Ollie Tanner: Cardiff City winger reminded to keep feet on ground
- Published
Ollie Tanner's only goal of the season came in the South Wales Derby against Swansea City on 16 September
Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut says he has had to remind winger Ollie Tanner to keep his feet on the ground if he wants a place in the squad.
The 21-year-old was thrown into the spotlight when he came off the bench to score, and win a penalty, in Cardiff's South Wales derby win over Swansea.
And Bulut says it took time for the young winger to come back down to earth from that game in September.
"He had gone from zero to 100 in one day," said Cardiff boss Bulut.
"He is 21 years old, has just scored a goal against Swansea, everyone looks at him differently on the streets than they did before, when maybe nobody recognised him. Now, they know it's Ollie Tanner! He is the hero!
"I have spoken with him many times. The last two weeks he is doing better in the training sessions. If he continues to train like that, mentally and physically, he will be with us."
Tanner earned a new three-year contract last autumn - partly on the back of his impact in the derby - after joining Cardiff City from non-league Lewes in May 2022.
However the winger was left out of the squad for Saturday's home win over Stoke City, and speaking to the press ahead of Saturday's Severnside derby at Bristol City, Bulut explained why.
"If the body language in the training or dressing room is wrong then we have to separate him," said Bulut.
"Young players can have one or two great games and afterwards, they are flying a little bit. So, to bring them back, it takes time.
"Ollie had a bit of something like that, I spoke with him many times and the last two weeks he is doing well. Whether it's Ollie Tanner, someone else, it doesn't matter, I want the best performance and they have to give the best performance.
"I will remind you of one Premier League coach, Ange Postecoglou, saying about having the wrong person in the dressing room can destroy a lot of things.
"This, we don't want. This, we try and manage here in our team. We want the correct characters and players in the dressing room. Everyone must help each other."
However, Bulut says he is satisfied that Tanner has taken on board the advice from Cardiff's coaching staff going forward.
"For him to manage all of this is not easy," added Bulut.
"We try to help him, our coaches at the training centre try to help him. I've talked with him a lot and now I think he understands he has to start again from where he started before, not where he finished.
"Other players, it might happen with (Cian) Ashford, (Joel) Colwill, Rubes (Rubin Colwill). Sometimes experienced players, it can happen.
"That's why we are here. We are not only coaches, we coach them mentally to come down."
Meanwhile after Liverpool's teenagers inspired their FA Cup fifth-round win at home to Southampton, Bulut pledged to do his best to blood some Cardiff youngsters in the final games of the season.
Wales Under-19 international Lewis Koumas scored his first goal on his senior debut in a 3-0 win over Southampton, which has led to the current crop of Liverpool youngsters being dubbed 'Klopp's Kids'.
Bulut laughed off any suggestion that he would preside over the introduction of 'Bulut's Babes' but promised that youngsters such as recent substitutes Ashford and Joel Colwill would get a first team chance before the end of the season.