Cardiff City

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Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy and goalkeeper Nathan Trott have been nominated for the League One Manager of the Month and Player of the Month awards respectively for August.

Brian-Murphy has been nominated after an unbeaten start to the season.

The Bluebirds sit top of the league on 16 points after five wins and one draw from their opening six matches.

The 46-year-old left his coaching role at Leicester City to take over at Cardiff after their relegation from the Championship last season.

Barry-Murphy is up against Bradford City boss Graham Alexander, Doncaster Rovers head coach Grant McCann and Stevenage's Alex Revell for the award.

Goalkeeper Trott is yet to concede a league goal since joining on a season-long loan from Danish side Copenhagen.

A former England Under-20 international, Trott was Barry-Murphy's first signing after he joined the club.

He has kept five clean sheets in five League One games, which means the Bluebirds have gone almost nine hours without conceding a league goal.

Trott has been nominated alongside Wimbledon striker Matty Stevens, Stevenage frontman Jamie Reid and Doncaster midfielder Owen Bailey.

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Brian Barry-Murphy says he has only come to appreciate the size of Cardiff City since taking charge of the club in June.

Barry-Murphy has made a spectacular start to life as Cardiff boss, with his side top of League One having taken 16 points from six third-tier games and still in the EFL Cup.

The Irishman, who has previously worked at Rochdale, Manchester City and Leicester City, says he has been surprised by Cardiff's stature.

"I think sometimes you look like you are doing a bit of PR [when you say that], but this is a massive club," Barry-Murphy said.

"I was aware it was big, which is one of the reasons why I came here, but I had no idea it was this big."

Barry-Murphy, whose side return to action at Stockport on Saturday, 13 September, says a recent fans' forum in Maesteg made an impression on him.

"We train in the Vale [of Glamorgan Hotel] and it took me almost an hour to get to Maesteg," he added.

"That's quite far for the supporters' range to be.

"Then I came back a different way over the mountain tops and you start to see where these people who support the club are from. It gives you a great appreciation of why you are doing what you are doing."

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Brian Barry-Murphy says the postponement of Cardiff City's game against Burton Albion means a chance to prepare for a hectic spell in the Bluebirds' season.

Cardiff had been due to host Burton on Saturday, but the fixture was called off due to international call-ups.

That means a 14-day gap between Cardiff's win over Plymouth Argyle and their next outing, at Stockport County on Saturday, 13 September.

But Barry-Murphy says the break between fixtures means a chance to work on the strength of his players.

"We have a pretty select squad in terms of numbers," the Cardiff head coach said.

"For the players who have put so much into this [first] part of the season, [the break] is very important for them.

"We have a pretty serious gym programme, a lot of strengthening that helps preserve their fitness we hope and will make them stronger for the next part of the season.

"When you play Saturday, Tuesday, you are just doing recovery and very light training, but this break means a chance to do some strength sessions."

Cardiff's progress in the Carabao Cup means the Stockport game will be the first of nine Barry-Murphy's team play in just 28 days.

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After a slow start to their summer recruitment, Cardiff City's late additions kept the positivity going at the Bluebirds under Brian Barry-Murphy with the signings of Gabriel Osho and Omari Kellyman.

With the dust settled after deadline day, BBC Sport Wales' Carl Roberts and Chris Wathan discussed the transfer business at the Cardiff City Stadium Stadium - and you can listen to the chat here.

To get the latest Cardiff City news, interviews and analysis you can listen to the Cardiff feed on BBC Sounds. To find that just search Cardiff City on BBC Sounds, or head here.

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Cardiff City's Carabao Cup third-round tie at Premier League Burnley will be played on Tuesday, 23 September (19:45 BST).

The Bluebirds have reached round three courtesy of home victories over Swindon Town and Cheltenham Town.

They now face Scott Parker's Clarets, who overcame Derby County after entering at the second-round stage.

