By Paul Jones
Cardiff City’s decision to sack Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is the second time in his career he has left a club in mysterious circumstances.
The Bluebirds parted company with their winger abruptly on Wednesday afternoon for an alleged breach of contract.
The 28-year-old was only eight games short of his century of appearances for the Welsh capital club having joined them from Rochdale in 2017. He helped them to reach the Premier League under Neil Warnock.
“Cardiff City Football Club has, with immediate effect, terminated the contract of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The club will not be making any further comment on the matter,” read the statement.
But eight years ago, Mendez-Laing left Peterborough under a cloud after he and three other players were transfer-listed for a “breach of club discipline”.
After joining Peterborough for £100,000 from Wolves, where he started out as a trainee, the then 20-year-old was given a free transfer to Rochdale.
Club Statement | Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
➡️ https://t.co/zhpyiJAsqA pic.twitter.com/Kuf6jpOkn1
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) September 9, 2020
“Peterborough United are disappointed to report that Gabriel Zakuani, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Emile Sinclair and Tyrone Barnett have been transfer-listed and fined by the football club following an internal investigation into a breach of club discipline,” the Peterborough statement from 2012 read.
“The club will be making no further comment on the matter.”
Peterborough – who were managed by Darren Ferguson at the time, son Sir Alex Ferguson – were 23rd in the Championship table when the punishments were given, having taken just 12 points from their first 16 games of the season.
Cardiff today offered no further explanation for their decision – issuing a brief statement announcing the shock decision that they had dismissed “with immediate effect” a player who was contracted until June next year.
Mendez-Laing played 29 times last season, scoring three goals, but was missing from last weekend’s Carabao Cup defeat at Northampton for “personal reasons”.
City boss Neil Harris claimed Mendez-Laing had been “great around the place” just before his injury and was considered a big admirer of his ability.
But he won’t be short of wide men despite the loss of Mendez-Laing.
He still has Junior Hoilett, Josh Murphy and Gavin Whyte in his squad and last week added Liverpool youngster Sheyi Ojo on loan for the season.
Mendez-Laing last played for the Bluebirds in their Championship play-off matches against Fulham in July.
He ruptured his hamstring in the win over Sheffield Wednesday on 29 December and looked like missing the rest of the season, but battled back to fitness to help the club make the play-offs.