" Malky Mackay - finger on the pulse!!! "

Was already impressed with Malky but after reading this report, it seems we have ourselves a real gem -




Malky Mackay special: My plans for the future at Cardiff City
by Terry Phillips, South Wales EchoSep 14 2011




Malky Mackay big interview:

Malky Mackay has made huge changes during the three months he has been Cardiff City manager.

He has signed 10 new players, the latest being centre-back Ben Turner, and completely reshuffled the club’s backroom team.

Mackay has also overseen structural changes to City’s Vale of Glamorgan Resort training ground, ensuring there is accommodation for all staff plus a meeting room where coaches can analyse matches and prepare for coaching sessions.


Six new members of the backroom team have joined Mackay at Cardiff City, including former Everton and Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Martin Hodge who works for the Bluebirds and Wales assessing future opposition.

“No matter who we play, Martin will have watched them at least three times and provided me with detailed information on their squad and how they play,” said Mackay.

“I trust him absolutely. We worked together at Watford and it was then that Gary Speed asked if he could use Martin for internationals.

“Now he is here helping Cardiff City and Wales.”

The next changes for Mackay and his team will be to add two or three loan signings to the squad – and that task is headed up by former football agent and journalist Iain Moody, Cardiff’s new head of recruitment.

It’s a process Mackay and his team go through in great depth. There will be no knee-jerk reactions in signing players – and no way into Cardiff City for players, no matter what their status, just because they have been offered by agents.

“Signing players has to be club-driven, not agent-driven,” stressed Mackay.

“We must target players we would like to sign, not just go along with players who agents push towards you.”

Mackay and Moody have identified their targets among those players with Premiership clubs who have not been named in 25-man squads by managers. Those outside the squads won’t be able to play until January at least and some will be right for the Bluebirds.


That’s the pool Mackay is looking into for the players who can give his squad the lift, in terms of quality and strength-in-depth, still needed. He can sign loan players from within the English playing system for anything between 28 and 93 days.

Mackay’s time at Cardiff City has been effective and radical. There is no doubt, on the evidence of having watched every match this season, the players are fitter than at any time in the last decade.

City were a team of highly-talented individuals last season and missed out on the big prize of promotion.

Mackay is taking a far different stance and the Bluebirds will stand or fall as a team this term. The gaffer has formed a new department for sports science, led by head of performance Richard Collinge, which enables him to measure exactly how tired players are, and their dehydration levels.

“I’m extremely happy with the way things have gone in terms of the backroom staff,” said Mackay.

“Those coming in have blended well with those who were already here. I set out to bring in people who could make this football club better than it was before.

“That’s the case with David Kerslake, Joe McBride and everybody who has come in. They are guys I have worked with and know really well.

“We have a medical department to be proud of and a lot of little extras have been introduced in terms of work to prevent injuries and ensuring every player is in great shape when they go out for matches.”

Mackay is planning a Europe-wide scouting network for Cardiff City, but that won’t be in place just yet.

Recruitment head Moody is working to ensure the British system is spot-on before the Bluebirds spread their net wider.

“We are working to ensure Cardiff City have the best scouting network possible in Britain,” said Mackay.

“Currently, this football club does not employ anybody abroad, although there are at least five countries where we have somebody we can call. We don’t yet have a Europe-wide scouting network, but that is something we aspire to in future seasons.

“Iain Moody is building our scouting network. Should we be promoted to the Premiership then we would certainly push ahead quickly on scouting throughout Europe, but we are making sure we have a first-class network up and running throughout Britain first.”

The Bluebirds are just six Championship matches into Mackay’s first season in charge and fans have been impressed by the 100 per cent effort put in by every player.

They compete from start to finish – and that factor alone will ensure Mackay is given time to finish the job he has started.

Many supporters were left frustrated and bitterly disappointed when their club missed out on promotion again last season.

So much has been promised since Cardiff City made their leap into Championship football eight years ago – and so far, despite major highs and lows along the way, the big prize has not been delivered.

Right now the Bluebirds look a strong top-half Championship team with a top-six finish a realistic possibility.

But they need a little more quality, a touch more strength in depth if they are to take the next step.

That’s the task Mackay has now – to identify and recruit the loan players who will make a difference.


Mackay wants players with talent and character in equal measures. Any new signings now could only stay until mid-December because of the 93-days loan maximum in force and it could be that Mackay waits 10 days or so until players can come in, play out the initial loan spell and then stay when the January transfer window opens.

It may just be a game of player patience for the moment.

