Former Wolves and Cardiff City forward Nathan Blake has tipped new Bluebirds boss Dave Jones for success at Ninian Park.
But the former Wales international has warned City fans not to expect an improvement on their situation last season, with their hopes focussed on beating the drop.
Blake was surprised that Jones had been out of work for so long since his departure at Wolves, while Blake himself is also out of work, and pretty much ruled himself ou of a move back to south Wales.
Blake said: "Dave is an all right guy. He lets players express themselves and he's a good man to work for.
"He's not a hard taskmaster and he's not one for cracking the whip - but he still expects a lot from the players who work for him.
"I had some fantastic times at Wolves. I wouldn't say Dave is the best manager I've played under but he's a good guy to work for.
"He's a good appointment for Cardiff. He knows what's needed there and he will already have a plan in his head.
"The fans there will see changes in the next couple of months."
Newport-born Blake played under Jones for Wolves with a move to Molineux from Blackburn Rovers in September 2001.
The Welshman hit 26 goals for including the goal against Sheffield United in 2003 which sent Wolves back to the top flight of English football.
But Wolves came straight back down and Jones was dismissed last November after a bad start to the Championship campaign.
Blake added: "I'm quite surprised no club had taken Dave until Cardiff came along," said Blake.
"He spent a lot of money at Wolves but you have to say he got the job done there. We were relegated after the first season but you can't hold Dave responsible for that. He hands were tied once the club reached the Premier League.
"Wolves got to where they wanted to be - then they let themselves down. They didn't give him the finances to strengthen the team and we all know what happened."
Jones could be in for a difficult time with his new club, crippled by a £30m debt, and a now reduced 600,000-a-month wage bill, and having lost some of the club's better players in recent times.
Rob Earnshaw left last August for a tidy sum, leaving Cardiff short of a major goalscorer, while captain Graeme Kavanagh was sold to Wigan towards the end of the season and winger Jobi McAnuff has already been sold to Crystal Palace this summer, and fans fear that two of the Bluebirds' biggest assets, Wales intenationals Danny Gabbidon and James Collins, could be next out the door.
Blake admitted: "I don't know what the money situation is at Cardiff but things seem a little crazy there right now.
"I think the people at Cardiff should expect the team to consolidate their position in the Championship.
"It wouldn't be fair to expect Dave to build a team capable of going for promotion with the way things are at Cardiff. He will be looking to bring in free transfers who will do well for him."
Juan Ugarte is a major target for Cardiff, with Lennie Lawrence poised to make a move for the Wrexham striker, and it is known Jones is a fan too, however, no approach has been made to snap up the Basque star, who is available on a free.