"Cardiff's Malaysian owners don't know what they're doing "

London Evening Standard.
June 2012.

Take it as red . . . Cardiff's Malaysian owners don't know what they're doing

True colours: Malaysian Arsenal fans go wild, and Cardiff are also hoping to appeal to football followers in the Far East




One of my daughters has recently reached the age of three-and-a-half. As parents among you know, this is the age where children begin — fairly arbitrarily — to assign values and character attributes to colours.

For example: pink is good because of princesses. Blue is rubbish because boys like it. Orange is okay because although it seems a little close to red — a colour, again, for boys — it is at least in the rainbow.

This is faintly interesting, I suppose: in that it suggests that the human brain is predisposed from a very early age to link variations in the visible wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum with concepts of good and evil. On the other hand, it is also preposterous, unless you are a child or a goddamn hippy.

Or indeed, a football supporter. Sports fans care about colours, too. This is why there has been so much consternation this week after the owners of Cardiff City FC announced they are changing the club’s shirt colour from blue to red and introducing a new crest, with a dragon sitting meaningfully on a bluebird’s head.

Cardiff’s home colours have been blue for 102 years. Why? Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it? It has been that way for what people used to call ‘time out of mind’. And in football, traditions — particularly tribal traditions like shirt colour — are important.

No matter. According to Cardiff’s board, the shirt going red comes as a condition of “major and significant” refinancing and redevelopment from their chief investors, the Malaysian

billionaire Vincent Tan and Chan Tien Ghee, aka TG, the club’s chairman. In order to build the brand in new markets — by which we mean Malaysia and the Far East — red is a better colour than blue.

Why? Well, again: it doesn’t really matter, does it? The guys with £100million burning a hole in their pockets believe it’s easier to flog Cardiff to punters 9,000 miles away with red shirts than with blue. They know the oriental mind, and the oriental mind, with all the whimsy of a western toddler, is ardently fond of red.

In other words, this is simply what happens when 102 years of tradition meets 100 million quid’s worth of superstition. It’s a no-contest.

These are the facts. The Premier League — which, of course, is where Cardiff aim to play as a result of all this upheaval and investment — is now a player in the global entertainment industry. Its doors are wide open to foreign money, foreign businessmen and foreign audiences. Football’s authorities and owners are prepared to bend over and take just about anything, of any size, hard in the keester in return for booming investment and interest across the world. Never mind the Bluebirds. Like Puff Daddy said, it’s all about the Benjamins.

The pertinent question in this case is whether Tan and TG have lost their minds. The club they own, lest we forget, is Cardiff City. It’s all very well looking at Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool parcelling up the eastern markets and wanting some of the action. But as things stand, Cardiff are at the back of a long queue.

Unlike QPR, whose owner Tony Fernandes is already trying to punt a smaller club to Malaysia, Cardiff are not even in the Premier League. If they do achieve promotion on the back of a great new ground, better training facilities and top-quality players, will Cardiff’s newfangled ‘Red Dragons’ leapfrog clubs like Everton, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Spurs and — oh yes — the champions, Manchester City, in the race for market penetration in the east?

This is not an idle question. Cardiff’s colours and traditions are being flushed down the khazi as one side of a colourful bet on the Far East’s entertainment market.

If that bet doesn’t come off and Tan and TG lose money and interest, the main losers will be the one group whom no one really considers any more: the people of Cardiff who have supported the club all their lives; people to whom — rationally or not — blue matters more than red. These are the folk who are increasingly valued (like many other native supporters) only for their ability to provide crowd noise on a TV feed to the Far East. It’s no wonder they’re hacked off.

Sums it up for me.

and me, it's a dumb idea.

I agree the logic is non existent, but you all act as if we really have an option (as fans).

We sold our souls over the last 12 years. This summer, the devil has just called to collect the debt.....

I am in the 47% that reluctantly accepted this WITH the incentives. So far we have an away kit with a beer mat for a badge as the home kit and a free transfer goalie. The next 6 week will be interesting, they better deliver.

And for me,the article is total bollox

They jumped at the chance of investing in us.thought we would go straight to prem with the players we HAD . They don't even know the offside rule. It's all gonna end in tears.the numbers of the red supporters has been exagerated through various channels and underhand ways . All the lads I have spoke to are angry and embarrassed. Not everyone votes on messageboard sites and paper phone votes. The new badge is like a brains beer mat. Cashflow and profit would be more apt. Who the hell do they think they are.well they won't be picking my pocket

IF THE BLUE PART OF CARDIFF GOT TO GIVE ARE COLOR UP DOES THAT MEAN WE KEEP EVERYTHING THAT THE BLUE PART WON IF SO AUCTION IT ALL ON EBAY ALSO THE RED TEAM DID NOT WIN THE FA CUP SO THE DESIGN OF THE CORNER FLAGS GOT TO BE CHANGED EVERY THING THAT WAS WON BY THE BLUE GOT TO START AGAIN BY THE RED EVERY THING THAT WAS WON WAS WON AT NP NOTHING AS BEEN WON AT THE .............

