Cardiff City's Malaysian backers Vincent Tan and TG

" The promises that must be kept and the questions that must be answered by Cardiff City chiefs "

Jun 9th 2012

Media Wales.

Cardiff City's Malaysian backers Vincent Tan and TG

ONE of the most controversial weeks in the history of Cardiff City comes to a close with the dust far from settled.


With red rebranding now a reality rather than a proposal, emotion has been high and opinions varied.

And there appears little danger of the debate raging any less until the club give a greater insight into what the future holds.

We all hope that it leads to a bright future for the Bluebirds – but we won’t apologise for wanting assurances of how that future is going to work.


The Promises

1. The Langston loan will be settled and cleared in full.

WE have heard several times about the investment being dependent on finally ridding the club of their historic debt, the millstone that is the Langston loan notes.

With rebranding now in place and a pay-off required, this simply has to come to fruition. No ifs, no buts.

2. The Malaysian loan debt to be converted to equity in full and without interest.

THE club have long-claimed that the loan debt from Malaysia has been received with an equity conversion in mind. In other words, the loans given to the club from overseas were only temporarily adding to the debt and they would eventually be turned into shares.

Again, many of those accepting the rebranding have done so based on promises of the sound financial footing such a plan offers. There must be guarantees that this will happen.

3. Proposals to build a new training ground and expand the stadium come to fruition.

THE actual need for a new training ground and stadium expansion can be questioned for a club seemingly needing to stem losses of £1m a month.

Nevertheless, the club opted to use grand plans for a new club base and feasibility studies for extra seating at Cardiff City Stadium as a sweetener to swallow the change to red.

Having done that, the club must follow through and deliver on what was proposed.

We need to see some concrete plans about what land is being targeted to build this training ground and a tentative target date for it to be up and built and ready to use. Failure to do so would only add to the level of doubt etched in many supporter’s minds.

4. There is significant investment into the playing squad.

RIGHTLY or wrongly, the plans to end more than a century of tradition and do away with Cardiff City blue have come alongside the tantalising prospect of Malky Mackay being given the funds to form a promotion-winning side and deliver Premier League football to the Welsh capital.

While we realise the financial future of the club is the most important thing, fans must be shown that the ambition of the club is heightened as a result of this new change.

Bringing in the right players can be a slow and unpredictable process in modern football, and City have to make sure they sign the right people rather than pay out huge sums for the wrong ones.

That said, the sooner some new players who can genuinely excite the fans are brought in, the sooner the club can begin to appease those fans who are outraged.

5. There are no further rebranding plans to further distance Cardiff City FC from its historic identity.

IF polls suggest there is a slight majority in favour of the turn to red, we can safely assume most of those feel the way they do because of the fear of a future without financial backing rather than any liking for the colour red.

However, as difficult as the change in colours and crest have been for some to stomach, we say there is no appetite for any further changes. That very much includes the ‘Bluebirds’ nickname.

Any further meddling and there would be a danger of Leckwith becoming not so much the home of a football club as of merely a group of people chasing Premier League status.

The questions that must be answered

1. Why has the investment/debt restructuring come only on the condition of rebranding?

PUT another way, why did the investment proposed to make Cardiff effectively “debt-free” have to come with such a controversial caveat? The reasoning so far has appeared flimsy.

Talk of Asian shirt sales is all well and good, but the actual real impact of the colour change on that particular market has been talked down by academics in the field.

Sceptical supporters may be persuaded if they are shown enough genuine business reasons for why the rebranding is a financial necessity.

If that doesn’t happen, then they are going to continue to see it as merely the whim of the Malaysian backers.

2. Has there been a detailed business plan produced regarding the rebranding?

WE have heard how marketing opportunities could open up new income streams for the club, vital for progression off the field and, in turn, on it.

But we have seen little evidence of how the figures stack up and whether the huge decision for fans to accept a colour change can be justified in cold, hard cash.

So what is the business plan and how will it cater for any walkaway fans from the club’s heartland?

Unless a blueprint is provided, a road map towards future prosperity, then all this is going to be viewed as a divisive gamble.

3. Will any fresh debt accrued also be converted into equity?

IF there is further investment, as hinted by the club, then can fans be assured it won’t come in the form of loans?

Furthermore, if there is investment on the playing staff, what plans are in place to cover the budget at a club already losing around £1m a month?

And, crucially, what plans are there in place to stem the losses and to build a solvent Cardiff City?

4. What is the timescale for investment and financial restructuring?

THE promises on Malaysian money coming into Cardiff have been so far vague. When can Cardiff fans expect equity conversions and further investment to take place?

5. What will happen if a deal with Langston cannot be made?

THE club have made it perfectly clear that the planned investment kicks in only if the Langston debt can be dealt with.

