Anyone questioning the Malaysian's commitment...

might want to have a little read of this interesting article by Bom Holmes (S*nDaily)

Right formation
Posted on 20 February 2012 - 07:10am

Bob Holmes

Bluebirds' emphasis on community and youth development augurs well for the main benefactor – Malaysia

IT IS FAIR to say that Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Datuk Chan Tien Ghee got more than they bargained for when they bought Cardiff City – they got more hassle, more jetlag and more sleepless nights but, above all else, they got more of what principal owner Tan calls "emotional dividend".

With days to go before their high-flying Bluebirds take on Liverpool in the Carling Cup final at Wembley, they can hardly wait to jump back on that emotional rollercoaster for more – even if it might mean a few awkward questions.

"Last year I went back (to UK) 14 times," says chairman Chan who quips: "It was so often that I was in danger of being suspected as a courier.
"Once the Border Control asked me about it and I began to worry where the questions were going."

The affable Johorean lets out a hearty laugh. You have no doubt that however probing his interrogator, Chan would have talked his way through. "Unless," he says, "he was from Swansea!"

Local rivals aside, most of Wales and probably a fair chunk of Britain will be backing Cardiff on Sunday.

As underdogs, they have nothing to lose. Nor does it really matter to their main objective of promotion to the Premier League whether they win or not – and a place in next season's Europa League might stretch even the chairman's undoubted stamina.

Merely playing Liverpool "is a privilege", he said, "and will take us up a notch (in terms of profile)".

Acknowledging that the Welsh club has yet to make inroads into the support bases of the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea in Malaysia, Chan's 20 months of running Cardiff has been an eye-opener in more ways than one.

"I sleep little and it can take me 20 hours door to door," he says.

It is demanding and draining but he and Tan have got an awful lot more out of it than they ever thought.

Big on the community, big on youth development, the Malaysian owners have found themselves going in a different direction to what was originally envisaged. Chan talked Tan into investing as he saw the potential of a capital city club with a new stadium and big support base.

"Cajoled" is the word he uses to describe it and doesn't deny that the carrot of a £90 million (RM450m) reward (over four years) played a significant part.
They may not have gone up in the league but they've certainly gone up in everyone's estimation – from shareholders to shopkeepers.

They also came in at a time when clubs were attracting buyers whose motives were as dubious as their reputations.

Many of century-old institutions were ripe for the plucking and the "fit and proper person" test asked fewer questions than the French Foreign Legion. "But we were never perceived as being predatorial," says the man who is popularly known as "TG" in Cardiff.

After what he calls "the crushing defeat (to Blackpool) in the playoff final of 2010," he admits: "We could have walked away. We had not completely taken over at that point and there were shareholders who thought we might just wave goodbye. But we decided to stick by the club and honour our agreements."

That has included fending off (and paying) the tax man, bringing in a brilliant young manager in Malky Mackay, providing funds for new players as well as the community stuff.

Only last month they offered £3 million (RM15m) for Watford's Marvin Sordell but it was trumped by Bolton of the Premier League. To a club that endured Sam Hammam and Peter Ridsdale, all this has not gone unnoticed.

"Fifty percent of the time when I eat out in Cardiff, the bill never comes," he says. "It's the same with taxis – the driver will not charge me, saying 'You've done so much for us'. I once went in a shoe shop and had to sign so many autographs I came without buying any shoes."

All this and Chan is not a man to flaunt his power or popularity.

"I try to go about the place quietly," he says but the gratitude is palpable. "And it's not just me – Malaysian students in Cardiff get discounts in stores and there's a sizable Malaysian community that comes to matches."

It all comes down, he claims, "to doing things the right way" – a point he was stressing to 32 Malaysian coaches at the launch of the 1MCC League in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

To underline his point, he also told them that promotion is not the be-all and end-all.

"Obviously that is the goal," he said, "but Cardiff has more than that to offer."

My attempt to play Devil's advocate over the value of academies at a time some clubs (who've had their best kids cherry-picked by the big boys) are beginning to question their worth is met with stoic resolution.

"We had a recent case but our boy stayed," he said. "It was partly because of the manager and partly the glue that we are creating to hold them."

Not so long ago, Cardiff were in a mess financially, being hounded by the taxman and, thanks to a small but unruly bunch of fans, Chan reminds us, "had a reputation for being a tough club. Now we are a family club that wins fair play awards."

Manchester City's sheikover apart, no British football club has seen a greater transformation in recent years.

His pride in the establishment of the One Malaysia Cardiff City League here and various projects in Wales pre-empted my question about whether this respectable Malaysian businessman had thought he might have entered a madhouse.

I did not have to mention transfer fees that exceed the defence budgets of small nations, accountancy that makes a Ponzi scheme look sound and salaries that exceed those of bankers – apparently someone else had.

He replied: "It's funny that you should ask that as when I first mentioned it to my partner (Tan) he asked me if I was crazy, if I was ready to be carried away by men in long coats. But I have to say there are no regrets although it has gone in a different direction to what we imagined."

Feelgood factor? I venture. "Yes, and I really live it (being chairman). I stay up at night for the games when I'm here and am in constant touch. I can't sleep when a game is on.

"It's a bit like waiting for your children to come home – you can't rest until you know they're safe."

Right now the once-troubled teen that was Cardiff City is safe in the hands of their unlikely benefactors from the opposite side of the world.

Whatever the result against Liverpool, it has so far been a rare sporting success story of which Malaysia can be proud.

a good read

a good read

You can always rely on me for a good read! whether its my work or stolen from someone else! At least this chap got his name mentioned......

Cracking interview

a good read

You can always rely on me for a good read! whether its my work or stolen from someone else! At least this chap got his name mentioned......

Interesting read that

Nice read and they're clearly passionate about developing the club as a brand which is a million miles away from the dark old days that blighted City not so long ago.

What a load of rubbish!

Clearly TG has seen people moaning on here and released that "propoganda" to calm us down

What a load of rubbish!

Clearly TG has seen people moaning on here and released that "propoganda" to calm us down

It's all part of their plan to take over malaysia and steal all the land.

What a load of rubbish!

Clearly TG has seen people moaning on here and released that "propoganda" to calm us down

It's all part of their plan to take over malaysia and steal all the land.

We are clearly being used as a pawn in their evil political game

wheres angry mg to reply???

wheres angry mg to reply???

the line's been cast, just waiting to reel his angry political ass in

wheres angry mg to reply???

the line's been cast, just waiting to reel his angry political ass in

still waiting

just 24 hours of me warning people they will be running to the media this is printed. Typical

just 24 hours of me warning people they will be running to the media this is printed. Typical

didn't take you long you miserable get

just 24 hours of me warning people they will be running to the media this is printed. Typical

didn't take you long you miserable get

You wanted me to reply!!!!

just 24 hours of me warning people they will be running to the media this is printed. Typical

You was rite as soon as the MB posts go out with questions and other stuff,out comes a press release

In fairness its a malaysian publication where the interview was probably down a few weeks ago.

In fairness its a malaysian publication where the interview was probably down a few weeks ago.

but was released today very odd, im sure theres a back log of them craig waiting in the wings

just 24 hours of me warning people they will be running to the media this is printed. Typical

You was rite as soon as the MB posts go out with questions and other stuff,out comes a press release

Its true, yes I know people may think otherwise but it does always happen