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Glen Williams

'You're playing for your futures' - Steve Morison issues blunt warning to Cardiff City's out of contract stars after Bristol flop

Cardiff City manager Steve Morison has told his plethora of soon-to-be out of contract stars that they are playing for their futures over the coming months.

There are 10 senior Bluebirds figures whose deals run out in the Welsh capital this summer — Alex Smithies, Sean Morrison, Aden Flint, Will Vaulks, Joe Ralls, Leandro Bacuna, Marlon Pack, Josh Murphy, Ciaron Brown and Isaac Vassell — and the off-season will undoubtedly see wholesale squad changes.

However, we have to get to that point first.

It is still unknown in which division the Bluebirds will be plying their trade next term, with the club well and truly in a battle to avoid relegation under Morison.

It begs the question, though; does having so many players out of contract this summer breed a worrying sense of uncertainty within the squad? If so, how much of an impact is that actually having?

That is the danger with so many players' futures up in the air. But manager Morison, whose contract is also up this summer, remember, said all of his players should be playing for their next contract, whether that's at Cardiff or elsewhere.

READ MORE: All the latest Cardiff City news, views, features and interviews

"Human nature takes over. There is uncertainty, but my question to them today, after the game, was, 'You’re playing for your future, whether it’s here or somewhere else,'" Morison said.

"Because if someone is here today going, ‘Oh Cardiff have got X amount out of contract, let’s have a look to see if there are any of them I could take’… are you taking anyone on the back of (that performance)?

"But that’s how football is. It’s that constant cycle and ultimately they are going to be constantly watched. If people are looking to sign, your reputation only gets you so far.

"Nowadays, with video footage, it’s constant and you’re going to get questioned.

"I totally get it. It falls on me. I’m the one who gets the stick. I’m the one who is going to get hammered for not bringing Rubin [Coliwll] along or not putting this player on, or taking this player off.

"It’s easy to have a go at me, I’m the new guy, the one who has got no experience etc etc. But once they step over the white line it falls on the players.

"It's nothing I haven’t said to them. If anyone doesn't like it in the dressing room, the door is always open, they walk past it every day."

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