Agree fully

Malky is the man for the job in my opinion, I am well impressed with him so far. I hope Malky is fully backed by our board

Impressive stuff.

Malky is the man for the job in my opinion, I am well impressed with him so far. I hope Malky is fully backed by our board

Annis you are continually saying you hope the board back MM, are you implying they are not? If you are not implying they are not perhaps you should stop implying it in your comments as could cause unrest.

Just my opinion.

"Signing of players must be club driven not agent driven"

So what he's saying is. He has his targets, and is currently trying to
secure them, but they are HIS targets, and he's not going to sign
some overpaid 'dropped' premiership 'star' because his agent has shown an
interest in Cardiff City, probably cos we had a big sign above the door
saying "will pay top dollar! - no effort required".. thats last years Cardiff City!!

Mackay is pretty much telling players before he even makes an enquiry
that they should be chuffed a Club like us, with our playing standards
is taking an interest!

Looks like we might miss out on a few of the "bigger names" then fellers!!

- But our Malky will ensure whoever comes here is coming here to work
for his money, for the manager, for the Club, and for the fans!!

That'll do me spa!!

Regarding the loan spell - and Malky's targets, He is absolutely doing this the right way - and targeting the players HE WANTS! so if that means that players have to wait an extra 10 days to come to us now rather than shoot off to another team who will take them now, Then we are searching and recruiting the right players..... players that WANT to come to Cardiff City FC!

I love what Malky's done so far, and I know its a 2-3yr process to build to what he is aspiring to. He has my 100% backing, loyalty and patience - If we play half tidy/average and still take the win and 3pts like we did against Donny, then so be it....

3 pts is the most important thing for this club, and to keep moving forward. I'm still not sure on Kenny Miller, but I cant complain really if we keep winning? can I..........

What I really like is that MM is laying the foundations for Cardiff City not only as a football team but also as a club to flourish for many years to come. He appears to be a no nonsense character who knows his own mind and will not be swayed by outsiders. By putting these firm roots down we are starting from the bottom up rather than top down as we did under DJ. In my opinion MM may well be looked on in years to come as one of Cardiff's greatest managers...watch this space

Malky is the man for the job in my opinion, I am well impressed with him so far. I hope Malky is fully backed by our board

Annis you are continually saying you hope the board back MM, are you implying they are not? If you are not implying they are not perhaps you should stop implying it in your comments as could cause unrest.

Just my opinion.

Slowly and gradually keep implying this sort of thing until it increases and a campaign starts to get the board out and get Hammam back in. Guess I'll be accused of being cynical and sarcastic but I don't think I am too far from the truth. Time will tell.

f**k me , and we nearly had that prick shearer in charge, glad the board seen.sense

f**k me , and we nearly had that prick shearer in charge, glad the board seen.sense

Very encouraging! Makes me want to play Football Manager 11 all over again!

I think Cardiff City's toughest job over the next year or so is going to
be keeping Malky Mackay!!

He is going to be a top top manager.

Lets just hope we can become a top top Club, before someone 'bigger'
comes in and nicks him

I think Cardiff City's toughest job over the next year or so is going to
be keeping Malky Mackay!!

He is going to be a top top manager.

Lets just hope we can become a top top Club, before someone 'bigger'
comes in and nicks him

Agree!!!

The scouting reports on Scotland should be interesting

I think Cardiff City's toughest job over the next year or so is going to
be keeping Malky Mackay!!

He is going to be a top top manager.

Lets just hope we can become a top top Club, before someone 'bigger'
comes in and nicks him

Agree!!!

Malky Mackays appointment should really put to bed any more questions
of our new 'owners' commitment. HIS part of the business has been totally
revamped. He has torn up the old blueprint and set up a completely new
infrastructure re: the playing side of things. He has been backed completely.
They knew what he was planning to do, he has been allowed to do it his way!!
We are now a difficult team to beat. Once Turner reaches match fitness we
will be even meaner at the back. With a new face up front....

I'd back us against anyone in this division, this season, never mind in two or three years!!

With Malky's attitude, I'd be chuffed to miss out on the "Big Names" we've signed before and instead, have players who actually want to play for the shirt. It's a good attitude to have BUT I do get the impression that with this attitude, we may miss out on a match winner or two. At the moment, I only see Whitts as a true match winner who can play a ball to win a match. We need someone else to help him.

Glad that he's keeping his targets to himself though. It's refreshing as somehow, they always got out under DJ and we'd get usurped by another club.