" Where will Vincent Tans Priorities be next season? "

Championship or Champions League? Where will Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan's priorities be next season?


4th June 2015


by Chris Wathan

How do two of Tan's clubs compare as FK Sarajevo prepares to face the best in Europe and the Bluebirds prepares to battle it out in the Championship next season


Cardiff City and FK Sarajevo

From the Championship to the Champions League.

Look, before Cardiff City fans get too carried away, it’s not a grand master plan from Bluebirds backer Vincent Tan for Wales’ capital city club to suddenly be playing next to Barcelona, Juventus and the rest of Europe’s elite next season.

However, the fact is that Tan will have his eye on Cardiff versus Rotherham next season as well as the world’s number one club competition as a result of his expanding portfolio of football clubs.

While the Bluebirds languish mid-table in the Championship, Tan’s Bosnian club FK Sarajevo have booked their spot in the 2015-16 Champions League.

So where will his priorities be... and how do the two clubs actually compare?

On the face of it, the realistic riches are on offer in the British game, if Tan can oversee a second march into the Premier League.

But seeing Tan gain the adulation he seemingly craves – and understandably has not always found in Cardiff – while celebrating FK Sarajevo’s recent title does beg a question.



When the Malaysian millionaire first took over the Bosnian club, the briefing was that it was to benefit the Bluebirds. Tan spoke of the emerging force of the Balkan nation and the talent being produced where the next Edin Dzeko could be farmed for eventual use in South Wales.

An agreement was signed with the idea of sharing ideas and expertise over youth structure, but there has been no tangible evidence as yet.

Instead, Tan has appeared to have gained a real fondness for the club he first invested into in December 2013... and can you blame him given the way the FK Sarajevo fans mobbed him at the weekend?

He has desired success there too, going through a host of managerial changes in the same way he has in South Wales where Dave Jones, Malky Mackay and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have each departed.

Croatia legend Robert Jarni lasted four months, former Bosnia and Barcelona striker Meho Kodro six months, before caretaker Dzenan Uscuplic resumed the reins to lead the side to their first title in seven years.



It’s on a far lower scale than Cardiff – even the dwindling gates at Cardiff City Stadium dwarf the numbers at the Kosevo Stadium which average around 6,000 – and there is not the prestige in Bosnia that there is in Britain.

But being able to call himself the owner of a Champions League club will sit nicely with Tan while he has made it clear he has revelled in the fondness he has found, something Russell Slade spoke about as he tagged onto Sarajevo’s title-winning party.

And Tan can do it for substantially less money, the 4m Euro investment made into Bosnia’s ‘Bordeaux’ positively peanuts compared to the £130m loaned to Cardiff.

“Bosnians received this very well. The fans are supportive, saying such nice things to me. Many of them hug and kiss me. I’m not used to it, especially so many men kissing me!” said Tan.

“I am delighted and proud. I’m happy for our fantastic fans who have been these years without a trophy. I thank them for everything.”

So how would Slade’s Cardiff actually fare against Uscuplic’s FK Sarajevo? One would assume the Bluebirds would win, but in reality who knows?

Unless the Bluebirds go from the Championship to the Champions League we will never find out.

However, one thing is certain. Tan faces a manic summer as he seeks to meet his aims on two differing football fronts.

Both.

I think he'd wanna see us back in the premier league more than anything.....not because of the love he has for us, but because he's a business man, and nothing tops being the owner of a premier league club and the money and fame that comes with it. He could fund all his clubs without having to put his hand in his pocket from the money our club would be making in the premier league. Its worth a fortune to him

I think he'd wanna see us back in the premier league more than anything.....not because of the love he has for us, but because he's a business man, and nothing tops being the owner of a premier league club and the money and fame that comes with it. He could fund all his clubs without having to put his hand in his pocket from the money our club would be making in the premier league. Its worth a fortune to him

Exactly. And the money is set to hike up considerably again for PL clubs. He won't forget the ill-fated first attempt and may even decide to up the ante when he feels the time is right.

However, I don't think it will be next season. He will go for Champoinship stability and then a push for top flight status. Otherwise, Slade would not be in charge.

Suspect we will be his priority as still work in progress! Other club already in big time and appears to be functioning well with out a lot of input from tan? But he needs us in premier to stand any chance to just break even if he wants to sell us!

