Tan, Malky and the Velikonja debacle.....

According to reports in The Guardian it has been claimed that Etien Velikonja was NOT a Malky Mackay signing and was instead signed by Vincent Tan. I've read a lot of posts claiming that this shows how Tan has forcibly involved himself in the football side of the club - something that is completely ridiculous considering he himself would have to admit that he is NOT a football man. On the other hand, in my opinion, Malky does not come out of this smelling of roses either. Firstly, he gave an interview claiming he himself had tracked Velikonja for around 2 years and that he believed that he was the forward to score the goals that would lift Cardiff out of the Premiership. I understand there are times when you have to cover for the whims of your boss but Malky sold the signing of Etien as part of a product of his and Moody's renowned scouting system - which was a lie. Also, it seems more than coincidental to me that Tan just happened to buy a player that Malky had tracked previously (I've heard people claim Malky wanted him at Watford but not at Cardiff) and it may just be the case of Tan offering Etien as a gift rather than taking the money from Malky's playing budget.

Also he has stated on many occasions that he enjoys a "wonderful" relationship with the owner and that he has "backed him to the hilt" and he has given no indication in his dealings with the press or us fans that Tan has been anything other than good for CCFC. To illustrate my point: he made zero comment on the rebrand, there was no statement of truth (that Malky claimed the fans were owed) following the board meeting, there was the genuinely "bizarre" lie that Hughton told him that Cardiff could walk the ball into the Norwich net following Fer's unsporting behavior. That Malky has ot publicly dismissed these reports, I think, is a poor, poor decision!!! He must know this will worry the fans ahead of the biggest derby in our history and he seems willing to allow the uncertainty surrounding the club fester with the fans. Most of all I feel sorry for Velikonja. Football is a short career and this kid has been lumped in with our Reserves and DVLPMNT team through no fault of his own because our manager doesn't want him. It makes me wonder if he's actually done anything wrong and now makes sense why he couldn't even make the bench when he was banging in goals for the DV team. Also, his finishing for the DV team last year was excellent - and it could not have been a decision made to the benefit of CCFC that he never managed to make the bench even when we were struggling for goals - and seems most likely he wasn't picked in a political game with Tan; Malky instead always preferring Gestede.

Yes, it's understandable to say that Malky is in a difficult position, that is true now and it may have been true, but there is a difference between covering for your (increasingly erratic) boss with well-crafted politicians answers and saying things that are willfully duplicitous. Not to mention, the football I saw against Norwich may just have been the most negative tactics employed by any manager in Premier League history!!!! All in all I don't think either one comes out of this debacle unscathed.

The fans deserve better form both.

Very interesting. The Velikonja, Cornelius, Brayford, & one or two other signed players need some form of addressing,,,otherwise there will always be doubts with our supporters. After all, they only cost a combined total of about £12 million.

It's also puzzling that the newspapers are reporting that Tan is undermining Malky to try and force him out when if we're to believe that Velikonja was signed without his consent Malky was being undermined as far back as 2012 preseason - but he has never given any indication up until recent events that this has ever been the case, instead as I mentioned, going as far as to publicly support Tan at nearly every opportunity. Either Malky has always been in charge (until recently) or he never has been. If the Velikonja rumor is true it can't be both and Malky has always played the type of manager not to take interfering from above. None of it makes sense and to be honest I'm not sure I trust either him or Tan at this moment in time.

Excellent posting well worth the read