Cardiff City /Cardiff Dragons/ RedBlueDragonBirds 2013-2014, Bluebirds Unite and related chat

[bromley]

Reminds me of The Venkys, no doubt Malky will be replaced with some yes man (Glenn Roeder?!). Times like this are when the fans have to stand up and be counted. God knows what you have to do, not buying a red shirt would've been the first thing!

 

[editor]

Ain't modern football gggrrrreat?!

Cardiff City fans face five-match ban if they don't sit down

 

[pinched_nerve]

If ever a couple of successive relegations could be considered a blessing for a club, this would be it. I've got a lot of sympathy for the proper fans after what that twat's done and been doing. The supervillan-esque "maybe if you don't accept the red shirts then maybe we'll go and take our money with us" was the final confirmation the fella's a complete bellend, the rest of the mental stuff he's been doing is semi-expected, and taken slightly longer to arrive than I expected.

 

[Gromit]

Anything to say on this Gromit ?

It's easy to jump to the nepotism conclusion.

My friend thinks there may be a disciplinary reason for the suspension.

I personally believe both are possible but have no solid evidence one way or the other so won't make any assumptions either way.

 

[editor]

It's easy to jump to the nepotism conclusion.

My friend thinks there may be a disciplinary reason for the suspension.

I personally believe both are possible but have no solid evidence one way or the other so won't make any assumptions either way.

When are you going to wake up to what that fucking cunt has done to this club?

 

[Zapp Brannigan]

No solid evidence?

(1) His experience in football amounts to an unconfirmed rumour of reaching the League Cup final on Championship Manager.
(2) He's mates with the son of an egotistical billionaire club owner.
(3) He's been given a top job at the football club of said owner.

2+2 sometimes does = 4.

 

[bendeus]

It's easy to jump to the nepotism conclusion.

My friend thinks there may be a disciplinary reason for the suspension.

I personally believe both are possible but have no solid evidence one way or the other so won't make any assumptions either way.

Nepotism or no, is there any plane of reality in which the appointment of a 23-year-old with no football experience in place of a manager's right-hand-man at a time when fans' disquiet is growing and, moreover, survival in the cash cow league is far from guaranteed could not be regarded as the actions of a crazed megalomaniac who is entirely out of touch and step with the grassroots?

 

[editor]

It's easy to jump to the nepotism conclusion.

My friend thinks there may be a disciplinary reason for the suspension. It's nepotism. The club is out of the control. When are you going to stand up about it?

I personally believe both are possible but have no solid evidence one way or the other so won't make any assumptions either way.

And here's the official club statement. He's been hoiked out on a whim.

Cardiff City Football Club can announce the departure of Head of Recruitment, Iain Moody. Iain is leaving the club with our thanks for his contribution.

In the interim period, Alisher Apsalyamov has been appointed as Acting Head of Recruitment, focussing on gathering data on individual players. Ultimate recruitment decisions of course remain the domain of the manager and majority shareholder.

Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the Board and the staff at the club are fully committed to the future success of the team and hold a strong desire to compete in the best league in the world.

Tan Sri Vincent Tan said, “I have every faith in Malky and his team to lead us through the challenges of the Premier League. I have supported him in the past and will do so in the future for many years to come.

“I would say to all Cardiff City fans and everyone connected to the club, let us look forward to the future and remain united in our support of the team.”

 

[tommers]

focussing on gathering data on individual players

 

[editor]

Cardiff are officially a laughing stock:

Man who used to paint stadium hired by club that used to be Cardiff
A former work experience kid has been appointed new head of recruitment by the football club that used to be Cardiff City.

Alisher Apsalyamov spent the summer painting walls at the Cardiff City Stadium, home of the former Cardiff City, before being catapulted into his new role. The inexperienced Kazakhstani will be expected to identify and analyse prospective signings, and persuade them to move to where Cardiff City used to be.

“The former Cardiff City is a great institution, with a history stretching back hundreds of days,” said the 23-year-old, who went to finishing school with the son of Vincent Tan, chairman of the club formerly known as Cardiff City.