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Cardiff City defender Joel Bagan believes their excellent defensive record this season is down to Brian Barry-Murphy's attacking philosophy.

The Bluebirds are still unbeaten this season and sit top of the League One table on 16 points.

They are the league's joint top goal scorers with 11, and also boast the league's best defence with only one goal conceded.

They've gone almost nine hours without conceding a league goal - that came against Peterborough on the opening weekend of the season.

"We've had the ball a lot longer in games. If you look at the possession stats then the numbers are high. Brian has told me and Ronan (Kpakio) that the best way to defend is to attack - take their wingers backwards," said Bagan.

"You want to be in a team that's got the ball. I feel that I play better when I've got the ball and I'm involved in the game.

"I just want to keep working on that and get some assists and goals now as well."

Cardiff's back four for most of the season has consisted of three players who have come through the academy system - Bagan, Dylan Lawlor and Kpakio.

And Bagan believes that has also played a part in their strong start to the season.

"From the first game, and even in pre-season, we got used to working with each other," Bagan added.

"Me, Dylan, and Ronan have come through the academy, and I think that makes it easier because we know each other's strengths.

"When we're so close - like we are in the changing room - you want to push that extra yard for each other.

"Every week we're getting stronger and stronger and I think you can see that in the performances."

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Cardiff City have rejected four loan offers for teenage winger Tanatswa Nyakuhwa.

Kilmarnock, Anderlecht and two unnamed EFL clubs have shown an interest in the 19-year-old.

But for the time being, Cardiff want to keep Nyakuhwa, who started in the EFL Cup win over Cheltenham Town last week.

The Wales youth international also made a substitute appearance in Saturday's 4-0 League One victory against Plymouth Argyle.

And with winger Ollie Tanner out injured at the moment, Cardiff are keen to keep Nyakuhwa as one of their attacking options.

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Cardiff City's brilliant start to the season continued on Saturday, as they thrashed Plymouth Argyle 4-0 at the Cardiff City Stadium

The Bluebirds are still unbeaten under head coach Brian Barry-Murphy, and currently sit top of the League One table on 16 points after six games.

Cardiff are League One's joint top goal scorers with 11, and also boast the league's best defence with only one goal conceded.

After such a positive month, how impressed have you been by the Bluebirds' start to the season? And where can they still improve?

Have your say here!

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Cardiff City boss Brian Barry-Murphy hopes the club's tribute to its former captain, the late Sol Bamba, will have been a source of comfort for his family.

The Bluebirds beat Plymouth Argyle 4-0 on Saturday, a day short of a year since former Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Leicester City defender Bamba died at the age of 39.

Fans from both clubs applauded for a whole minute 14 minutes into the game, a reference to Bamba's squad number at Cardiff.

Barry-Murphy then held aloft a scarf bearing Bamba's name as he celebrated victory with the Bluebirds supporters after the final whistle.

"My wife was really close to Chloe [Bamba's wife] so she knows the family really well, so a real awareness of what they went through," said Barry-Murphy.

"I lost my own friend [former Rochdale player Joe Thompson] to cancer recently, and I think it just makes you realise how fragile life is. We obsess about everything in football, but really, it's just a small part of people's lives.

"I think it was just important that for his [Bamba's] family and for our supporters to have that feeling of being connected. It will give a lot of people a lot of feeling of comfort in what is going to be a difficult time, bearing in mind how close it is to his anniversary."

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Midfielder Ryan Wintle says he is enjoying being a senior figure in the Cardiff City dressing room - even if he is just 28.

Wintle started Cardiff's season-opening game at home Peterborough United as the oldest player by five years, such has been the youth movement adopted by new head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

It is an approach that has led Cardiff to an unbeaten start to the season and has taken the Bluebirds to the top of the League One table.

"With the turnaround in the summer, we've got a lot of young players," said Wintle.

"In the first game of the season, I think I was five years the oldest. I felt old. Obviously, I'm not old, you know, I'm 28, I should be in my prime, really.

