Connor Wickham: Cardiff City striker hopes he has repaid Cardiff fans
- Published
Sabri Lamouchi deciced striker Connor Wickham would be available against Blackpool
Connor Wickham hopes his starring role in Cardiff's crucial win at Blackpool has helped repay the club and its fans after a video appeared to show the striker inhaling laughing gas.
Manager Sabri Lamouchi branded Wickham "absolutely stupid" after the player was seen in the video holding a balloon to his mouth while inhaling and exhaling.
Wickham scored Cardiff's opening goal at Blackpool.
"I hope all is forgiven," he said.
The club is investigating the video that was posted to his Instagram soon after Cardiff's loss to rivals Swansea.
"First of all it was absolutely stupid, even if it was his birthday after the derby," said Lamouchi.
He added: "I spoke with him, he was absolutely devastated and sorry. He asked to apologise to the players, to the club, to the fans publicly and also in the locker room.
"I said to him we have a lot of problems to manage, so I don't need more problems to create more tension, because we have only one goal and it is to save the club and play in the Championship next season, because the club deserves it.
"We are where we are for many reasons, many mistakes. This was a big mistake as well."
The video has since been deleted and Wickham spoke to the Bluebirds website, external after the win at Blackpool.
"I felt like I owed it to the fans, the players and the staff this week. I knew that I had a point to prove today, and to give something back to the fans. By starting me, the manager has given me a chance.
"It was important, and I felt getting the first goal and then assisting two goals, I hope it's been repaid. I know that I've had a stinker, but with a goal and two assists today, I hope all is forgiven.
"I'll just try and keep this attitude and keep this momentum going forward, and hopefully we can have a successful end to the season."
The incident following the defeat by Swansea drew strong criticism from fans, with Wickham joining others singing and dancing in a car hours after the injury-time 3-2 defeat at home to Swansea.
'Not illegal'
Former Leeds United and Crystal Palace player Wickham, 30, joined Cardiff as a free agent in January, 2023 for the rest of season following a successful trial.
Lamouchi has said the club are yet to decide whether to sanction the player, but maintained a distinction must be made between what is legal and illegal.
"Illegal and the club would take the radical decision. Me too, because if it's not legal you don't have any chance," he said,
"If you are doing something wrong you have to pay the consequence - but this is not the case."
However Lamouchi was surprised by Wickham's actions.
He added: "He is not so young, he is a mature player.
"Our business is a different world. Unfortunately the mentality changes, social media is not what it was like 20 years ago. So we need to take care about that.
"It is dangerous for [players], for the image and for the club. So they need to manage that. But to make a career without any mistakes is also difficult."
Cardiff's win at Blackpool moved them above Reading and QPR into 19th - though just one point clear of the bottom three.