Malky " I know the importance of them, South Wales Derbies "

Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay: 'We're aiming to win both the South Wales derbies and stay up'
24 May 2013


Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay has revealed that a Premier League double against Swansea and doing better than just "survival" in the top flight will be his club’s aim next season.

The Cardiff manager was answering a Wales Online survey which more than 2,500 supporters had previously responded to following the club’s title-winning promotion from the Championship.

Mackay, this week crowned Championship manager of the season by his peers, is also adamant he will not be listening to any offers for mercurial midfielder Peter Whittingham.

In a revealing exchange he also confessed his lowest moment from the campaign just gone was when striker Nicky Maynard succumbed to a serious knee injury just three weeks after arriving in the Welsh capital.

But with next season’s Welsh derbies being the first time the two bitter rivals have met in the top flight, the interest and speculation surrounding the two fixtures has already begun.

And asked whether he would be happy for the Swans to do the double over Cardiff so long as his side stayed in the Premier League, Mackay responded: “I’m going to have to be greedy I’m afraid. I want both. I want to win the derbies and stay up.

“I’ve been involved in derbies throughout my whole career and I know the importance of them, I know all about the bragging rights. I know there will be some of our supporters who have waited their whole lives to see the South Wales derby in the top-flight and I certainly don’t want to let them down. They are going to be incredible occasions.”


Mackay is currently planning for Cardiff’s first season in the top-flight of the game in more than half a century and as he looks for new faces he said that he felt the player recruitment department he installed at the club was perhaps the best signing he had made.

But the Bluebirds are still one of the favourites to drop out of the Premier League after just the one season with many believing them simply staying up would be a triumph for their manager. Mackay though has loftier ambitions than that and insists his men are not going up simply to make up the numbers.

“You can take survive out of the equation because we are there to compete,” said Mackay.

“All I can say is that we are going up to the Premier League determined to be as competitive as we can. Our aim really is to try and ensure we are not just in the division to make up the numbers.

“Staying there is important of course, but we start the season with the aim of finishing as high as we can and giving as good an account of ourselves as we possibly can.”

The Cardiff boss also warned anyone who might be casting an eye over his midfielder Whittingham. The 28-year-old found himself out of the first-team for the first time at the end of last season and many have been left pondering his future at the club.

Asked if he would consider letting Whittingham leave, Mackay was emphatic.

He said: “We will not be listening to anyone about Peter Whittingham. He is totally part of my squad. He is very much part of my plans for the Premier League now.

“He is a fantastic player and a tremendous young man to have at the club. He’s someone who is involved in everything we do and a player who has a very big part to play for us. He’s signed three contracts for me and he’s under contract right now and that is the way things are going to stay.

“He’s going to be playing in the Premier League with Cardiff. He is going to get his chance and he thoroughly deserves it after everything he has done for Cardiff City.”

And despite new signings set to arrive, Mackay insisted the Premier League dream was not just open to Whittingham, but to any of his players who showed him that they were hungry to be involved.

“Everyone at the club who is contracted is going to be part of my plans at this point in time. We will see what the preseason brings and we will see how the players act and react in different games,” added the Cardiff boss.

“Then we see things in terms of what targets we have and then what signings we bring in. The 25-man Premier League squad will not go in until September 1 so up until that point everyone in the group must be equipped to give themselves the best chance of being in it.

“They all need to be lean and hungry and ready to do what it takes. That’s what we are going to need at this club.”

at last a manager that understands - you gotta love Malky, he virtually ALWAYS says the right thing

on a related note, many of the best managers were involved in decent level football, but weren't the best players for skill or pace - Fergie played for Rangers as a number 9, but didn't last too long and was actually blamed for them losing a cup final.

I think managers like Malky have played with the best, don't quite have that level of skill or pace, and as a result then are able to 'see' what is needed from the team as a whole and communicate the tactics and plan more easily than someone who has abundant natural talent.

on a related note, many of the best managers were involved in decent level football, but weren't the best players for skill or pace - Fergie played for Rangers as a number 9, but didn't last too long and was actually blamed for them losing a cup final.

I think managers like Malky have played with the best, don't quite have that level of skill or pace, and as a result then are able to 'see' what is needed from the team as a whole and communicate the tactics and plan more easily than someone who has abundant natural talent.

Your spot on. Fergie, Moyes, Mackay, Billy Davies all pretty average footballers but people who have studied the game avidly and pretty much know it inside out, thats not to say there isnt more to learn but their like sponges, soaking it all up.

Read a great article about David Moyes as an example, Moyes used to finish football training on the Tuesday with Dunfermline and would shoot down to england straight after in his car and go to a random football game. He would choose different teams every time and just learn the different teams styles, tactics etc then drive back up on the Weds.

A former Dunfermline player, cant remember his name but he used to get a lift with Moyes to Dunfermline along with Billy Davies and he said he just used to sit there listening to Moves and Davies talking football tactics etc non stop all day every day.

Mackay is exactly the same, his football may not be have been pretty at times this season but he had a target of automatic promotion and he did what he needed to get it. He knows the game, he's always learning and we are a lucky club to have him as our manager. Sadly from a selfish point of view, I feel he is destined for big things as a manager, there will be one hell of a void left when he goes thats for sure.

Love his attitude to the derby games too!

Last edited by Cardiff Daft! on Fri May 24, 2013 8:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

A great and wecolmed answer from malky about the derbies, but if he ever wants further info in how to approach the souh wales derby he can always ask dave jones, he was always up for them.

Its not just what he said about the derby its everything else he says. I love the fact he says he want to compete and not survive. It shows he is not even contemplating going down. He's going there to show this team is good enough to compete with the best! Thats the sign of a superb manager!

Has Malky ever said anything wrong? I don't think so

Has Malky ever said anything wrong? I don't think so

Ask Michael