MALKY DID NOT WANT VELIKONJA

Vincent Tan's level of interference in his role as Cardiff City's owner has extended to signing a player without the prior approval of Malky Mackay or any of the manager's recruitment and scouting staff. Etien Velikonja, a Slovenian forward who cost €2m (£1.7m), arrived at Cardiff unannounced last year and via a deal that involved Jorge Mendes, one of the world's most high-profile football agents.

Velikonja signed a four-year contract when he joined from NK Maribor in July 2012 but has played only 73 minutes of league football in 15 months and completed only one game, when he was named in the starting XI for the 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Macclesfield in January. The 24-year-old, who earns a five-figure weekly salary, has not made the substitutes' bench once this season and, based on his transfer fee alone, has so far cost Cardiff £10,000 for every minute that he has played.

There is no suggestion that Velikonja or anyone else is guilty of any wrongdoing, with the player oblivious to the strange circumstances in which he signed for Cardiff, who were a Championship club at the time. Velikonja's transfer does, however, raise fresh questions about Tan's approach and the way he is running the club. It also brings up comparisons with Bébé – who famously joined Manchester United for £7.4m in 2010 and never started a league game. Bébé was represented by Mendes.

Only a fortnight ago the Guardian reported that Tan – who recently claimed that his investment in the club stands at £125m – has tried to pass messages from the stand during matches, including suggested tactical changes and substitutions. In another embarrassing development it was revealed that Alisher Apsalyamov, a 23-year-old from Kazakhstan who was controversially appointed as Cardiff's head of recruitment after Iain Moody was sacked in October, has been forced to stand down from his position while the Home Office investigates his work permit.

The Velikonja deal opens another can of worms. It is understood that the transfer came about after Velikonja's name appeared on a list that Tan returned to Cardiff with after he had met Mendes in the summer of 2012. Although Mackay had been interested in signing Velikonja several years earlier, when he was in charge of Watford, Cardiff had bigger ambitions and were operating at a different level to his former club in the transfer market because of Tan's determination to win promotion to the Premier League. The Guardian understands neither Mackay nor Moody wanted to sign Velikonja for Cardiff.

Yet within a couple of days of Tan producing the list, a deal for Velikonja had been completed and the player arrived at the club's training ground accompanied by Joao Camacho, an agent who works for GestiFute, Mendes's company.

Zlatko Zahovic, NK Maribor's sporting director, refused to disclose at the time how much Cardiff had paid for Velikonja but said that it was a record sum for a Slovenian footballer. The fee registered on the Transfer Matching System, which was introduced by Fifa to bring greater transparency and enable clubs to confirm the terms and conditions of player transfers, is €2m. Some at Cardiff feel that the figure was way above Velikonja's market value.

In an interview with a Slovenia newspaper last December, Zahovic, who had a distinguished playing career that included spells with Porto, Olympiacos, Valencia and Benfica, confirmed that he negotiated the fee for Velikonja with Mendes. "Not even a big agent like Jorge Mendes can outsmart me," Zahovic told Dvevnik. "His first bid for Velikonja was €600,000. At the end they paid €2m. Mendes did not know that I knew what the club could offer. I knew exactly how much they could pay. In my job one has to be informed."

Zahovic told the Guardian this week that he did not know if Mendes was working on behalf of Cardiff. "I don't know, you must ask him. He was making negotiation between Cardiff and Maribor, nothing else."

Asked whether he had ever had any contact with anyone at Cardiff about Velikonja's transfer, Zahovic replied: "No, nobody." When questioned about the size of the transfer fee, Zahovic denied that it was high and said: "This price was special for Cardiff, because I think his value is more than €2m." Zahovic claimed to know nothing about whether Tan signed the player without Mackay knowing. "I don't know. This is not important for NK Maribor. This is a problem of Cardiff."

It is unclear what precise role Mendes and Camacho had in the transfer, whether they acted as official agents in the deal and whether they were paid by any of the parties. As for Velikonja, he has not played for Cardiff since the final day of last season, when he was given his first league start in a game that meant nothing to the Welsh club because they had already been crowned champions. He was substituted at half-time.

The Slovenia international publicly stated his desire to leave in August – "I want to move somewhere where I will play, as I surely won't get any chances at Cardiff" – but the Premier League club have struggled to find anyone to cover his wages. One offer from overseas would have left Cardiff paying virtually all of his salary.