“You can feel how important tradition is here,” Apsalyamov continued. “It’s hard to believe that when I took my first tentative steps in the world of football, three long months ago, the football team that currently plays in Cardiff had already existed for nearly a year.”

Apsalyamov replaces the suspended Iain Moody, a close confidante of manager Malky Mackay. The two had previously worked together at Watford, and Cardiff City, when Cardiff City still existed. Mackay’s position has come under intense scrutiny following the removal of his ally, but he has refused to entertain talk of resignation.

“I started a project with Cardiff City, and I’m intending to see that project through,” Mackay told FourFourTwo.com. “Even though the money I spent may not be real, the man who hired me wants me gone, and the club I signed for no longer exists.”

A football club masquerading under the name Cardiff City are next in action on 19 October, when they will play the team that for the last 10 years has been Chelsea.
http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features...ired-club-used-be-cardiff#GAhS1WpM2bHgpJiI.01

 

[Dan U]

According to Pat Murphy on Radio 5 last night, Moody was originally going through a disciplinary process which Tan started as he thought Moody had over paid on football transfers. Apparently the papers went to the club lawyers who said there was no case to answer and he was placed on gardening leave until the end of the season when his contract expires. Although obv they have now reached a compromise agreement of some kind.

Murphy made the point that no signings apparently could be made without Moody having sign off from the clubs Chief Exec - who is another Tan placeman and the impression I got is this is what the lawyers said.

The chief exec - i forget his name sorry - has now gone to Malaysia on holiday with his mate Tan for two weeks and neither of them will attend the board meeting next week.

Really totally barmy.

 

[editor]

If things continue along the same insane trajectory, I sense a swift and calamitous future for the team once known as the Bluebirds.

 

[editor]

The laughter continues at the Telegraph:

Tan’s sidelining of his chief scout (or “head of recruitment”) Iain Moody, a close friend of the manager Malky Mackay, on gardening leave was one thing. If he was unhappy with Cardiff’s transfer dealings, it was his right to remove him.
Quite another thing was his replacement of Moody with Alisher Apsalyamov, a 23-year-old Kazakhstani odd job man specialising in painting and decorating, but with nothing on his CV that could lightly be mistaken for conventional football experience.

Apsalyamov’s credentials for the crucial role of finding fresh talent for the Premier League newcomers seem limited to: a) summer work experience painting walls at Cardiff’s ground; and 2) a friendship with Tan’s son stretching back to their time together at a finishing school in Switzerland.

While this hardly leaps out as the tale’s most eye-catching detail, I had no idea that there were still finishing schools in Switzerland; or that, even if there were, male students attend them.
Whether the school offered a decorating etiquette module, based on Lucie Clayton’s 'guidance to gels' on how to exit a vehicle without flashing her undies, entitled ‘How To Paint A Football Stadium Without Showing Your Arse’ is a revelation that must wait for a biography charting Apsalyamov’s vertiginous rise.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ll-of-fame-with-promotion-of-odd-job-man.html

 

[editor]

Wales Online describes the club as being "in crisis". Thanks for that, Tan.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...ll-of-fame-with-promotion-of-odd-job-man.html

 

[editor]

The fightback against Tan continues.

Cardiff City fans rally signatures for petition against re-branding before Wales game
Members of a Cardiff City supporters group formed by fans opposed to the re-branding of the club last night rallied match-goers outside Cardiff City Stadium.

More than 30 members of the Bluebirds Unite group approached fans attending the Wales versus Macedonia World Cup qualifier to collect signatures for a petition demanding a return of the team’s traditional colour and mascot.

Founding member Sian Branson said the members had already collected more than 6,000 signatures and hope to collect another 5,000 during the weekend.

Today, the campaigners will then be taking their cause to the city centre in an attempt to widen their appeal.

Group members are aiming to collect more than 10,000 signatures before the petition is presented to the club officially next month.

 

[editor]

Look how bad it's become.

