Soundbites. Reading v Cardiff

12 May 2011 21:52
Who is saying what? Paul Quinn. "I'm driven by the hurt and disappointment last year. I wasted a full summer and possibly wasted the first month or so getting back pre-season as well, it was difficult. "People think we're down and low now… we were down and low last season so it's making us more relaxed if anything. "I feel more relaxed this year because we went through that roller-coaster last season and certainly feel if we do the right things, we can get there. "It's a strange pressure. There's so much at stake. "We just need to focus and block everything out - the surroundings, all that it means to the club, the fans and ourselves and just concentrate on the football pitch and take it from there. "And if we do that I'm sure that we're good enough a team and squad to go an prevail through the two games." Jobi McAnuff. "Cardiff probably haven't had the best results lately but it's going to be tough. They're up there by merit, they're a good team. "They didn't manage to get second place but that might make them more determined to go up through the play-offs. "I look back at my time in Cardiff very fondly. I had a good year there. I wasn't playing much at West Ham so I went to play some football. "They're a massive club and the fans down there are unbelievable. "All the games we've played against each other have been really tight and it really is a toss up. It's all about how you perform on the day and if we can go out and perform as well as we can, we've got a chance." Jay Emmanuel Thomas. “I’d love the chance to celebrate promotion with Cardiff. “The standard here in Cardiff is better than at the two previous clubs I played at. “It (the play offs) can be a pressure situation and that’s something I have not experienced before, but I’m happy to deal with that sort of pressure.” Shaun Cummings. “We want to be in the Premier League and we know the ability we have here. “We’ve worked so hard to get into the play-offs, winning those eight games in a row and going unbeaten for so long. “We’re the only team that has really progressed like that and pushed on this season. “It was a great achievement from the boys. And after winning on the last day of the season against Derby, we’re looking to push on.” And a neutral, Derby's Shaun Barker. "Cardiff and Reading are the two teams I expected to see in the final had they avoided each other. "They haven't but I think the winner of the play-offs will come from their semi-final. It is a close call between them but I'll go for Cardiff to win and then go on and win the final." "Reading are a very good side. Shane Long has had a great season for them, as has Jimmy Kebe and Ian Harte is always a threat at set-pieces," added Barker. "We know what Cardiff are about. "They have some fantastic players and they also have the experience of last season, when they reached the play-off final and lost to Blackpool. That experience might just give them the edge in the tie."

Source: FOOTYMAD