Yet the past four years since that High Court case have proven just how difficult settling this issue has become.

If a deal cannot be brokered, where exactly does that leave a red-shirted Cardiff City?



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do you think it will all happen m8?

I find it very very hard to trust a word they say now.

I find it very very hard to trust a word they say now.

I have right from the start, its just a shame its took until now for others to see through them

I find it very very hard to trust a word they say now.

I agree with you, I think for the very first time...

Excellent questions.

Somehow I can't see us getting many answers though.

Questions which I would like answering too

Questions which I would like answering too

Agree, we have to see some action now. Hopefully they will be thoughtful of OUR concerns on the above and can be transparently efficient in releasing another official statement. Surely that's the least US FANS deserve?

The last thing we want to do though is advertise to all and sundry that we'll be spending loads on players, as then the price for the ones we're after will immediately go through the roof. Can't we all just wait until the end of this transfer window and then judge them?

The last thing we want to do though is advertise to all and sundry that we'll be spending loads on players, as then the price for the ones we're after will immediately go through the roof. Can't we all just wait until the end of this transfer window and then judge them?

Don't you think that news that we have a possible £100m fortune will now make clubs do that anyway!

The last thing we want to do though is advertise to all and sundry that we'll be spending loads on players, as then the price for the ones we're after will immediately go through the roof. Can't we all just wait until the end of this transfer window and then judge them?

I think your spot on here but one thing you can be very sure of is that MM will keep within the budgets, or more accurately the "Prudent Budget", he has agreed with the board. If at the end of the transfer window we don't have any "headline" signings will that mean we have been let down or misled by the Malaysians? Not as far as I'm concerned because I will be equally interested in knowing that we are cutting the wage bill back to more manageable levels.

For me this is at the core of the problems facing TG & VT at the moment because as my dad would say they appear unable to do right for doing wrong. One minute they are being criticised for the level of debt at the club immediately followed by criticism for not making headline signings or even worse saying they tried for this player or that player but never actually did.

Unfortunately for those who wish to conduct a campaign of Malaysian bashing this whole rebranding exercise is heavan sent, a self fulfilling prophacy that is gauranteed to give them more reasons to continue bashing away at TG & VT.

In my opinion we will only know how successful this rebranding exercise has been, or at least get the first indication, when the clubs accounts for next season are published and that won't be until maybe December 2013. Hopefully at that stage Langston will have been settled, lets face it SH has already shown his willingness to settle on £10m, if that is done it will be reflected in those accounts and equally important the "Prudent Budget" will also e reflected and operating losses will have been massively reduced.

For me this transfer window or the next two or three will only tell us part of the story but will the Malaysian bashers be prepared to wait?

Probably not I think.

The last thing we want to do though is advertise to all and sundry that we'll be spending loads on players, as then the price for the ones we're after will immediately go through the roof. Can't we all just wait until the end of this transfer window and then judge them?

I think your spot on here but one thing you can be very sure of is that MM will keep within the budgets, or more accurately the "Prudent Budget", he has agreed with the board. If at the end of the transfer window we don't have any "headline" signings will that mean we have been let down or misled by the Malaysians? Not as far as I'm concerned because I will be equally interested in knowing that we are cutting the wage bill back to more manageable levels.

For me this is at the core of the problems facing TG & VT at the moment because as my dad would say they appear unable to do right for doing wrong. One minute they are being criticised for the level of debt at the club immediately followed by criticism for not making headline signings or even worse saying they tried for this player or that player but never actually did.

Unfortunately for those who wish to conduct a campaign of Malaysian bashing this whole rebranding exercise is heavan sent, a self fulfilling prophacy that is gauranteed to give them more reasons to continue bashing away at TG & VT.

In my opinion we will only know how successful this rebranding exercise has been, or at least get the first indication, when the clubs accounts for next season are published and that won't be until maybe December 2013. Hopefully at that stage Langston will have been settled, lets face it SH has already shown his willingness to settle on £10m, if that is done it will be reflected in those accounts and equally important the "Prudent Budget" will also e reflected and operating losses will have been massively reduced.

For me this transfer window or the next two or three will only tell us part of the story but will the Malaysian bashers be prepared to wait?

Probably not I think.

