Captain Colwill Backs Cardiff For League One Title

Rubin Colwill tin sometimes look for illustration a subordinate who is destined to everlastingly beryllium talked astir arsenic a prima of nan future, a talent of immense – if unfulfilled – potential.

At 23 years old, he is hardly a grizzled aged seasoned but, pinch much than 150 Cardiff City appearances to his name, Colwill is nary novice either.

Great expectations person followed nan attacking midfielder since he first collapsed into nan Bluebirds' first squad arsenic an 18-year-old successful 2021 and nan hype only intensified erstwhile he was named successful Wales' squad for nan European Championship later that year.

It was easy to spot why location was specified excitement. Here was a physically imposing teen who could dribble past an opponent, play an incisive walk aliases prime retired nan apical area pinch a long-range missile.

Jurgen Klopp, whose Liverpool broadside he scored against during an FA Cup necktie astatine Anfield, was among those to definitive their admiration for Colwill.

But his advancement has been frustratingly stop-start since then.

There person been increasing pains – literally, pinch a precocious maturation spurt causing wounded – and losses of assurance aliases shape which person seen him driblet successful and retired of Cardiff teams and Wales squads.

Now, Colwill is astatine thing of a crossroads successful his profession and looks primed to grasp his opportunity.

Following Cardiff's relegation from nan Championship past season, Colwill was named vice-captain to caller skipper Calum Chambers, arsenic voted by their team-mates.

As Chambers was suspended for Saturday's League One opener astatine location to Peterborough United, Colwill led his boyhood nine for nan first clip – and roseate to nan challenge.

He scored a stunning 20-yard free-kick to bring nan Bluebirds level successful a 2-1 win, nan item of a man-of-the-match capacity successful which he backed up his accustomed productivity and flair successful onslaught pinch power and grit retired of possession.

"It was a awesome day. I deliberation not conscionable personally but I deliberation for everybody involved," said Colwill.

"We each want to play breathtaking football, play attacking football, beryllium connected nan beforehand foot, triumph nan shot back. We're each buying into that."

On wearing nan armband, he added: "It was nice, it was a large responsibility.

"I thought done what I needed to do, what was required of maine but yea erstwhile you almost judge that work I deliberation it's almost freeing to person that connected your shoulders and to effort and thief everybody get done nan game.

"I deliberation that responsibility, maturity is thing that comes people erstwhile you're astir it agelong enough. I'm astir apt 1 of nan much knowledgeable players successful nan squad now. So it almost comes people pinch time, experience, and I deliberation it's conscionable thing that I for illustration to do."

Colwill was 1 of 7 Cardiff academy graduates successful caller caput coach Brian Barry-Murphy's starting line-up for his first crippled successful complaint against Peterborough, nan youngest squad nan Bluebirds person fielded for a convention fixture this century.

That religion successful younker – pinch a further 3 academy products connected nan chair – was arsenic strikingly successful opposition to Barry-Murphy's predecessors arsenic nan Irishman's adventurous style of play.

Cardiff saw 11 elder players time off pursuing their relegation from nan Championship and person not yet signed anyone this summer, though they are targeting 4 caller recruits.

The Bluebirds were successful nan Premier League arsenic precocious arsenic 2019 and League One has been location to galore fallen top-flight teams successful caller years, including past season's runaway champions Birmingham City.

Whereas nan Blues spent heavy – pinch striker Jay Stansfield unsocial costing £15m – Cardiff will not person those kinds of costs disposable arsenic they look to beforehand from within.

"I deliberation what we're doing is astir apt very different to what Birmingham person done," said Colwill.

"They spent a batch of money, brought a batch of players successful and I deliberation we've almost, not gone nan different way, but we've almost trusted successful what we've sewage is bully enough, and it is bully enough.

"I'm afloat assured successful each subordinate successful our changing room that we're tin of winning this convention and getting promoted."

Colwill has spent his full profession astatine Cardiff and, though he could astir apt person joined a nine successful a higher section this summer, he felt a work to stay.

"I for illustration to beryllium a portion of something, and to beryllium an integral portion of what we're trying to execute astatine my boyhood nine is very important to me," he said.

"I deliberation we tin do thing really typical this year, usage everybody this year, nan academy boys, each nan lads that person been present for 2 aliases 3 years, nan ups and nan batch of lows we astir apt had nan past mates of years and move it each around. I deliberation it tin beryllium really typical for each of us."

Speaking of special, Colwill's younger relative Joel made his first convention commencement for Cardiff alongside him connected Saturday.

"This has been our dream since we were for illustration five, six years old, and to beryllium capable to do it together, I deliberation sometimes we don't realise really uncommon and really typical it is to beryllium capable to play pinch your brother," Colwill nan elder said.

"Lots of brothers play for different teams and stuff, but to beryllium capable to turn up pinch each other, play for nan aforesaid teams, and past do it for nan first squad is incredible."