DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL FOR CARDIFF CITY??

Friday 6th December 2013.

The Bluebirds chief insists the desired appointment of a 'football expert' to the board would not pose any threat to Malky Mackay's position


Mehmet Dalman, Cardiff City’s chairman, has outlined his desire to add football expertise to the club’s board of directors.

The Cyprus-born investment banker believes adding a new director experienced in football would help the Bluebirds, saying: “Somebody who has done it all, seen it all would be great value to the club.”

Dalman revealed he has had conversations about the role, but said: “Nothing is imminent.

“It could take five years or five hours and will be done when we meet the right person.”

He stressed that a new director would not pose any threat to manager Malky Mackay, saying: “You need expertise.

“It would be nice, and I mean no disrespect to my boardroom colleagues, to have some grey-haired chap experienced in football matters we could bounce ideas off. It is a great idea.

“When I grew up in the world of finance I was always lucky that I had a great mentor, somebody I could go to and ask ‘What do you think?’

“We are missing that on our board in football terms. It would be nice to add that somebody who has done it all, seen it all.

“That would be great value to the club.

“It’s about somebody having somebody experienced enough to see the bigger picture.

“That could be somebody who knows football in Asia, somebody who know football in Latin America or anywhere.

“It’s important to add value. We need to be a sustainable Premier League football club and this would help us.”

Dalman talked about the stability of Cardiff City FC and the role owner Vincent Tan is playing to safeguard the future.

“Cardiff City right now is stable,” said Dalman. “We are debt free. Vincent Tan wrote off interest (on loans) and is in the process of converting loans into equity. The club in no debt. We have an extremely-talented team and a board who are stable, motivated and ambitious.”

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title. If you feel I have misjudged the article let me know and I'll retitle the thread.

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title.

How?

Think he also said he doesn't want a Director of Football.

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title.

How?

Well, surely people with some experience and contacts in football are better than say, former painters and decorators (note: I am aware the position of chief scout is not a member of the board)

He wants a "grey haired chap experienced in football matters". I bet Sam Hammam is getting excited.

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title. If you feel I have misjudged the article let me know and I'll retitle the thread.

Can't agree, I heard the interview with Dalman yesterday on BBC Radio Wales!

He came across as very genuine and as Malky has already been singing his praises, I think you're wrong!

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title. If you feel I have misjudged the article let me know and I'll retitle the thread.

Can't agree, I heard the interview with Dalman yesterday on BBC Radio Wales!

He came across as very genuine and as Malky has already been singing his praises, I think you're wrong!

I didnt hear that interview, im making my assessment based on this article only.

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title.

How?

Well, surely people with some experience and contacts in football are better than say, former painters and decorators (note: I am aware the position of chief scout is not a member of the board)

I agree but I was asking how does it undermine Malky?

Whilst I agree more football people on the board would be a bonus, I see this as yet another move to undermine Malky, hence my choice of topic title. If you feel I have misjudged the article let me know and I'll retitle the thread.

Can't agree, I heard the interview with Dalman yesterday on BBC Radio Wales!

He came across as very genuine and as Malky has already been singing his praises, I think you're wrong!

I didnt hear that interview, im making my assessment based on this article only.

The article is a snippet of info gleaned from Dalman's interview on BBC Radio Wales from yesterday evening!

There's a fair chance that the interview will be screened on Sport Wales tonight and whilst the radio interview isn't available at this minute, it should be available later today:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03k5cf5

As long as Malky is happy with a DoF i think it would be great.

Neil Warnock has said many times, that this day and age a go between between the manager and Board is vital. He says call it a DoF if you want, but there needs to be another link.

When you actually here other guys speak about it, alot of what the press print is wrong. harry didnt mind having Avram grant or Clive woodwood. actually enjoyed working with them

Read between the lines, Tan wants Malky out, New Director of Football then steps into his Shoes, Simple maths for anyone with arf a brain who has 'seen it all' in football before.

This would help Malky really, more football experienced members can advise Tan on the football side of things, especially the fact we have a great manager

I haven't seen the interview but the way I read the report is that he is
seeking a board member(director) with a good knowledge of football
Rather than a director of football in the normal sense?

May be wrong but someone on the board with a good knowledge of football
would strengthen Malky's position

Does it seem strange to anyone else how none of these issues seemed to surface until a certain Lebanese gentleman came back on board...

We need a Director of Football. The days of the manager owning every decision in the club died a long time ago.

A lot of the jack success is based upon Huw Jenkins management of the footballer matters of the club. I think he is the chairman but acts in the DoF role. Southampton pulled the trigger last year when their DoF thought that they could be doing better.

The appointment needs to be someone who doesn't want/need the day to day involvement, so not a threat. Steve Coppell would be my idea of a DoF

Sir Alex is out of a job

I think its a good idea, people have been saying we dont have enough football people involved

We already have one in Vincent Tan

I think its a good idea, people have been saying we dont have enough football people involved

As long as they are only involved with certain aspects of club management, a none meddler so to speak.

Sir Alex is out of a job

that's who I immediately thought of.
A man with global respect with in the football community.
Can see him working a few days here or there on a consultancy type basis and has a good relationship with MM.

Lennie Lawrence

I think a director of football who's had years of experience is a great idea and he can work with malky to maximize tans investment.I don't think it undermines mm,if anything it'll help him.

Sir Alex is out of a job

that's who I immediately thought of.
A man with global respect with in the football community.
Can see him working a few days here or there on a consultancy type basis and has a good relationship with MM.

Hes not out of a job, hes a director at United now

My strong opinion/belief of course this is to undermine Malky.

Do you honestly believe Malky will welcome an appointment ? If I am wrong I will hold my hands up, but I dont think I am.

Weve needed a Director of football for the last 3/4 years or someone at our club who knows his football, not just Malky, funny were now going to get one.

The club can't win with this one, everybody who follows cardiff city agree that there is very little in the way of football knowledge/expertise at board level, now it looks like we are about to address that (a great move and not before time) and it becomes another possible move to get malky out.

My strong opinion/belief of course this is to undermine Malky.

Do you honestly believe Malky will welcome an appointment ? If I am wrong I will hold my hands up, but I dont think I am.


Weve needed a Director of football for the last 3/4 years or someone at our club who knows his football, not just Malky, funny were now going to get one.

I think everyone has just said it will be a director of football, but where does it say it will be?

It could be a member of the board, as many clubs have done, especially United, maybe fergie actually spoke to our chairman about this. United had bobby charlton, now fergie on the board to offer a football point of view.

Even if its not at board level, i dont see it as a director of football we will bring in, i dont know what we would call it, Possibly a "football mediator"?? but it will just be a link between the boardroom and manager.

The guy brought in can offer his view to the boardroom on their ideas and how it fits in the club, if it would work, he can pass it on in a football speak to malky, who can then actually pass on his views to someone who understands where hes coming from.

Id personally like warnock, as he has said hes actively looking for this kind of role, wouldn offer a threat to malky and has said he likes us.

The club can't win with this one, everybody who follows cardiff city agree that there is very little in the way of football knowledge/expertise at board level, now it looks like we are about to address that (a great move and not before time) and it becomes another possible move to get malky out.

your bang on the money there!

they both wore blue ties in the interview

The bit of that interview that caught my eye was where he said we are now debt free.

Is that right? Surely something as momentous as that would have been widely reported?