' Keep your nose out Vincent Tan '

Owner's meddling has included suggesting tactical changes and substitutions from the stand during Premier League matches.

Stuart James

The Guardian, Friday 18th October 2013

Malky Mackay said on six separate occasions at Friday's press conference that he would only discuss Cardiff's match at Chelsea.


It was one of those press conferences that raised far more questions than it answered. Malky Mackay said as much as he felt he could in the circumstances, which included making it clear that Iain Moody, the sacked head of recruitment, was under rather than over budget this summer and outstanding at his job. But the Cardiff City manager stopped short of offering any explanation for the turbulent events that have plunged the club into crisis over the past fortnight.

In Mackay's eyes, those issues should be addressed by Simon Lim, the rarely seen chief executive who is based at the stadium and has the owner Vincent Tan's ear. On six separate occasions Mackay said that he was willing to talk only about Saturday's match at Chelsea and twice the press department intervened because a reporter dared to ask the sort of question – when will the supporters get the full story? – that those who follow the club are understandably keen to know.

In truth, it was Tan, not Mackay, who should have been pulling up a chair at the Vale of Glamorgan hotel, dealing with the fallout and apologising for the mess that has overshadowed a decent start to the season. The owner, however, is not due in south Wales until the lead-up to the home game against Swansea City on 3 November, when he will hold crunch talks with Mackay and Mehmet Dalman, the Cypriot businessman who was appointed chairman in the summer and with whom Mackay has found some common ground – "mutual respect" as the manager put it – amid the chaos that has engulfed the club. Whatever Tan has said publicly, Mackay's position remains precarious.

The owner's influence at the club stretches far and wide and, as the Guardian has learned, into territory where many will feel he has no right to be meddling. It is understood there have been occasions during this season when Tan – who recently claimed his investment in the club stands at £125m – has interfered with team matters on a matchday. Although it has not happened every week, Tan has tried to convey messages from the stand during Premier League fixtures, including suggested substitutions and tactical changes.

It is a particularly worrying development at any football club but looks even worse in the context of a filmed conversation that took place outside a high-street chemist in Malaysia earlier in the year. "He doesn't know any rules about football," Al Chuah, the managing director of one of Tan's many companies, said laughing. "He invested in pharmacy without realising what drugs are all about." Tan, smiling at his friend's comments, delivered a brief and insightful response. "It doesn't matter. It's another new business."

With no emotional attachment to football and no previous experience of operating in the game, it is perhaps not surprising that Tan has made increasingly bizarre decisions, whether that be changing Cardiff's kit colour from blue to red, replacing the head of recruitment with a 23-year-old from Kazakhstan who had been painting and decorating earlier in the summer, or undermining the talented, highly respected and universally popular manager who last season led the club back to the top flight for the first time in 51 years. Mackay, an erudite and diligent man, has been left to pick up the pieces.

"Obviously I am really sorry for our fans for what they have been through over the last couple of weeks, it has been difficult for them with their club being under the spotlight for non-footballing matters," the Cardiff manager said in his opening address. "I absolutely feel where they are coming from and I am as disappointed as they are – it is as a result of Iain Moody leaving the club.

"Iain is an absolute class act as far as I am concerned. He has done a very impressive job for the football club. In one of the periods of success, which we have been in over the last two and a half years, he has had a huge part to play in the restructuring of my squad. He helped bring in more than 20-odd players. He will be missed by everyone who works for our football club. He leaves with my utmost gratitude and respect. I would say our loss will be someone's huge gain."

Without mentioning Tan, Mackay then set the record straight on the summer transfer budget, which the owner previously suggested had been exceeded by £15m – leading some to believe that was the reason for Moody's dismissal.

"One thing I would clarify, as I have read a few things over the past couple of weeks, is that we were absolutely under budget this summer. That is what I have to say about Iain," Mackay said. "As far as I am concerned, again for clarification, under no circumstances was I asked to resign and at no time have I thought of resigning from the football club."

The feeling is that Mackay was playing with semantics when it came to his own position. It is understood that, before Moody's dismissal, Mackay was told by Tan that he should walk away from the job at the end of the season, rather than immediately. Why Tan should want to get rid of someone who is regarded as one of the brightest young managers in British football is hard for many to comprehend. One school of thought inside the club is that Tan is envious of Mackay's status and popularity.

What can be said with certainty is that Tan knew that by firing Moody he would hurt Mackay badly. Mackay and Moody had formed a close working relationship when they were together at Watford and that bond only strengthened during their time at Cardiff. Respected by Mackay and the players, Moody worked tirelessly to get deals done in the summer, making 47 flights across 60 days at one point. Cardiff spent big, breaking their transfer record three times, but the early signs are that Tan's money was invested well.

Yet from the moment that Alisher Apsalyamov put down his paintbrush and started shadowing Moody, the writing, as well as the emulsion, was on the wall at Cardiff. Apsalyamov, a friend of Tan's son, has never worked in football before but is now tasked with focusing "on gathering data on individual players". Asked whether he had met Apsalyamov or if he could explain why Moody has lost his job, Mackay replied on both occasions: "I'm only going to be talking to you about Chelsea." It was that sort of day.
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That sums Tan up another business

i was up the vale today and the whole episode seemed very odd . everyone was so tight lipped about the matter you couldn't hear a pin drop

Say you won the Lottery or were rich and you took over a club and put money in

Lets say as an example Cardiff Corries --and you put in say "£50000

You and all of us would want to sit on every Board meeting. visit training when you want and quiz the management

Then if you thought one of the team or management who yu are paying was taking the piss or mis behaving or you had a mate who you thought could do better youd sack them and bring in your mate or family member

Yes you wouldnt want to piss off the 200 fans and change too much history but if you did youd say wel hey its my club


Tan is just being a normal bloke only on a higher level

i was up the vale today and the whole episode seemed very odd . everyone was so tight lipped about the matter you couldn't hear a pin drop

Mozzer, I chatted to Stuart from the Guardian earlier this evening regarding other matters but he said he had been to the press conference and really felt for Malky, he also said nothing felt right and the pressure on Malky seemed unbelievable and he said there is much to come out of this.

