Cardiff City: Play-offs 'unrealistic', says manager Russell Slade

Cardiff City's Craig Noone is brought down by Brighton's Beram Kayal

Cardiff City manager Russell Slade admits reaching the play-offs is "unrealistic" but insists they will not be dragged into a relegation battle.

A 0-0 draw at home to lowly Brighton left the Bluebirds only six points above the Championship's bottom three.

They are now 16 points adrift of the play-off places and Slade concedes Cardiff's promotion hopes are all but extinguished.

"I wouldn't say it's gone but it's looking unrealistic," he admitted.

"We've got to put some real consolidated run together to get us up there.

"It doesn't mean it's impossible. It can happen, teams have done it before.

"At the minute we don't look like we're capable of doing that. We need to be picking up wins."

The goalless draw against Brighton was Cardiff's sixth match without a win, prompting an angry response from the Bluebirds' fans who booed their side at half-time and at the final whistle.

Slade's side have won only one of their last 10 league games and that poor run of form has seen the former Leyton Orient manager come under intense pressure.

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman has admitted the board is concerned about the team's recent decline, but he also says Slade has the support of the club's hierarchy.

Despite falling to 16th place in the Championship table, Slade is adamant Cardiff will not be embroiled in a relegation fight.

"I think we have enough ability, collective togetherness, character and desire to look upwards and get us up to the top half of the table," he added.

"I'm not saying you can't [get dragged into a relegation battle] but that's not my mindset and I don't believe that's the players' mindset. That's all I'm saying.

"All I can say is to finish as high as we can and accumulate as many points as we can. That will be the target."