Malky Mackay Urges Fans To Stand By Cardiff City!
Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:53 pm
Manager Malky Mackay has urged Cardiff City fans to stand by their club despite the controversial decision to change the club’s home shirt and badge.
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Billionaire-backer Vincent Tan has forced through the plans for Cardiff to play in a red shirt at home next season with a badge which sees the traditional Bluebird play a secondary role to a dragon motif.
Tan and chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee hope the rebranding will help raise the club’s profile in their native Malaysia and plan to follow up the change with further investment, but the decision has been met by a chorus of disapproval from many supporters.
While the majority have indicated they will go along with the change, many have been left disgruntled and seeking refunds on their season tickets.
Mackay, who is busy preparing the Bluebirds for their next Championship campaign said he understands the upset within the club’s support.
The proud Scot, who began his playing career in Glasgow with Queens Park and Celtic insists he knows the value of tradition.
But the 40-year-old believes the commitment Tan has shown in their two years in the Welsh capital has earned at least some trust from Cardiff fans.
He insists from top to bottom within the club the aim is only to keep moving Cardiff forward and to achieve success.
And Mackay warned that without the continued investment the Bluebirds could end up plummeting down the leagues or, with the club mired in massive debt, face an even bleaker future.
“I’m someone who has come from a background of tradition when it comes to football clubs,” said Mackay.
“Queens Park and Celtic are two of the most traditional clubs in Britain. So I absolutely understand the culture which is associated with ‘your’ club, the club that is close to your heart and the club you are a supporter of.
“I can absolutely see that when it comes to the strip and the badge. I do understand the way our fans are.
“But I was at Watford when we were two hours from administration. The doors were closing and a lot of people there were going to lose their jobs. It was terrible.
“Watford would have dropped like a stone as a football club. The fear of that is here too.
“I would say to supporters, look, you have supported Cardiff City all your lives, there’s a passionate group of people here and they have shown that from the first day I got here.
“I would just ask them to keep supporting us. Support the team and your club. Right now you have people within the club who care deeply about it.
“The staff I mingle with every day, the chief executive, the board and the office staff, all support and care deeply about the club.
“The Malaysian backers have shown evidence they support this club and not just for the short term. They are putting long term plans in place.
“And that is not the case at every football club. You don’t always get people who have the best interests of the club at heart.
“Up and down the land you will see evidence that it’s not always the case.
“I would just say to supporters, stick by us and trust the people who are trying to do the best for you and your football club.
“It’s understandable how some people feel, but please back your team on the pitch and back me as a manager. I need your support. We are trying to do our best I promise that.”
Next page: Mackay - "We have to work together on this"
2 MORE PAGES IN THE FOLLOWING LINK:-
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... -31160922/
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Billionaire-backer Vincent Tan has forced through the plans for Cardiff to play in a red shirt at home next season with a badge which sees the traditional Bluebird play a secondary role to a dragon motif.
Tan and chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee hope the rebranding will help raise the club’s profile in their native Malaysia and plan to follow up the change with further investment, but the decision has been met by a chorus of disapproval from many supporters.
While the majority have indicated they will go along with the change, many have been left disgruntled and seeking refunds on their season tickets.
Mackay, who is busy preparing the Bluebirds for their next Championship campaign said he understands the upset within the club’s support.
The proud Scot, who began his playing career in Glasgow with Queens Park and Celtic insists he knows the value of tradition.
But the 40-year-old believes the commitment Tan has shown in their two years in the Welsh capital has earned at least some trust from Cardiff fans.
He insists from top to bottom within the club the aim is only to keep moving Cardiff forward and to achieve success.
And Mackay warned that without the continued investment the Bluebirds could end up plummeting down the leagues or, with the club mired in massive debt, face an even bleaker future.
“I’m someone who has come from a background of tradition when it comes to football clubs,” said Mackay.
“Queens Park and Celtic are two of the most traditional clubs in Britain. So I absolutely understand the culture which is associated with ‘your’ club, the club that is close to your heart and the club you are a supporter of.
“I can absolutely see that when it comes to the strip and the badge. I do understand the way our fans are.
“But I was at Watford when we were two hours from administration. The doors were closing and a lot of people there were going to lose their jobs. It was terrible.
“Watford would have dropped like a stone as a football club. The fear of that is here too.
“I would say to supporters, look, you have supported Cardiff City all your lives, there’s a passionate group of people here and they have shown that from the first day I got here.
“I would just ask them to keep supporting us. Support the team and your club. Right now you have people within the club who care deeply about it.
“The staff I mingle with every day, the chief executive, the board and the office staff, all support and care deeply about the club.
“The Malaysian backers have shown evidence they support this club and not just for the short term. They are putting long term plans in place.
“And that is not the case at every football club. You don’t always get people who have the best interests of the club at heart.
“Up and down the land you will see evidence that it’s not always the case.
“I would just say to supporters, stick by us and trust the people who are trying to do the best for you and your football club.
“It’s understandable how some people feel, but please back your team on the pitch and back me as a manager. I need your support. We are trying to do our best I promise that.”
Next page: Mackay - "We have to work together on this"
2 MORE PAGES IN THE FOLLOWING LINK:-
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... -31160922/
Re: Malky Mackay Urges Fans To Stand By Cardiff City!
Tue Jun 12, 2012 12:05 am
“I would say to supporters, look, you have supported Cardiff City all your lives, there’s a passionate group of people here and they have shown that from the first day I got here.
“I would just ask them to keep supporting us. Support the team and your club. Right now you have people within the club who care deeply about it.
“The staff I mingle with every day, the chief executive, the board and the office staff, all support and care deeply about the club.
“The Malaysian backers have shown evidence they support this club and not just for the short term. They are putting long term plans in place.
“And that is not the case at every football club. You don’t always get people who have the best interests of the club at heart.
“Up and down the land you will see evidence that it’s not always the case.
“I would just say to supporters, stick by us and trust the people who are trying to do the best for you and your football club.
“It’s understandable how some people feel, but please back your team on the pitch and back me as a manager. I need your support. We are trying to do our best I promise that.”
I think that Malky's words above, deserve some strong consideration from both sides of the Blue / Red divide!
“I would just ask them to keep supporting us. Support the team and your club. Right now you have people within the club who care deeply about it.
“The staff I mingle with every day, the chief executive, the board and the office staff, all support and care deeply about the club.
“The Malaysian backers have shown evidence they support this club and not just for the short term. They are putting long term plans in place.
“And that is not the case at every football club. You don’t always get people who have the best interests of the club at heart.
“Up and down the land you will see evidence that it’s not always the case.
“I would just say to supporters, stick by us and trust the people who are trying to do the best for you and your football club.
“It’s understandable how some people feel, but please back your team on the pitch and back me as a manager. I need your support. We are trying to do our best I promise that.”
I think that Malky's words above, deserve some strong consideration from both sides of the Blue / Red divide!