Great post - gary - Think I hastily posted my last comment to be honest! You are just far too sensible and level headed for this message board - maybe we should all take a step back and also a leaf from your book in understanding that this is probably spot on AGAIN!

if this was just a love affair with cardiff city he,d have paid any debt and wiped the slate clean.why hasn,t he?maybe for tax reasons?maybe to make you beholden to him.the man city geezer has gone in embraced the club .check out the city legends at the home games.that fellow has gone for the blue dream and respected fans wishes and the culture of m.c.f.c.so why has tan had to it diff?i,v asked a fair few times why does malaysia,s alan suger keep losing 1.2 a month?was it to suck the fans into believing that he and he alone can save you cos you owe that much? seems strange that ccfc lose 1.2 amonth .you got rid of your superstars and have more s/t holders.this is a play thing for him,a power crazy egomaniac .do you really actually lose 1.2 a month or is it offset against the other berjaya group profits?at my club our owners have us in a mess.i,m not going too say much against them as innocent till proven guilty is my motto.one of the common accqusations is that our club was used to wash money.i don,t know about that.i,ll leave that for the courts to decide.what i do know is before they arrived sulivan and the golds were forever telling us how much money they put into us.i don,t believe they lost one penny with the sale and how the uk tax laws allow football clubs to be under a umberella of a holding company which contains other companies inside it.

Cant wait to see Sam put his money where his mouth is , or is he gonna simply continue representing his financial interests at the expence of the club.. I suspect he will not settle unless his demands are met with continued financial intersts in the club . NO Thanks

The last thing we want to do though is advertise to all and sundry that we'll be spending loads on players, as then the price for the ones we're after will immediately go through the roof. Can't we all just wait until the end of this transfer window and then judge them?

Don't you think that news that we have a possible £100m fortune will now make clubs do that anyway!

Agreed. They've gone about it all in completely the wrong way!

The fact that we haven't actually got this apparent investment is irrelevant. Wherever it's been reported in the press it's been said that we've changed our badge and colour for big investment/£100m. Any club we approach for players are surely going to assume we have tens of millions to spend on players.

exactly the points here are unfounded Annis and we just dont no anything about anything there are so many uncertainties about everything which is what I have been going on about.

People have jumped in head first without a clue what is actually going to happen with the club we all no a big fat nothing and we lost are identity as a football club by people just jumping in with a sniff of money.

It is a joke and i feel a lot of anger that this has happened.CCFC has been stripped naked of its identity which i was very proud of and for what ?the answer is nobody knows do they thats why I think people are sellouts.

I hope the money does work its way into the club but with so so many unanswered questions still not answered then you fans that have taken the gamble of jumping in have a rocky road of uncertainty ahead of you and may find yourselves questioning what you agreed to .

In the mean time all thats left is the name Cardiff City and most of you thats all that matters but to me that is way of the mark .We are Cardiff City we should be proud and passionate and devoted and we have been and i have been for 34 years but they have stripped this club of to much for lots us to even recognise Cardiff City anymore and for what? NO ONE KNOWS DO THEY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjgE4kNSU74

exactly the points here are unfounded Annis and we just dont no anything about anything there are so many uncertainties about everything which is what I have been going on about.

People have jumped in head first without a clue what is actually going to happen with the club we all no a big fat nothing and we lost are identity as a football club by people just jumping in with a sniff of money.

It is a joke and i feel a lot of anger that this has happened.CCFC has been stripped naked of its identity which i was very proud of and for what ?the answer is nobody knows do they thats why I think people are sellouts.

I hope the money does work its way into the club but with so so many unanswered questions still not answered then you fans that have taken the gamble of jumping in have a rocky road of uncertainty ahead of you and may find yourselves questioning what you agreed to .

In the mean time all thats left is the name Cardiff City and most of you thats all that matters but to me that is way of the mark .We are Cardiff City we should be proud and passionate and devoted and we have been and i have been for 34 years but they have stripped this club of to much for lots us to even recognise Cardiff City anymore and for what? NO ONE KNOWS DO THEY.

Sadly your spot on, people have rushed in to this and are not thinking or even understand.

exactly the points here are unfounded Annis and we just dont no anything about anything there are so many uncertainties about everything which is what I have been going on about.

People have jumped in head first without a clue what is actually going to happen with the club we all no a big fat nothing and we lost are identity as a football club by people just jumping in with a sniff of money.

It is a joke and i feel a lot of anger that this has happened.CCFC has been stripped naked of its identity which i was very proud of and for what ?the answer is nobody knows do they thats why I think people are sellouts.

I hope the money does work its way into the club but with so so many unanswered questions still not answered then you fans that have taken the gamble of jumping in have a rocky road of uncertainty ahead of you and may find yourselves questioning what you agreed to .

In the mean time all thats left is the name Cardiff City and most of you thats all that matters but to me that is way of the mark .We are Cardiff City we should be proud and passionate and devoted and we have been and i have been for 34 years but they have stripped this club of to much for lots us to even recognise Cardiff City anymore and for what? NO ONE KNOWS DO THEY.

Sadly your spot on, people have rushed in to this and are not thinking or even understand.

So are you saying you understand now then?

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The Malaysians are liars. Nothing more to say.