"But it's good to be with young players who are hungry and want to learn and improve, and you can see that we are getting better by every game.

"I was one of them, you know, 10 or 11 years ago. Everyone's got to enjoy the ride.

"If I can help by using a bit of my experience, then hopefully we'll get promoted and that'll be a good thing for everyone."

One player who has been a big part of the new, youthful Cardiff City has been attacking midfielder Rubin Colwill.

The Wales international, 23, has - according to Wintle - been given more freedom by Barry-Murphy.

"I spoke to the manager partly about him when he first came in and I said with Rubin, he's got all the ability in the world, he should be in the Premier League, but he's not quite had the right coaching to say, 'this is what you have to do'," Wintle said.

"With this manager, he's kind of given him a freedom, but he's said to him, 'this is what you've got to do and this is how you'll get good numbers and this is how you'll win games and you'll look even better'. And he's been doing it so far so, hopefully, it continues.

"He's 6ft 6in and probably the best mover on the ball I've ever seen. I always compare him to Morgan Rodgers [of Aston Villa] and people like that.

"He's got that ceiling and he's got to be looking at that now and especially with this coach, he's only going to take him higher and higher, hopefully with us. So hopefully, he can get there."

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Cardiff City goalkeeper Nathan Trott has been given a '50-50' chance of being fit for Saturday's League One match against Plymouth Argyle by Bluebirds boss Brian Barry-Murphy.

But midfielders David Turnbull and Alex Robertson have both been ruled out for the game at the Cardiff City Stadium (12:30 BST).

Trott has a tight hamstring while Robertson has also been complaining of his own hamstring pains.

Turnbull has a had a groin scan which has showed he will be out for around 10 days.

Trott's potential omission from the Argyle game would come as a blow to Barry-Murphy's side, who sit top of League One thanks in some part to Trott's performances in goal.

The 26-year-old, on loan from FC Copenhagen, has conceded just one goal in five appearances. If missing he will be replaced by either Matthew Turner, who started the season in goal against Peterborough United, or Jak Alnwick, who has returned to training after illness.

When asked about Trott's impact, Barry-Murphy said: "He's done exceptionally well. He's had a really positive influence on the team which is what we hoped for.

"The opportunity for Matt Turner was evident on Tuesday [against Cheltenham Town], you saw the energy he created for the team because of how good he was.

"If Matt Turner feels he has no chance of playing, that's not what we want."

Burton fixture postponed

Meanwhile, Cardiff City's home League One game with Burton Albion originally scheduled for Saturday, 6 September has been postponed due to international call-ups.

A new date for this match will be announced in due course, meaning after Saturday's match with Plymouth the Bluebirds' next game will be the league trip to Stockport County on 13 September.

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Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy says it is "impossible to say" whether or not the club will be doing any more business before the transfer window closes.

So far the Bluebirds have only brought in Copenhagen goalkeeper Nathan Trott on loan, while 11 senior players have departed since last season.

Centre-back Jesper Daland was once again not included in the Cardiff matchday squad for their 3-0 EFL Cup win over Cheltenham.

Barry-Murphy confirmed the defender, who signed for around £3.5m from Cercle Brugge last year, is in "advanced discussions" with other teams.

"As things stand he is still a Cardiff player and we see so many times the unpredictable nature of this window," said Barry-Murphy.

"He has been training exceptionally well but he has not been fully active the past few days as he's been engaged in advanced discussions with other clubs."

As for incomings, Barry-Murphy dismissed rumours linking the club to Sparta Prague defender Patrick Vydra and would not been drawn on reports surrounding Auxerre defender Gabriel Osho.

"We have people in mind that remain consistent and constant," Barry-Murphy said.

"Our priority is to got those people in and if we don't then work back from there.

"I think there will be some [incomings], but it is impossible to say."

The transfer window closes on Monday, 1 September at 19:00 BST.