Championship or Champions League? Where will Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan's priorities be next season?


4th June 2015


by Chris Wathan

How do two of Tan's clubs compare as FK Sarajevo prepares to face the best in Europe and the Bluebirds prepares to battle it out in the Championship next season


Cardiff City and FK Sarajevo

From the Championship to the Champions League.

Look, before Cardiff City fans get too carried away, it’s not a grand master plan from Bluebirds backer Vincent Tan for Wales’ capital city club to suddenly be playing next to Barcelona, Juventus and the rest of Europe’s elite next season.

However, the fact is that Tan will have his eye on Cardiff versus Rotherham next season as well as the world’s number one club competition as a result of his expanding portfolio of football clubs.

While the Bluebirds languish mid-table in the Championship, Tan’s Bosnian club FK Sarajevo have booked their spot in the 2015-16 Champions League.

So where will his priorities be... and how do the two clubs actually compare?

On the face of it, the realistic riches are on offer in the British game, if Tan can oversee a second march into the Premier League.

But seeing Tan gain the adulation he seemingly craves – and understandably has not always found in Cardiff – while celebrating FK Sarajevo’s recent title does beg a question.



When the Malaysian millionaire first took over the Bosnian club, the briefing was that it was to benefit the Bluebirds. Tan spoke of the emerging force of the Balkan nation and the talent being produced where the next Edin Dzeko could be farmed for eventual use in South Wales.

An agreement was signed with the idea of sharing ideas and expertise over youth structure, but there has been no tangible evidence as yet.

Instead, Tan has appeared to have gained a real fondness for the club he first invested into in December 2013... and can you blame him given the way the FK Sarajevo fans mobbed him at the weekend?

He has desired success there too, going through a host of managerial changes in the same way he has in South Wales where Dave Jones, Malky Mackay and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have each departed.

Croatia legend Robert Jarni lasted four months, former Bosnia and Barcelona striker Meho Kodro six months, before caretaker Dzenan Uscuplic resumed the reins to lead the side to their first title in seven years.



It’s on a far lower scale than Cardiff – even the dwindling gates at Cardiff City Stadium dwarf the numbers at the Kosevo Stadium which average around 6,000 – and there is not the prestige in Bosnia that there is in Britain.

But being able to call himself the owner of a Champions League club will sit nicely with Tan while he has made it clear he has revelled in the fondness he has found, something Russell Slade spoke about as he tagged onto Sarajevo’s title-winning party.

And Tan can do it for substantially less money, the 4m Euro investment made into Bosnia’s ‘Bordeaux’ positively peanuts compared to the £130m loaned to Cardiff.

“Bosnians received this very well. The fans are supportive, saying such nice things to me. Many of them hug and kiss me. I’m not used to it, especially so many men kissing me!” said Tan.

“I am delighted and proud. I’m happy for our fantastic fans who have been these years without a trophy. I thank them for everything.”

So how would Slade’s Cardiff actually fare against Uscuplic’s FK Sarajevo? One would assume the Bluebirds would win, but in reality who knows?

Unless the Bluebirds go from the Championship to the Champions League we will never find out.

However, one thing is certain. Tan faces a manic summer as he seeks to meet his aims on two differing football fronts.

Yet more bullshit from Mr Wathan because Sarajevo have not "Booked" their spot in next seasons Champions League. At this moment only 22 teams have been confirmed in the group stages and Sarajevo will have to compete in at least 2 qualifying rounds before they can hope to "Book" their place in the group stages.

Whatever their fate in the qualifying rounds, and I wish them well, I'm sure everyone at Sarajevo will be concentrating on preparing for their matches in mid July and not worrying about facing Juventus or Barcelona, more likely will they be playing Celtic, Modle, Steaua Bucharest, Dinamo Zagreb or any of the other 37 teams in the qualifying rounds.

This is only the 2nd time in the clubs history that they have made the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, the last time was in 2007/08 when they lost to Dynamo Kiev in the 2nd Qualifying round.

Just another attempt, in my opinion, by Wathan and the other clowns at MediaWales to find something negative to write about Vincent Tan.

I cannot see Tan bothering about us any more.. Rightly or wrongly he thinks our fans are "ungrateful" for his financial support. Judging by the vitriolic abuse he has had even on these message boards, I can't say I blame him. Though to be fair the slagging off has moderated to some extent in recent weeks.