Back in Slovenia, Velikonja's situation is viewed with a degree of bemusement. "As a young boy here in the Slovenian league he was the best scorer when he was 18," said Robert Vrtovec, president at ND Gorica, Velikonja's first club. "He had an injury and after recovering it was not the same Velikonja as before. But at Maribor he made big progress and he scored some important goals in the Europa League.

"The value of Velikonja before he was injured, we had offers of more than €1m for him. He was 18 then. It's difficult for me to judge. If I am a person who is not a buyer, I would like to have as much money as possible. If the buyer is stupid that he buys a player who, for example, is valued at €500,000 for €2m, it is his problem."

Both Cardiff and GestiFute failed to respond to questions about the transfer despite repeated requests from the Guardian.


http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... CMP=twt_gu

Another reason to force Tan out.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/31/cardiff-city-etien-velikonja-malky-mackay?CMP=twt_gu

Another reason to force Tan out.

Surprise surprise!

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/31/cardiff-city-etien-velikonja-malky-mackay?CMP=twt_gu

Another reason to force Tan out.

It says in a newspaper so we all better believe it Will you believe newspapers when we are linked to everyone in the next transfer window
If it was official fair enough but to many on here are to quick to believe the bullshit because it suits..

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/31/cardiff-city-etien-velikonja-malky-mackay?CMP=twt_gu

Another reason to force Tan out.

It says in a newspaper so we all better believe it Will you believe newspapers when we are linked to everyone in the next transfer window
If it was official fair enough but to many on here are to quick to believe the bullshit because it suits..

Jinks the club won't say all this official, Ridsdale use to say official, does that mean it was true when he ran our club or shall I even say Sam.

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

If it all comes out in the end and it comes out officially then fair enough Annis but until then i class it has stirring , mischief making newspaper bullsh*t..

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

a conversation between tan and mourinho on a yacht brought him to the club

Oh so we should believe a newspaper and Annis.

This is thread is comedy gold.

Oh so we should believe a newspaper and Annis.

This is thread is comedy gold.

I never said believe me,that's up to you.

Some prefer to ignore everything and don't like the truth, that's up to them. All I am saying is the Truth always comes out in the end and that no one surely can deny.

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

a conversation between tan and mourinho on a yacht brought him to the club

Thanks Steve, it was nothing to do with Malky and Malky was never happy about it

But some will never want to hear the truth about Tan.

Oh so we should believe a newspaper and Annis.

This is thread is comedy gold.

I never said believe me,that's up to you.

Some prefer to ignore everything and don't like the truth, that's up to them. All I am saying is the Truth always comes out in the end and that no one surely can deny.

I don't believe it's the truth. Weird how MM was looking to get him at Watford and VT also wanted him.

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

Hmmm I'm intrigued...

So the guardian not the sun or people decide to dig after no doubt a tip off and speak to people involved in the transfer who state you overpaid and that your manager wasn't in on the deal. Can somebody please explain to me why the guardian would make it up? Why they would get hold and interview those people in slovakisomewhere and make it up for the purpose of what exactly? Your hardly a big club in the scheme of things and its hardly a back page headline grabbing paper selling scoop?

Although it's not official, you can't discount anything at our club any more. We are a total joke unfortunately

So the guardian not the sun or people decide to dig after no doubt a tip off and speak to people involved in the transfer who state you overpaid and that your manager wasn't in on the deal. Can somebody please explain to me why the guardian would make it up? Why they would get hold and interview those people in slovakisomewhere and make it up for the purpose of what exactly? Your hardly a big club in the scheme of things and its hardly a back page headline grabbing paper selling scoop?

Because newspapers and basically everyone has been aware of what's been going on since the Moody saga so look to make more things up to give the club more bad light, newspapers pray on this sort of thing and will make more things up.

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

Unfortunately we never seem to find out the truth.

I am still waiting to hear the truth of the Hammam years, and the Ridsdale years, and I never heard the truth about the Kumar years!

Someone should write a book about them all.

Oh so we should believe a newspaper and Annis.

This is thread is comedy gold.

I never said believe me,that's up to you.

Some prefer to ignore everything and don't like the truth, that's up to them. All I am saying is the Truth always comes out in the end and that no one surely can deny.

I don't ignore everything or ignore the truth i just like to hear the truth officially and not from some newspaper or forum posters..

