Michael Chopra scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday
Michael Chopra says Cardiff City will prove their doubters wrong this season.
The Bluebirds striker believes the club's financial problems and transfer embargo has seen many write off their promotion chances.
They travel to Derby on Saturday searching for their first league win after being held at home 1-1 by 10-man Sheffield United last Sunday.
"There's a lot of people being negative about Cardiff," 26-year-old Chopra told BBC Sport Wales.
"A lot of them are not even considering us to get in the play-offs but I think that's only good for us because nobody's talking about us.
"I think a lot of people will be talking about us around Christmas time when we're up there."
Chropra, who hit 21 goals for the Bluebirds last season, spoke out last month against a transfer embargo imposed on the club.
The former Newcastle and Sunderland front man threatened to quit the Cardiff City Stadium unless the embargo was lifted and new players brought in.
That has happened now and boss Dave Jones has added Wigan Athletic midfielder Jason Koumas and Hull City midfielder Seyi Olofinjana on season-long loans.
And Chopra praised the work of Malaysian-based chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee, known as TG for his work since taking control of the club in May.
"I think when I said it, I was trying to help the rest of the lads and trying to help the manager because I'm passionate and ambitious about this football club and I want the club to do well," he said.
"Especially with the disappointment of last season I think the next step forward is to really go for it and if you're going to go for it, you've got to bring the right players in and that's only why I let my feelings show.
"The manager and the board are working in the right direction.
"TG came to the stadium last week and he told us that he's fully behind us and he's working hard to bring the players in so it can only be good signs at the minute.
"I think that was the main concern with the players in that we didn't really know what was happening.
Jones pleased with Cardiff progress
"It was great for TG to fly over. He didn't have to do it, he could've just picked the phone up and made a phone call. But it was brilliant what he did.
"It was a bit of a confidence-booster to the lads to know what we can expect."
And now Chopra has targeted the first Championship win of the season at Pride Park on Saturday.
"Derby got a good result against Leeds last weekend, but we will be going there full of confidence," he added.
"It's the second game of the season and we don't want to get beat because we if know if you lose a game you tend to play catch-up and that's not what you want so early in the season.
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