Chris Wilder expressed confidence in Cardiff City’s ability to succeed in the Championship this season, despite the team not following in the footsteps of fellow promoted clubs Wrexham and Birmingham by making significant signings after their promotion from League One.

The Sheffield United manager left the Cardiff City Stadium with a sense of achievement on Saturday, having secured a point in a match where his team maintained a lead for a substantial part of the first half.

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Cardiff’s squad featured only two new additions – Jack Moylan and debutant Krystian Bielik – who did not play under Brian Barry-Murphy during last season’s promotion campaign.

However, Wilder, who has achieved promotion four times throughout his managerial career, remarked how “really impressed” he was with Cardiff, characterizing the team as “really difficult to deal with.”

“I know they’ve not gone and signed player after player after player like maybe the teams that got promoted last year did in terms of Wrexham and Birmingham,” Wilder noted.

“[It is] a different situation, different scenario, but they are well coached by Brian. You’ve got to give credit to Brian and his coaches and his team.

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“I’ve been here [at Cardiff] when it’s been a negative environment, but it was a real positive environment. The Cardiff fans got right behind the team and gave them the lift and the energy to go and try to get a big free three points.

“They’re going to be a difficult team to play against if they continue in the way they’ve started the season.”

Both Cardiff and Wilder’s United remain searching for their first win after this weekend’s entertaining 2-2 draw, although neither side has tasted defeat in the second tier this season.

Barry-Murphy, who anticipates that more transfer business will be done before the Tuesday deadline, prepares Cardiff for a challenging match against in-form Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday, followed by an away fixture to Portsmouth next weekend.

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Wilder identified that for Barry-Murphy’s team, adapting to “the rigours of Championship football” will be crucial as the season progresses.

“They fully deserved the first two results of the season and deserved to get a result and maybe a win [against us], so they can be pleased with their start,” he remarked.

“You always feel that with the promoted sides, there’s enthusiasm about it and a bounce about it when you go up, but it’s a long season.

“There’s another 40-odd games to go and it’s not always going to be sun shining, it’s not always going to be free-flowing and the pitches aren’t going to be good and the injuries might add up.

“You go through bad periods where you might lose a game or you might lose two games, you might lose three games, so everybody has to deal with that.”

Chris Wilder believes Cardiff City can thrive in the Championship this season, despite the Bluebirds have not following Wrexham and Birmingham’s lead by spending big after promotion from League One.

Sheffield United boss Wilder was happy to leave the Cardiff City Stadium with a point on Saturday despite the fact they led for much of the first half.

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Cardiff included only two players – Jack Moylan and debutant Krystian Bielik – who were not part of Brian Barry-Murphy’s promotion-winning squad last season.

Yet Wilder, a four-time promotion winner in his managerial career, said he was “really impressed” by a Cardiff side he described as being “really difficult to deal with”.

“I know they’ve not gone and signed player after player after player like maybe the teams that got promoted last year did in terms of Wrexham and Birmingham,” Wilder said.

“[It is] a different situation, different scenario, but they are well coached by Brian. You’ve got to give credit to Brian and his coaches and his team.

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“I’ve been here [at Cardiff] when it’s been a negative environment, but it was a real positive environment. The Cardiff fans got right behind the team and gave them the lift and the energy to go and try to get a big free three points.

“They’re going to be a difficult team to play against if they if they continue in the way they’ve started the season.”

Cardiff, like Wilder’s United, remain winless after this weekend’s entertaining 2-2 draw, though both sides are yet to lose in the second tier this season.

Barry-Murphy, who believes more transfer business will be done before Tuesday’s deadline, takes Cardiff to in-form Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Portsmouth next weekend.

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Wilder believes the key for Barry-Murphy’s squad will be dealing with “the rigours of Championship football” in the months ahead.

“They fully deserved the first two results of the season and deserved to get a result and maybe a win [against us], so they can be pleased with their start,” he added.

“You always feel that with the promoted sides, there’s enthusiasm about it and a bounce about it when you go up, but it’s a long season.

“There’s another 40-odd games to go and it’s not always going to be sun shining, it’s not always going to be free-flowing and the pitches aren’t going to be good and the injuries might add up.

“You go through bad periods where you might lose a game or you might lose two games, you might lose three games, so everybody has to deal with that.”