Mafor
He may own the club but the club will always belong to the people of Cardiff

The man needs to stay in Malaysia

He isn't welcome in my City ever again

Annis, nail on the head as something really isn't right in this whole story. While VT doesn't understand anything about football he is a fairly successful businessman (be it with government help) so what I can't fathom is why he would do such stupid things which would allow this business venture to potentially crash and burn in the public glare?
Only down The City has never been more apt than now

Annis, nail on the head as something really isn't right in this whole story. While VT doesn't understand anything about football he is a fairly successful businessman (be it with government help) so what I can't fathom is why he would do such stupid things which would allow this business venture to potentially crash and burn in the public glare?
Only down The City has never been more apt than now

That's what I can't fathom. I can understand his cash flows/investment returns etc etc but you'd think that a man of his age and experience would understand the importance of the human factor in business generally , let alone football.
He will also understand the importance of not undermining his going concern particularly in view of the monies invested.
if he really wanted to do a Southampton and bin Malky surely he would have been prepared with a bloke ready to go and a cheque for Malky.
Press bollocks? Mr Tan Mad man?

More paper talk that people only believe when it suits.

i was up the vale today and the whole episode seemed very odd . everyone was so tight lipped about the matter you couldn't hear a pin drop

Mozzer, I chatted to Stuart from the Guardian earlier this evening regarding other matters but he said he had been to the press conference and really felt for Malky, he also said nothing felt right and the pressure on Malky seemed unbelievable and he said there is much to come out of this.

Annis.
The left wing press, adverts for pay day loans, get you every time. Why oh why do you fall for it?
The middle class CCMB fuckwits will be over that like a rash. We're a different level now, I'm out and will whacth from a distance.

I dont see the issue. Im forever screaming tactical changes and subs at Malky. If Tan is making suggestions hes only doing what we would do if we owned CCFC. its when he starts ordering Malky to do these things or forcing transfers on Malky we need to worry.

This week my opinion of Tan has changed, I do think this football tinkering the press are latching on too is a load of bollox though.

More paper talk that people only believe when it suits.

Guardian is a well respected rag mate . You can't deny people's comments about the press conference . Malky is still pissed off about the affair and is currently being gagged by the club . Tan will continue to drag this club through the mud . But hey ho, it's just another business .

One word dissgrace.

Malky and us fans just dont deserve to be treated like this by a clueless owner who only wants power and fame.

Tan is famous for being a bafoone he has been an idiot since he came to the club and will only continue being an idiot.

Just new over time he would cock it all up all by him self just glad people can now see what lots of us new a long time ago when he did that terrible disrispectfull rebrand.

One word dissgrace.

Malky and us fans just dont deserve to be treated like this by a clueless owner who only wants power and fame.

Tan is famous for being a bafoone he has been an idiot since he came to the club and will only continue being an idiot.

Just new over time he would cock it all up all by him self just glad people can now see what lots of us new a long time ago when he did that terrible disrispectfull rebrand.

Here , here !

The issue for me is that some people still back Tan up to his trouser's belt & post as if everything is rosy !

Bottom line , few of the punters will every be 100% aware of ongoings , but ffs something ain't right is an understatement !

I think we should all show Tan how we feel, thousands of blue flags at the jacks game would be a good start, in fact at every game. I have a feeling its going to be a volatile affair.....

I think we should all show Tan how we feel, thousands of blue flags at the jacks game would be a good start, in fact at every game. I have a feeling its going to be a volatile affair.....

Exactly , he has to be targetted .The sooner he sells up the better ! Crackpot !

Anyone who watched the press conference could clearly see by Malkys body language and the way he carefully chose his words meant that there are still issues.
The fact that Malky apologised to the fans shows his discontent in the way that we have been kept in the dark by Tan. I just hope that this episode does not affect Malky in the forthcoming games but I personally think that the damage is done.
Tan out, its the only way frorward.

Didn't he say something about giving MM football advice in that BBC Wales documentary a few months back. Something thick like "MM should get his players to shoot all the time to increase the chance of scoring".

He's just a rich Dai Hunt by the sound of things

I've always believed you don't keep a dog and bark yourself and I do think Tan should adhere to this otherwise he may just shoot himself financially,however,I still think he's looking to make a financial killing in the long term and I'm hoping the CCFC he leaves will be better than the one he saved.

Yeah bog off Tan

How about Sam & Tan keeping their noses out

Say you won the Lottery or were rich and you took over a club and put money in

Lets say as an example Cardiff Corries --and you put in say "£50000

You and all of us would want to sit on every Board meeting. visit training when you want and quiz the management

Then if you thought one of the team or management who yu are paying was taking the piss or mis behaving or you had a mate who you thought could do better youd sack them and bring in your mate or family member

Yes you wouldnt want to piss off the 200 fans and change too much history but if you did youd say wel hey its my club


Tan is just being a normal bloke only on a higher level

A normal bloke is rarely a bully and a dictator.Tan is both.TAN OUT.