MALKY OPTIMISTIC OF SUMMER TRANSFERS

On a family holiday on the sun-kissed island of Crete, Malky Mackay is being rather optimistic: “I’m trying to keep phone calls to a minimum right now.”

Unfortunately, there seems more chance of snow on his Greek vacation than Mackay’s mobile lying idle for too long.

For when you are one of the hottest young managers in the game, with a brilliant Championship-winning campaign just under your belt and a historic Premier League season with Cardiff City lying ahead you do tend to find yourself in demand.

If it is not WalesOnline shamelessly bugging him on his sun-lounger, it is Iain Moody, Mackay’s erstwhile head of recruitment, onto the Scot talking about this player or that player.

Because, if for most in the game June remains the ultimate ‘dead zone’ – the stepping stone between campaign past and campaign yet to come – for those charged with signing new players now is indeed a vital time.

And, despite taking a well-earned break, Mackay himself, of course, needs to be constantly kept in the loop.

Like nature, the football rumour mill, abhors a vacuum.

If there are no names. some must be conjured up to fill it.

As we run through a list of the more fanciful ones, Mackay is instead keen to extol the virtues of rest, relaxation and just really being left in peace for a while.

“Things are progressing, very much so. Our recruitment department is in a very busy period right now working through things,” said Mackay.

“Me and Iain are in touch two or three times a day. He’s beavering away.

“It is a slow period in many ways, but there is a lot of background work which needs to be done.

“At the moment I believe the most important thing for my players I believe is rest.

“We tested them before they left. We had a good look at them after the season.

“We looked at their stats and really just how physically fit they still were. Stuff like that.

“I just want them resting right now. They need to get away.

“Get away from football altogether and just relax for a while.

“They need to recover, spend time with their families and just really enjoy themselves.

“You do need that down time because it has been an incredibly intense nine-month challenge.

“It’s good to get that time away from it, because when we get back they are going to need to flick that switch and get into that mode again.

“They’ve all been given a folder laying out what we expect of them and what we will expect of them when they get back.

“Before then they will exercise, swimming cycling and stuff like that – but all very much in moderation.

“It’s good for everyone at the club to get that break.”

That break, though, is not set to last much longer with the players due to report back to the Bluebirds’ base in the Vale of Glamorgan at the end of this month.

As well as a clutch of pre-season friendlies, a training camp in Europe is planned for next month.

As we say, supporters will be most interested in knowing what new faces might be joining the Bluebirds squad for the forthcoming Premier League campaign.

Rumours are rife, but as always wide of the mark. All we know so far is that stalwart full-back Kevin McNaughton has been offered a new two-year deal and the Bluebirds would like to sign centre-half Leon Barnett, who excelled on loan at the end of the last campaign, if a deal can be struck with Norwich.

There is interest in the highly-talented Thomas Ince at Blackpool, but also a sensible realisation that the player might be destined for a slightly bigger destination than Cardiff right now.

Mackay himself will only confirm that in the other direction he has so far had no enquiries or offers for any of his own players.

And, as the contemplates the azure ocean (again possibly), the Bluebirds boss urged patience when it comes to transfer activity and insists he will keep to the same formula which has served him so well during two seasons in the Welsh capital.

“When it comes to transfers things are not going to change. It does not change from club to club really,” added Mackay.

“Right now we just have to make sure we do our due diligence.

“We keep doing things the right way which I believe we have already.

“We need to keep speaking to the right people at the right time.

“We’ll just keep going about things the same way we have over the last few years.

“The process we have got will give us a better chance of getting players we believe will prove a success at the football club and will also prove financially viable for the club.”

So it looks like being a long summer for those already feeling starved of footballing action.

Bluebirds manager Mackay maybe relaxing in the sun right now but, as always, when it comes to Cardiff City matters, he is just at the other end of a phone.

good to know that who we get in will still be they type to bust a gut for the shirt and his teammates. when the going gets tough our players wont bend over or wave a white flag

One of the boys met malky in marbella the otha day and a few drinks with him discussing possible transfers, he wont tell me what malky said tho lol

One of the boys met malky in marbella the otha day and a few drinks with him discussing possible transfers, he wont tell me what malky said tho lol

that's the biggest lie I've ever heard in my life

If players had sense and seen the foundations we set then I expect we can compete for a few top players if MM likes them.

One of the boys met malky in marbella the otha day and a few drinks with him discussing possible transfers, he wont tell me what malky said tho lol

malky is on holiday in crete

One of the boys met malky in marbella the otha day and a few drinks with him discussing possible transfers, he wont tell me what malky said tho lol

Malky is so f*cking sensible and a great great manager

One of the boys met malky in marbella the otha day and a few drinks with him discussing possible transfers, he wont tell me what malky said tho lol

that's the biggest lie I've ever heard in my life

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You were saying smackrats?

Well done. A picture with Malky. how does this go to prove that he was discussing transfer targets?! (A highly implausible situation by the way!)

Its what my mate said, who am you to not believe him. God knows what malky said after a few pints

puerto banus in marbella is a hot spot for footballers and celebs taking a holiday (was theres a year ago) wouldn't surprise me if malky took even a day trip there from crete to meet with a player for a chat. not exactly hard.