Annis is all a load of bollocks mate you no it I no and some others do but for the other fools well aint got a clue they just dont get it the pound signs are good enough for them what a joke some peolple are.

London Evening Standard.
June 2012.

Take it as red . . . Cardiff's Malaysian owners don't know what they're doing

True colours: Malaysian Arsenal fans go wild, and Cardiff are also hoping to appeal to football followers in the Far East




One of my daughters has recently reached the age of three-and-a-half. As parents among you know, this is the age where children begin — fairly arbitrarily — to assign values and character attributes to colours.

For example: pink is good because of princesses. Blue is rubbish because boys like it. Orange is okay because although it seems a little close to red — a colour, again, for boys — it is at least in the rainbow.

This is faintly interesting, I suppose: in that it suggests that the human brain is predisposed from a very early age to link variations in the visible wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum with concepts of good and evil. On the other hand, it is also preposterous, unless you are a child or a goddamn hippy.

Or indeed, a football supporter. Sports fans care about colours, too. This is why there has been so much consternation this week after the owners of Cardiff City FC announced they are changing the club’s shirt colour from blue to red and introducing a new crest, with a dragon sitting meaningfully on a bluebird’s head.

Cardiff’s home colours have been blue for 102 years. Why? Well, it doesn’t really matter, does it? It has been that way for what people used to call ‘time out of mind’. And in football, traditions — particularly tribal traditions like shirt colour — are important.

No matter. According to Cardiff’s board, the shirt going red comes as a condition of “major and significant” refinancing and redevelopment from their chief investors, the Malaysian

billionaire Vincent Tan and Chan Tien Ghee, aka TG, the club’s chairman. In order to build the brand in new markets — by which we mean Malaysia and the Far East — red is a better colour than blue.

Why? Well, again: it doesn’t really matter, does it? The guys with £100million burning a hole in their pockets believe it’s easier to flog Cardiff to punters 9,000 miles away with red shirts than with blue. They know the oriental mind, and the oriental mind, with all the whimsy of a western toddler, is ardently fond of red.

In other words, this is simply what happens when 102 years of tradition meets 100 million quid’s worth of superstition. It’s a no-contest.

These are the facts. The Premier League — which, of course, is where Cardiff aim to play as a result of all this upheaval and investment — is now a player in the global entertainment industry. Its doors are wide open to foreign money, foreign businessmen and foreign audiences. Football’s authorities and owners are prepared to bend over and take just about anything, of any size, hard in the keester in return for booming investment and interest across the world. Never mind the Bluebirds. Like Puff Daddy said, it’s all about the Benjamins.

The pertinent question in this case is whether Tan and TG have lost their minds. The club they own, lest we forget, is Cardiff City. It’s all very well looking at Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool parcelling up the eastern markets and wanting some of the action. But as things stand, Cardiff are at the back of a long queue.

Unlike QPR, whose owner Tony Fernandes is already trying to punt a smaller club to Malaysia, Cardiff are not even in the Premier League. If they do achieve promotion on the back of a great new ground, better training facilities and top-quality players, will Cardiff’s newfangled ‘Red Dragons’ leapfrog clubs like Everton, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Spurs and — oh yes — the champions, Manchester City, in the race for market penetration in the east?

This is not an idle question. Cardiff’s colours and traditions are being flushed down the khazi as one side of a colourful bet on the Far East’s entertainment market.

If that bet doesn’t come off and Tan and TG lose money and interest, the main losers will be the one group whom no one really considers any more: the people of Cardiff who have supported the club all their lives; people to whom — rationally or not — blue matters more than red. These are the folk who are increasingly valued (like many other native supporters) only for their ability to provide crowd noise on a TV feed to the Far East. It’s no wonder they’re hacked off.

These anti red posts are getting boring now.

It's done accept it and move on.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Literally know more than anyone here despite what they may perpetrate

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

question to you? why do you post on here if your so pissed off with these posts? The real Cardiff City fans do not want to be re branded , we feel Demoralized !

I wonder if they have enough pulling power back in their home country to persuade their national team, Malaysia, to change their colour from BLUE to red.

These Malaysians are not football men and it shows they are clueless.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

question to you? why do you post on here if your so pissed off with these posts? The real Cardiff City fans do not want to be re branded , we feel Demoralized !