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

a conversation between tan and mourinho on a yacht brought him to the club

Thanks Steve, it was nothing to do with Malky and Malky was never happy about it

But some will never want to hear the truth about Tan.

And you will never want to say anything positive! So?????

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

a conversation between tan and mourinho on a yacht brought him to the club

Thanks Steve, it was nothing to do with Malky and Malky was never happy about it

But some will never want to hear the truth about Tan.

And you will never want to say anything positive! So?????

Yes I do about Tan away fom football, a great great businessman

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

a conversation between tan and mourinho on a yacht brought him to the club

Thanks Steve, it was nothing to do with Malky and Malky was never happy about it

But some will never want to hear the truth about Tan.

And you will never want to say anything positive! So?????

Yes I do about Tan away fom football, a great great businessman

Apart from the rebrand he hasn't done bad in football either

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

Annis, that's what you always say and to be honest I think all you're really looking to do is scaremonger. How often and how many times have you now said for how many years that the truth of sam's story is soon to come out and will shock you. The fact is it never has, does or will. Until you can give some statements or facts then I'm going to view it that you're just doing the same. Come on, put up or stay quiet.

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

a conversation between tan and mourinho on a yacht brought him to the club

Thanks Steve, it was nothing to do with Malky and Malky was never happy about it

But some will never want to hear the truth about Tan.

And you will never want to say anything positive! So?????

Yes I do about Tan away fom football, a great great businessman

Apart from the rebrand he hasn't done bad in football either

Exactly! And I'm not too bothered about that either

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

Annis, that's what you always say and to be honest I think all you're really looking to do is scaremonger. How often and how many times have you now said for how many years that the truth of sam's story is soon to come out and will shock you. The fact is it never has, does or will. Until you can give some statements or facts then I'm going to view it that you're just doing the same. Come on, put up or stay quiet.

I am not having to do anything Tan is doing it all himself.

As to Sam, we've debated him time and time again, I've said my peace on Sam and admitted his faults.

The article had nothing factual to suggest that at all. Stop stirring!

Actually he is not stirring it's True and we put this out a Year ago, Makky had no say in the signing.nat your going to hear a lot of home truths in the next month and fans like yourself are going to be in for a hell of a shock when you hear it all. As they say the truth always comes out in the end.

Annis, that's what you always say and to be honest I think all you're really looking to do is scaremonger. How often and how many times have you now said for how many years that the truth of sam's story is soon to come out and will shock you. The fact is it never has, does or will. Until you can give some statements or facts then I'm going to view it that you're just doing the same. Come on, put up or stay quiet.

I am not having to do anything Tan is doing it all himself.

As to Sam, we've debated him time and time again, I've said my peace on Sam and admitted his faults.

This is true. Just because Annis knows it doesn't mean the onus is on him to tell the story to others.

Does this not show us more that malky is weak. A top manager will not be dictated to over average players who he didn't want.

It's not like a Chelsea/ Madrid situation when a chairman announces a "marque" name is to be brought in. You can accept those even if the aren't starters, they add to the squad.

Malky has been given a pup of no pedigree within a decent league, if he's been dictated to like that you wouldn't stay. Well a top manager wouldn't anyway.

I'm not condoning tan, it's bad enough that he's tinkering with things within the club, buying players without the managers sign off is shocking. But a manager of any sort would have told him and a line would have been drawn.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/31/cardiff-city-etien-velikonja-malky-mackay?CMP=twt_gu

Another reason to force Tan out.

It says in a newspaper so we all better believe it Will you believe newspapers when we are linked to everyone in the next transfer window
If it was official fair enough but to many on here are to quick to believe the bullshit because it suits..

Don't you feel a bit stupid defending Vincent Tan all the time?

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/31/cardiff-city-etien-velikonja-malky-mackay?CMP=twt_gu

Another reason to force Tan out.

Not sure that's a reason to 'freeze him out' of the team; particularly as we need a goalscorer right now

just a thought but does that mean hes been scouting in other sketchy countrys like denmark and reccomended cornelius to tan?

All the stirring up about tan is not doing the club any favours. The article below has a quote from malky saying that he nearly signed velikonja for watford and had been tracking him for 2 years!! Why would he lie?

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot ... ay-2027400

If veilikonja had been tracked for 2 years that means that moody had been putting together a thorough portfolio on velikonja and in the end wasted £2m. Sacking any coincidence?