Osaze: Why I Was ‘Sacked' By Cardiff

--Eagles star reveals Solskjaer told him his defensive game was weak

Peter Osaze Odemwingie has revealed his surprise when Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told him he could leave because the defensive part of his game was not good enough. The 32-year-old frontman said he was told the news in a meeting with Solskjaer just after the Norwegian came to Cardiff at the start of January.

Within days, Odemwingie was out of the door, on his way to Stoke in a deal which saw Trinidadian striker Kenwyne Jones move in the opposite direction.

Odemwingie was back in Cardiff last weekend – winning a controversial penalty in Stoke’s 1-1 draw – but he insisted there are no hard feelings towards Cardiff or Solskjaer.

“I have no hard feelings. When I went everyone seemed happy,” he said.

“The decision for me to go was more from the Cardiff manager when he came to the club. We had a little chat and he said he was not so pleased with the defensive part of my game.

“I had been trying my best, although that is not the best side of my game.

“I’m not a strong player, but I do my best and you get the best out of me in the final third. That’s where I get my goals.

“He also said he needed a targetman and he had wingers he said he felt were stronger than me at the time.

“I was happy to accept the situation that he was not too pleased. Two goals in four months at Cardiff was not where I wanted to be. I just needed the change, so everyone was happy.

“Cardiff were happy for me to leave. They were glad to be getting Kenwyne Jones, so it was easy to talk. It did not take much time.”