I'm not pissed off but our so called leaders had been trusted with info and every few days they leak it on this website, why the club keeps trusting these people is beyond belief.

Modern day football requires clubs to either have a sugar daddy or a sustainable business that not many clubs in world football can boast, even clueless Chelsea and Manchester City are loosing millions each week.

The Malaysians have taken a very risky chance continuing with the re-brand, thats not the best option, but if they pull it off.....will the have an apology?? Will they have a statue a the club.

As far as I'm concerned it's still Cardiff City, who gives a rats ass if we wear blur, red or sycadelic yellow. Everyone knows we need the funds, am I correct?? But nobody and I mean nobody have come up with a realistic alternative, even the so called leaders or decent poster.

Until anyone comes up with £70-£100 million or an alternative the club had no other alternative but to try there luck promoting Cardiff in the biggest continent in the world.

These Malaysians are not football men and it shows they are clueless.

How are the clueless?? Please explain? Ill look forward to a mature and reasonable answer.

These anti red posts are getting boring now.

It's done accept it and move on.

I couldn't agree more - it's enough to make you leave the board for a couple of months.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

There are no Alternatives I can see that, but are you not pissed off about losing our Badge and Colour, surely they could have come to a compromise and let us keep the badge ...I just don't like it and that's my opinion

These Malaysians are not football men and it shows they are clueless.

How are the clueless?? Please explain? Ill look forward to a mature and reasonable answer.

How about almost tripling our debt for a start. Then changing our colours on some silly pretence he will make millions in Asia.

These Malaysians are not football men and it shows they are clueless.

How are the clueless?? Please explain? Ill look forward to a mature and reasonable answer.

How about almost tripling our debt for a start. Then changing our colours on some silly pretence he will make millions in Asia.

That's a simple question, wait for the publicised counts once they've been released by the club, all this trebling the debt is garbage, how does any of us know the true figure until the accounts are released.

As far as the colours go, I'll wait and see what happens, but I aint going to turn my back on the club or stop buying merchandise just because it's red for god sake.

These Malaysians are not football men and it shows they are clueless.

How are the clueless?? Please explain? Ill look forward to a mature and reasonable answer.

How about almost tripling our debt for a start. Then changing our colours on some silly pretence he will make millions in Asia.

That's a simple question, wait for the publicised counts once they've been released by the club, all this trebling the debt is garbage, how does any of us know the true figure until the accounts are released.

As far as the colours go, I'll wait and see what happens, but I aint going to turn my back on the club or stop buying merchandise just because it's red for god sake.

Thats your choice but if you think that the Malaysians are going to generate millions from shirt sales from a championship club then you had better start buying them in bulk.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

There are no Alternatives I can see that, but are you not pissed off about losing our Badge and Colour, surely they could have come to a compromise and let us keep the badge ...I just don't like it and that's my opinion

Marc fair enough that is your opinion which I accept is shared by a sizable minority. The problem is VT's opinion comes backed by £100m (which I assume you can't match ) and that's why the rebranding will go through.

A million posts on this MB slating VT and calling him names such as 'clueless' will make absolutely no difference so C'78 is right its and it is time for everyone to move on.

These Malaysians are not football men and it shows they are clueless.

How are the clueless?? Please explain? Ill look forward to a mature and reasonable answer.

How about almost tripling our debt for a start. Then changing our colours on some silly pretence he will make millions in Asia.

That's a simple question, wait for the publicised counts once they've been released by the club, all this trebling the debt is garbage, how does any of us know the true figure until the accounts are released.

As far as the colours go, I'll wait and see what happens, but I aint going to turn my back on the club or stop buying merchandise just because it's red for god sake.

Thats your choice but if you think that the Malaysians are going to generate millions from shirt sales from a championship club then you had better start buying them in bulk.

Totally clueless.. Listen numbnuts he is a self made billionaire, 6th richest person in his country. He owns the McDonald's franchise in Malaysia, owns one if the biggest luxury hotel chains in Malaysia and his company is building th biggest shopping mall in the world.

He is not a stupid man, he is well aware on how the business markets work in Malaysia and China, do you?? If you think he is doing this on a gamble you need to join the clueless anti red lot in the corner.

Dear god.

Thats your choice but if you think that the Malaysians are going to generate millions from shirt sales from a championship club then you had better start buying them in bulk.

I agree with you having done some basic reaserch on shirt sales in the Far East I am confident that the rebranding isn't wholley for that reason.