Craig Bellamy: Iain Moody is huge loss to Cardiff City
Cardiff forward Craig Bellamy says the departure of head of recruitment Iain Moody is a "huge loss" to the club.
Moody - a key member of manager Malky Mackay's backroom team - has been replaced by Kazakh Alisher Apsalyamov, 23, who was on work experience at the club in the summer and is a friend of owner Vincent Tan's son.
"It's a huge loss for us because he's outstanding," said 34-year-old Bellamy.
"Any club with Iain Moody is a miles better club."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24508638

 

[bendeus]

It's like folk have just woken up and realised that they have a massive cock at the helm. Fancy that!

 

[editor]

Yep: Carl Curtis: Latest Cardiff City debacle has made us laughing stock of football

 

[editor]

It is a fucking disaster.

And Raymond Sparkes, Mackay’s agent of the past 23 years, says the Scot will do so himself if the club is not forthcoming on the matter.

But Sparkes, speaking exclusively to WalesOnline ahead of the board meeting, insisted his client has no intention of resigning from his position.

Sparkes said: “From the word go Malky’s concern has not been for himself, it is for the club itself.

“He is deeply concerned that what was being built at Cardiff City, the momentum being built over the last two years, is in danger of unravelling.

“Malky is basically trying to protect what he has achieved at Cardiff City and is not worried about himself so much.

“He completely understands the anxiety that must be building among the club’s supporters.

“He believes nothing has been explained to the fans in what has been going on for a number of days now.

“Malky understands there has been a lack of clarity and will insist at the end of the board meeting that the chairman or other senior directors provide supporters with a clear explanation of what has been going on.

“If that cannot be done he will take it upon himself to do it.

“He does not want the club’s fans left in the dark for too much longer.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/cardiff-city-boss-malky-mackays-6180743

 

[editor]

And so it continues:

Cardiff's Malky Mackay could yet be sacked, admits manager's agent
• Manager bemused and frustrated, says Raymond Sparkes
• Club in turmoil since head of recruitment's removal

Malky Mackay could be sacked after his agent admitted that, while the Cardiff City manager remains determined not to resign, his future depends on the "powers that be" at the club. Effectively this means Mackay's position will be decided by Vincent Tan, the owner.

Mackay attended a meeting of the board on Monday to discuss the direction of the club following the departure of Iain Moody who, as head of recruitment, was the manager's key adviser.

Tan replaced Moody with Alisher Apsalyamov, a 23-year-old Kazakh friend of his son who was formerly on work experience at Cardiff, a decision that compounded the uncertainty at the club.

While confirming that Mackay would not offer his resignation, the manager's representative, Raymond Sparkes, was clear that there are no guarantees the 41-year-old would retain his job.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/oct/14/malky-mackay-cardiff-city-agent

 

[bendeus]

Staying, according to reports. Sounds like a very brave move by MM: stood him up and looked him right in the eye....

 

[Gromit]

Brave move?

He 's holding out for them to make the move which means a golden handshake or for a club to offer to buy his contract.

No manager resigns unless it's by paid off mutual consent.

That article is a non story by the way.
Journalist finds agent and asks "but he could in theory be sacked yes, you can't say its impossible. "

"No it's not impossible."

Thanks I can write my bullshit story now quoting a source. Without which I didn't really have a story.

 

[editor]

Brave move?

He 's holding out for them to make the move which means a golden handshake or for a club to offer to buy his contract.

No manager resigns unless it's by paid off mutual consent.

That article is a non story by the way.
Journalist finds agent and asks "but he could in theory be sacked yes, you can't say its impossible. "

"No it's not impossible."

Thanks I can write my bullshit story now quoting a source. Without which I didn't really have a story.

What's your opinion of Tan now?

 

[editor]

The farce continues:

Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust demand answers over future of Malky Mackay
Trust chairman Tim Hartley said supporters had been kept in the dark for too long and has asked for an explanation of the current situation

The Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust today demanded a full explanation from the Bluebirds over the future of manager Malky Mackay and the reasons why the club’s head of recruitment Iain Moody left the club last week.

Moody, one of Mackay’s most trusted lieutenants, departed his post last week and was replaced by 23-year-old novice Alisher Apsalyamov in an acting capacity.

