Fit and firing Robinson relishing new Cardiff campaign

Striker Callum Robinson is looking to improve on last season's tally of three goals in 28 appearances for club and country

Callum Robinson says Cardiff City fans will see the “full” version of him this season.

The 29-year-old Republic of Ireland striker was hampered by injury last season in manager Erol Bulut’s first campaign at the helm.

But after an early talk with Bulut when the players returned to training, Robinson has been a stand-out figure in the build-up games to the new Championship season.

Robinson's two goals in Wednesday's 2-1 home win over Bristol Rovers took his pre-season tally to six.

Robinson said: “I am just proving to him [Bulut] what I can do. I think he knows what I can do but realistically, if I am honest, he did not see the full Callum Robinson last season.

”I am trying to show him what I can do and hopefully he picks me. That is all any professional would want. I am doing everything I can to get into the starting XI.”

Robinson, signed from West Bromwich Albion for £1.7m in September 2022, was restricted to just nine Championship starts last term, with 14 appearances as a substitute. He scored just one league goal.

He said: “It just didn't work out for me on the pitch last year. He probably expected a little bit more from me. But we had a good conversation on the second day of pre-season and it was really good for me to know where I stood.

"I said, 'If you're going to give me 100%, I will give you 100%', and that was the truth. As you can see now I'm showing it on the pitch.

"It's not that I wasn't giving 100% last year, but my body just didn't allow me. He didn't get to see me at the top, top level I know I can be at.

"So he said last year is done and he'll give me 100% and it's proving to be like that on the pitch at the moment."

This summer the former Aston Villa trainee has looked fresh, pacey and clinical in front of goal.

He said: “Personally it has gone well for me. Forget the goals, just my body, how I feel, I feel sharp and I feel I can make the box. That is the main thing in pre-season, that my body feels right.

“I scored a few last pre-season, but this pre-season I feel sharper and I am moving way better than all of last season, and that is down to all the hard work I have put in.

“I had a back injury against Wycombe in the last pre-season game (last year) and I struggled to get back. I did get back, but I have played a lot of years and I knew I wasn’t feeling 100%.

“If you don’t get game time you lose fitness as well and it was a bit of a cycle. As a professional you don’t want a year like that, but in 12 years I am fortunate I have had only one year like that.

“But I have been putting in the hours in the gym to make sure I have a good season.”

Robinson’s pre-season form adds to the attacking selection dilemmas of Bulut.

Cardiff have bolstered their forward line with the acquisitions of former Queens Park Rangers wide man Chris Willock, Ivory Coast centre forward Wilfried Kanga - on loan from Hertha BSC - and former Aston Villa flyer Anwar El Ghazi.

Isaac Davies has looked lively on his return from a loan spell at Kortrijk in Belgium, while Yakou Meite and Kion Etete are also in contention.

Cardiff desperately needed to add pace and goals to their squad and they are looking at more recruits ahead of the 31 August transfer window deadline.

Robinson believes that Bulut signing a new two-year deal after protracted negotiations has been the ideal base, as the club looks to improve on their 12th position in the Championship last season.

“The manager has signed two years and it shows stability. We know he will be here and the boys know where they stand," Robinson said.

“New signings have come in: Chris (Willock) and Chambo (Callum Chambers); Wilfried Kanga; El Ghazi has a lot of quality. That is a lot of competition.

“But I have been promoted from this league and I know you need a squad. It’s impossible without a top-quality squad.

"You need players coming in with a similar level of ability and players that offer something different.

“That’s what we had at West Brom when we got promoted and hopefully that is what we are building here.”