Malky has virtually no contact with Tan anymore

Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay increasingly likely to leave as relationship with owner Vincent Tan worsens

Malky virtually has no contact with Tan anymore

03rd November 2013
By Andy Dunn


Loss in Sunday's South Wales derby could see the unrest at the Bluebirds come to a head with boss Mackay departing the club

Malky Mackay looks increasingly likely to leave Cardiff City as his relationship with owner Vincent Tan grows ever more fraught.

The manager has almost no contact with Tan and club sources told Sunday Mirror Sport that matters are expected to come to a head very soon - especially if Cardiff lose to bitter rivals Swansea this afternoon.

Despite Mackay’s overwhelming popularity with supporters and a statement giving him his backing only last month, Tan could even dismiss the Scot if Cardiff lose heavily today.

Mackay’s lucrative contract - which does not expire until summer 2016 - is at the centre of an impasse between manager and owner.

Mackay will be due a hefty payout if he is dismissed almost three years before his deal ends. When Tan replaced Mackay’s friend and head of recruitment Iain Moody with 23-year-old Alisher Apsalyamov, there were suggestions Mackay might resign.

But we understand his contract has a lengthy notice period, meaning Mackay could end up OWING Cardiff money if he walks out without good reason.

The compensation structure in his contract has been an issue - Everton showed an interest in Mackay before appointing Roberto Martinez but were led to believe the buyout figure was not far off £3million.

Tan is examining his massive investment in the club. Last week, he announced he would be writing off nearly £6million in interest owed to him on loans he has made.

In the last set of accounts - for the year ending May 2012 - Tan had already made over £37million worth of loans to the club.

That figure has spiralled since with overall debts believed to be over the £100million mark.

While in the summer Tan suggested he wanted to acquire a 90 percent holding and make the business debt-free, we understand he would welcome alternative investment.

Indeed, one of the reasons he might have employed Apsalyamov - who has had to stand down over visa problems - was to try and persuade the 23-year-old’s billionaire father to come on board.

Silence: Tan and Mackay rarely speak to each other
While he has ploughed in a lot of money in the successful bid to get Cardiff to the Premier League, there are now few senior figures around the club who reckon Tan is in it for the long haul.

In the meantime, though, he has to fund a heavy wage bill with Mackay’s salary reported to be close to the £2millon mark.

One Cardiff insider told us: “Malky is very well remunerated for the great job he has been doing. But the owner believes that while Malky gets the credit, he does not get enough for all the investment he has made. That’s at the heart of the matter. After all, while the club owes him a lot of money, Vincent knows he has little chance of getting a lot of it back.”

While Tan is reluctant to pay him off, he knows Mackay will not walk away - unless an alternative job is offered by a club willing to meet the compensation clause.

Mackay is determined to keep his players focused - today’s game with Swansea has been described as one of the biggest in the club’s history - despite the upheaval being created by Tan.

But there is an escalating feeling that a cold war-style situation cannot go on - only on Friday, Mackay refused to answer any questions about Tan and was unaware of whether or not the Malaysian tycoon would be at the stadium this afternoon..

And if Cardiff’s form does not pick up - or slides away, starting with defeat today - there is every chance Tan will try and negotiate with Mackay in an attempt to ease him out.

If that does not work, a straight dismissal is a possibility.

Sorry to bring doom and gloom on derby day lads, story is from the Mirror.

Fair play, that really is a load of re- hashed bollocks

Hope this is a rehash, imagine the worst case scenario:

Malky Sacked, Tan (being a fountain of footballing knowledge) saves the day by appointing the welsh national coach, he likes a dragon and he must be good being a national coach.

Is this by the voice of welsh bullshit Ken Gorman

Is it just me, there seems to always be a 'source' willing to talk at our club, only they never ever seem give the fans an answer i.e. why was moody fired? No other clubs seem to have leaks as bad as us (the rebrand was leaked, the Velikonja leak, the Moody leak, even the P&D's hiring was leaked) and you can bet it isn't coming from the people around Vinny because he doesn't seem to be the type to stick it. Maybe this is adding to the increasing tension between him and Malky. We don't need it. Especially not before a derby.

Sorry to bring doom and gloom on derby day lads, story is from the Mirror.

Got anything positive to make as a sticky before our big derby

What a load of bollucks. Media like to stir things as they know how city fans bite and wanna try wind people up before such a massive game. That should be our focus - 4pm today is all that matters

But we understand his contract has a lengthy notice period, meaning Mackay could end up OWING Cardiff money if he walks out without good reason....

Exactly so why would he leave?? He's more likely to be fired for his recent level of performance...

But we understand his contract has a lengthy notice period, meaning Mackay could end up OWING Cardiff money if he walks out without good reason....

Exactly so why would he leave?? He's more likely to be fired for his recent level of performance...

Although i like Malky i believe recent results and the ones from today until xmas will be the reason malky stays or goes

Second story in recent days that contradicts malky? Other day it was player signed without his knowledge! After he said he tracked him for 2yrs previously! Now this when malky said in almost daily contact with tan? Someone our to destabilise club by sounds of it.

The Mirror,
I wouldn't even wipe my arse with that paper although read it.

Hope this is a rehash, imagine the worst case scenario:

Malky Sacked, Tan (being a fountain of footballing knowledge) saves the day by appointing the welsh national coach, he likes a dragon and he must be good being a national coach.

Gavin, the BBC (including Ceefax or whatever it is called these days) reported yesterday that Malky was in sole charge of transfers! What an exclusive...only 3 weeks behind the rest of the world!

I am always wary of these "a source code to the club said" reports, as my immediate thought is "why on earth would anyone be daft enough to put their job on the line by whistle-blowing?"

In reality, Cardiff City FC doesn't employ that many people outside of the playing and coaching staffs and there aren't too many people in a position to be truly ITK, so any 'leaks' can usually be narrowed down to a few (often one or two) people

With that in mind, as I said, I am always sceptical of stories coming out of there from 'unnamed sources' because the people really ITK would be 'outed' by the very information they provide, and anyone else is just trying to look 'bigger' than they are (and causing problems for the club rather than Tan or anyone else in the process

once he has sacked malky,Tan will take so much abuse, he will strip the rest of our identity and then walk.. The man is fried

once he has sacked malky,Tan will take so much abuse, he will strip the rest of our identity and then walk.. The man is fried

Walk away and giving club £50mil for nothing? Ok

I don't think I have ever spoken to the owner of my company.

Is Sams man now the CEO or chairman ? That's who Malky needs to speak to.

Non story

the main problem with very rich people like tan is that no one tells them when they are wrong, only a complete fool would assume he could possibly be popular after changing the colour of the kit....this is the fundamental problem. So many yes men. what a joke.