Former Sunderland midfielder Dean Whitehead is in line for his managerial debut this evening. The ex-Black Cat has been placed in temporary charge of Championship side Cardiff City after they parted company with manager Mark Hudson last week.
The combative midfielder joined Cardiff's coaching staff last November and has held coaching roles at Town, Port Vale, Shrewsbury Town and Beşiktaş over the last five years. Whitehead made over 600 career appearances, including 200 in a red and white shirt in a Wearside tenure spanning five years.
Speaking ahead of the Bluebirds' FA Cup Third Round replay with Leeds United, Whitehead, who is currently second favourite with the bookmakers to land the job on a full-time basis, said: "The boys are ready. Everybody is fit. We are looking forward to it. It's a good game for us.
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"The atmosphere is going to be really good. We will have travelling supporters so we have got to put in a performance for them.
"It's an amazing amount of people who are going to come and support us on a Wednesday night, away at Leeds, we have to wear the shirt with pride and put on a performance for them."
There has been no decision made yet on whether Whitehead will be in charge when Cardiff entertain play-off chasing Millwall this weekend. "We had players who stepped up for their chance and we have players who are going to do that again," he said. "They have got to take their opportunity and everyone has to step up and be counted. We look forward to it.
"You gain confidence all the time in matches, but that was a big turning point for one or two players who came in, performed and stayed in the team.
"Now it's up to everyone to up their standards and we will go to Elland Road and then Millwall at the weekend. Any opportunity for any player who hasn't had the minutes they would have liked, this gives them a chance to put on the shirt and put in a performance. It puts people in contention. They are all ready. Everybody is fit and healthy. We have a fully fit squad."
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