This led to showdown talks yesterday between Mackay and the Cardiff board including majority shareholder Vincent Tan who has been behind the recent changes. It appears that Mackay is staying as manager for now following the discussions, but there has been no official word so far from the club itself.

Now Trust chairman Tim Hartley said supporters had been kept in the dark for too long and has demanded a clear explanation of the current situation.

And he reiterated the Trust’s continued confidence in Mackay and the job he is doing as manager.

“Despite yesterday’s lengthy board meeting supporters are still concerned about the long term future of our manager. There is confusion over the departure of Iain Moody with Malky Mackay’s agent now stating that he will make a statement if the club remains silent.” said Mr Hartley.

“Bluebirds fans deserve a full explanation following the board meeting, including the reasoning behind the decision to appoint Alisher Apsalyamov as acting Head of Recruitment.

“The events of the last week at Cardiff demonstrates the need for a new approach to the ownership and governance of professional football clubs.

“Cardiff could make a start by acting in a more transparent way and by engaging and communicating with fans. It could also consider having a supporter director who would be able to represent the fans views at the top table.

“We reiterate our support for Malky Mackay who has been one of the best managers in the club’s history.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/.../cardiff-city-supporters-trust-demand-6187936

 

[bendeus]

What's your opinion of Tan now?

It's all getting a bit ^^^^

 

[Clint Iguana]

Fans have been calling all week for a statement about the goings on at the club. An emergency board meeting was held yesterday and a public statment was promised. And today they made that statment. Oddly, it did not address any of the issues that the fans are worried about. It did thank tan for writing off the interest on the money he has loaned us though - bless him.

 

[alix]

What on earth is wrong with these people i dont care if we play in pink ribbons vincent tan has devoted millions of pounds to this club some of you muppets would rather us in the ryman league than the premiership as for the furore over moody in 12 months no one will remember it. I dont think it was a sensible thing or good for the club but the big picture is we are stable successful making a profit have a truly altruistic owner not that scumbag hamman taking 5k a week in wages for doing nothing we are incredibly better placed than those dark days so support the owner the team the manager and stop griping its pathetic the swans must be laughing at us and quite rightly so.malkys going nowhere but if he did there is no shortage of quality managers hes not the b all but he his a very good young british manager and needs support which to be fair he gets in the transfer market in full look at our pre season spending one of the top spending clubs in the premiership we have tough games every week and we are holding our own so be positive.

 

[ddraig]

welcome
i'm sure you'll get some responses!
'altruistic' how's that then?

 

[editor]

I dont think it was a sensible thing or good for the club but the big picture is we are stable successful making a profit have a truly altruistic owner not that scumbag hamman taking 5k a week in wages for doing nothing we are incredibly better placed than those dark days so support the owner the team the manager and stop griping its pathetic the swans must be laughing at us and quite rightly so..

We're not exactly 'stable' when we're replacing a highly skilled staff member with a 23 year old with ZERO football experience and putting our manager - the most successful in living memory - under impossible pressure.

We've turned into a laughing stock and there's only one person to blame for that: Vincent Fucking Tan.

Oh, and I'd rather be in the Ryman league and be able to recognise my team than the comedy routine we've turned into.

 

[bendeus]

What on earth is wrong with these people i dont care if we play in pink ribbons vincent tan has devoted millions of pounds to this club some of you muppets would rather us in the ryman league than the premiership as for the furore over moody in 12 months no one will remember it. I dont think it was a sensible thing or good for the club but the big picture is we are stable successful making a profit have a truly altruistic owner not that scumbag hamman taking 5k a week in wages for doing nothing we are incredibly better placed than those dark days so support the owner the team the manager and stop griping its pathetic the swans must be laughing at us and quite rightly so.malkys going nowhere but if he did there is no shortage of quality managers hes not the b all but he his a very good young british manager and needs support which to be fair he gets in the transfer market in full look at our pre season spending one of the top spending clubs in the premiership we have tough games every week and we are holding our own so be positive.

Hey, Alisher! Want to sign me? I'm fucking brilliant. You might want to ask uncle Vinny to give your full stops back, mind.