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Glen Williams

'We embarrassed him!' How Cardiff City's dressing room reacted to star's coming-of-age display against Coventry City

Cardiff City boss Steve Morison revealed the players "embarrassed" Joel Bagan in the dressing room after his coming-of-age display against Coventry City.

Bagan was the standout performer for the Bluebirds in the win over the Sky Blues, scoring his second goal in as many games and putting in a stellar defensive display to boot.

After struggling to find his feet early on in the season, the Bluebirds youngster is showing just why everyone at the club is excited about his potential now.

He was so good, Morison noted, that Mark Robins had to take off the experienced Todd O'Kane to try to cope with him.

It was a complete performance from the youngster, Morison said, and now loan signing Alfie Doughty, who is currently out with an ankle injury, has some serious competition to get the shirt back.

"We embarrassed him in the dressing room after, because of how good he was," Morison said of the 20-year-old.

"He made them take a player off, his opposite number, and Todd Kane has played hundreds of Championship games.

"He was thrown in the deep end, that was the reality of it. And it was tough for him, he needed that break out of the game.

"Now Alfie has got to try and move Joel out of the team, because he was man of the match."

Bagan is now showing real attacking endeavour and looks far more confident with the ball at his feet.

His goal, for example, was sublime. He cut in from the left and bent the ball expertly into the far corner with his weaker right foot.

The time out of the side has done him the world of good and Morison said the Republic of Ireland youth international is now looking like a real Championship wing-back.

READ MORE: The Cardiff City v Coventry City player ratings as Joel Bagan shines and substitutes makes key impact

"That's what I've wanted, that's what I've been asking of him," Morison added.

"I said to him he's not going to play if he just gets the ball and keeps passing it backwards, because you don't want to take people on or commit people.

"If you're going to play in that wing-back role, you have to be someone who can travel with the ball up the pitch and makes things happen for us.

"He has grown every single game and that was a complete performance. Defensively, we know he is sound defensively, but going the other way, he was excellent."

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