were special days for me, experiencing the South Wales Derby for the first time is something special for me. I really enjoyed both games, the Bristol and the Swansea, especially the Swansea game, it was special for me. I loved winning against Swansea, that was the biggest achievement for me in Cardiff. These games are really special for me, it's a game we go with our sword and we bleed and win the game.

You played thirty-seven times that season, are there any particular games that were personally special to you?

I would pick the Swansea game as the special one. It was a game I'd heard so much about and I was just waiting. Just waiting to be a part of this derby. When I came to Cardiff, that was the game I was looking forward to. Playing and winning both derbies was really big for me. I have a record of not losing any derby games which I was featured in, so I'm happy to keep that record.

The team struggled at the start of the season under Erol Bulut, why do you think that was?

I really don't know. It can go both ways, maybe the players are not themselves. The Championship is a very complicated league, one season you're flying, the next you're relegated. For Bulut's first season in the Championship he did well, and the second season things were not going as planned for him. The Championship is a very tough league to be in, if not the toughest league to play in.

What was your relationship with Omer Riza like?

To be honest, I don't have any relationship with Omer Riza. He was the gaffer and that was it. I wouldn't say there is a special relationship or not, it was just a job. He was the gaffer, he decided what we did and that was it. So I cannot really comment on Omer Riza, I can only wish him the best and move on.

You were absent from Mid December last season, is there any clarification you wish to provide on that?

Being absent was killing me so much, not being able to play because I'm that player who always wants to be on the pitch, and I will do anything regardless of what is going on just to be on the pitch and play football. There were a lot of fans reaching out to me asking why I wasn't playing, saying I deserved to be playing. It's just football, what could I do? The manager has the right to decide who plays and who doesn't play, so the reason why I was absent from mid December, I think that question should be thrown to Omer Riza, he has an answer to that, not me, because I really don't know why. He has his opinions, so he can answer that question.

Who’s a player you’ve played with at Cardiff, you think it underrated?

I would say myself, if I could put myself. Perry Ng is quite underrated, a really good baller. I think he deserves more flowers. He's a really nice guy and a really good footballer.

Who’s one player to watch, that you think will have a big future?

Joel Colwill. I think if he's managed well, I think he will be a big star in the future for Cardiff.

What is your final message to the Cardiff City supporters.

I love them so much, and I really appreciate the love they showed to me in my three years at Cardiff. In my time at Cardiff, I never had one negative message on social media or anything, like I have had in some other clubs. From the very first day I came to the club, they always supported me, in a good way and I really appreciate that. I love them so much and I'm a Bluebird for life. Once a Bluebird, always a Bluebird. Thank you guys, I wish you guys all the best and I'm happy for the promotion, and I wish the club, the fans, the city all the best. Much love.

Big thanks to JC for answering the questions!

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