By Ian Gordon

Russell Slade reckons hijacking Tom Lawrence from Blackburn can ignite Cardiff’s bid for the Championship play-offs.

The Bluebirds boss swooped to land the Leicester striker on loan just as Rovers looked to extend his stay until the end of the season.

Lawrence makes his debut against MK Dons today with Slade reckoning the prospect of boosting his Wales Euro2016 hopes will have the ex-Manchester United prospect firing on all cylinders.

Slade, 55, said:  “Blackburn were keen to keep Tom so we did a bit of work to hijack him out of there and it came off.

“I am pleased he wanted to join us because it may have been easier to stay at the club he was with.

“Anyone who has a football education at Manchester United comes with a high calibre.

“He is still learning but he will be full of enthusiasm with the Euros on the horizon. It is an important period for him and he could be a very good fit.

“We would be delighted to see him play for Wales in the summer and you can see that hunger in him.”

Slade’s side are four points off the play-offs but face the Dons at home today looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time since last September.

He added: “It is something we have got to do on a more regular basis now as we are going into the business end of the season.

“We have to kick on, it will not always be about performances, it is about results at this time of the season. If we can win two or three on the bounce it would be a big benefit.

“MK Dons have had the better of us this season. We have lost twice to them in league and cup and they will pester you and fight for everything but we need that win.”
endig