There has to be some other reason which we haven't yet been informed of.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

There are no Alternatives I can see that, but are you not pissed off about losing our Badge and Colour, surely they could have come to a compromise and let us keep the badge ...I just don't like it and that's my opinion

Marc fair enough that is your opinion which I accept is shared by a sizable minority. The problem is VT's opinion comes backed by £100m (which I assume you can't match ) and that's why the rebranding will go through.

A million posts on this MB slating VT and calling him names such as 'clueless' will make absolutely no difference so C'78 is right its and it is time for everyone to move on.

Amen to that post.

Totally clueless.. Listen numbnuts he is a self made billionaire, 6th richest person in his country. He owns the McDonald's franchise in Malaysia, owns one if the biggest luxury hotel chains in Malaysia and his company is building th biggest shopping mall in the world.

He is not a stupid man, he is well aware on how the business markets work in Malaysia and China, do you?? If you think he is doing this on a gamble you need to join the clueless anti red lot in the corner.

Dear god.

C'78 I absolutely agree that VT is not stupid and is a very astute businessman.

However, the rebranding can't be wholley be dependant on selling shirts as Liverpool (the highest Far Eastern seller) only make around £7m p/a from shirt sales in the region. To even get to that level would take us decades and even if we did it would take another 12-15 years before VT showed a profit on his £100m investment.

I honestly believe that VT has some other reason for doing this, what that is I don't know but it must be very important to him.

I don't accept it ..Fuckin Fuming

Question?? What are the alternatives?? Unless anyone comes up with anything sustainable, grow up and move on.

Days and days of repetitive posts, same shit different day.

There are no Alternatives I can see that, but are you not pissed off about losing our Badge and Colour, surely they could have come to a compromise and let us keep the badge ...I just don't like it and that's my opinion

Marc fair enough that is your opinion which I accept is shared by a sizable minority. The problem is VT's opinion comes backed by £100m (which I assume you can't match ) and that's why the rebranding will go through.

A million posts on this MB slating VT and calling him names such as 'clueless' will make absolutely no difference so C'78 is right its and it is time for everyone to move on.

I don't have the £100m Tony .....Just for the record though, not once have I called VT or the Malaysians names (not that you were insinuating that mind ).....Until I see what the main advantage of changing our badge is I'll still be of the opinion.

Totally clueless.. Listen numbnuts he is a self made billionaire, 6th richest person in his country. He owns the McDonald's franchise in Malaysia, owns one if the biggest luxury hotel chains in Malaysia and his company is building th biggest shopping mall in the world.

He is not a stupid man, he is well aware on how the business markets work in Malaysia and China, do you?? If you think he is doing this on a gamble you need to join the clueless anti red lot in the corner.

Dear god.

C'78 I absolutely agree that VT is not stupid and is a very astute businessman.

However, the rebranding can't be wholley be dependant on selling shirts as Liverpool (the highest Far Eastern seller) only make around £7m p/a from shirt sales in the region. To even get to that level would take us decades and even if we did it would take another 12-15 years before VT showed a profit on his £100m investment.

I honestly believe that VT has some other reason for doing this, what that is I don't know but it must be very important to him.

I agree, but if what we are not being told is that VT is enticing a certain Chinese billionaire, then surely it's again in the interest of CCFC.

People with this type of power in there own country is something people are not understanding or taking into account. It's like Abramovic, due to his political games in Russia, supporting the Russian government, I bet there are fans in Russia supporting Chelsea for the same reason.

It works, we just don't understand how I works in Asia or Russia.

Totally clueless.. Listen numbnuts he is a self made billionaire, 6th richest person in his country. He owns the McDonald's franchise in Malaysia, owns one if the biggest luxury hotel chains in Malaysia and his company is building th biggest shopping mall in the world.

He is not a stupid man, he is well aware on how the business markets work in Malaysia and China, do you?? If you think he is doing this on a gamble you need to join the clueless anti red lot in the corner.

Dear god.

C'78 I absolutely agree that VT is not stupid and is a very astute businessman.

However, the rebranding can't be wholley be dependant on selling shirts as Liverpool (the highest Far Eastern seller) only make around £7m p/a from shirt sales in the region. To even get to that level would take us decades and even if we did it would take another 12-15 years before VT showed a profit on his £100m investment.

I honestly believe that VT has some other reason for doing this, what that is I don't know but it must be very important to him.

I agree, but if what we are not being told is that VT is enticing a certain Chinese billionaire, then surely it's again in the interest of CCFC.

People with this type of power in there own country is something people are not understanding or taking into account. It's like Abramovic, due to his political games in Russia, supporting the Russian government, I bet there are fans in Russia supporting Chelsea for the same reason.

It works, we just don't understand how I works in Asia or Russia.

A very good answer and probably is not far away from what is going on.