MALKY MACKAY WILL BE 'GUTTED' IF CARDIFF FAIL

CARDIFF CITY manager Malky Mackay has admitted he will be ‘gutted’ if his Bluebirds blow their brilliant start to the season and fail to secure promotion to the Premier League in the next few weeks.

The Bluebirds head to the Riverside, home of play-off rivals Middlesbrough on Saturday, knowing they dare not lose any more ground on the top six.

Mackay’s men have six Championship fixtures remaining as the shake-up for those play-off spots begins in earnest.

City are eighth in the table, two points off the play-off positions, having challenged right up the table for much of the first-half of the campaign.










Despite a run of indifferent form, Bluebirds boss Mackay is hoping for a return to the results which saw City soaring earlier in the season... and insists he will be left devastated if his men do not push on for a top-six finish.

“If we do not go up this season I will be bitterly disappointed, gutted in fact,” said Mackay.

“My whole aim has been to go out there and win every game.

“I will be proud of my players because of the effort they have made, but we will be doing everything we can to get into the play-offs.

“There is not a part of me thinking about not going up and looking at next season.”

It has been a remarkable first season in charge for the no-nonsense Scot, whose first job upon arriving in South Wales was to embark on a massive rebuilding job after a host of key players had departed in the summer.

Mackay was still able to guide the Bluebirds to the Carling Cup final and is determined to see his side follow that up by achieving their promotion dream.

If at the start of the season ambitions were modest amongst supporters, they have subsequently risen and Mackay admits he too has set his sights on the big Premier League prize.

Mackay said: “I’m loathed to look back at what expectations were at the start because things keep on shifting.

“The fans’ expectations change for a start, they go maybe from nothing to a lot and I’m exactly like that too.”

so much for this is my first season and mid table would be realistic...


if he is to be gutted then he should have brought in players in january when we were a couple of pts off the top two and 8 clear of the team in 7th!

I agree there. For a first season and one of re building there is no doubt that Malky has done a decent job and he needs to time to build his squad further.

However, I am surprised to see him say that he would be gutted if we did did not make it. I think its a case of fans frustration of being so close and yet so far for another year. We were 2 points off the top half way through the season. When you have a small squad and other teams around you are strengthening surely it must have crossed Malky's mind hat sooner or later things would catch up with the team. Its a shame that we did not strengthen when we were in such a good position. If we were mid table then so what but when you have done the hard work getting to the top, why give it away?

I think deep down being in the profession he must have realised that our squad is not one of the biggest and strongest in the Division and the odds are stacked against us. Did he expect us to gain promotion this season?

Lets see if we can change our fortunes over the next 6 games and book another day out at Wembley!

so much for this is my first season and mid table would be realistic...


if he is to be gutted then he should have brought in players in january when we were a couple of pts off the top two and 8 clear of the team in 7th!

Agreed

Spot on Malky.



“If we do not go up this season I will be bitterly disappointed, gutted in fact,” said Mackay.


“The fans’ expectations change for a start, they go maybe from nothing to a lot and I’m exactly like that too.”

This seems to be a very good shout from our manager
Yes expectations have changed, maybe automatic was always unrealistic but as a club we have moved from a mid-table expectation to a real chance of getting to the play-offs and then in the play-offs form and luck come into play during this competition for the ultimate prize of promotion.
Hopefully his words will raise the players expectations and get the fans back supporting the team instead of living in this doom and gloom which we are in atmo.
Times are difficult at the City but when have they not been lol
We can do this and get there if we all get together and form a united front

My only comment Malky would be if "the whole aim was to go out and win every game" why have you started so many home games with a 4 5 1 formation? And refused to change that starting formation when it was obvious it simply wasn't working

My only comment Malky would be if "the whole aim was to go out and win every game" why have you started so many home games with a 4 5 1 formation? And refused to change that starting formation when it was obvious it simply wasn't working

this

Well MM is to blame for not getting there?
He needs to switch things around and try something new and plus he needed to rest players.

For a man that loves American positivity etc he shouldn't even mention failing
Which, we inevitably will

so much for this is my first season and mid table would be realistic...


if he is to be gutted then he should have brought in players in january when we were a couple of pts off the top two and 8 clear of the team in 7th!

Agreed

Likewise

My only comment Malky would be if "the whole aim was to go out and win every game" why have you started so many home games with a 4 5 1 formation? And refused to change that starting formation when it was obvious it simply wasn't working

4 5 1 doesn't mean that you are negative. Most sides use that formation these days.Some play 4 3 3 but if two of the three "forwards" are wide men to me that is the same as 4 5 1. We use our fullbacks for width and they get forward a lot....especially super Kev. Malky often changes the formation mid-game. When Rudy comes on we go to 4 4 2. And Rudy has started several times too alongside Miller.....just like the Carling Cup final. Mason sometimes plays lone striker, just behind the frontman or out wide...so Malky does change it IMO