By all accounts Malky MacKay is a good guy. He is certainly a good motivator and tactician, and an excellent communicator, unburdened by the airs and graces normally associated by managers in the self-appointed Greatest Show on Earth. None of this saved him from the sack, though, accused of running riot with the cheque book in the summer.
Cardiff City certainly ran riot, spending in the region of £50m to help prepare for top flight football. If, as owner Vincent Tan alleges, the spend was unauthorised, Cardiff have a management control problem, not a problem with the manager, who is within his rights to spend whatever money made available to him.
‘Bluebirds’ fans are united on Malky’s side, they are equally united against owner Tan, who appears wholly unsuitable to control a football club. Changing their strips from blue to red, as red is the colour most associated with Wales, tells you all you need to know about Tan and where he will ultimately take the club, but the extravagance of the summer has already set Cardiff off on the road to rapid decline.
Every club should anticipating making mistakes in the transfer market, it is part of the territory, but they need to be able to afford those mistakes. Cardiff’s summer signings allowed for no mistakes. The totem was Andreas Cornelius, recruited from from Copenhagen for an outrageous £10m. The player received a five year contract worth more than the transfer fee. He’s only 20. Cornelius also earns more than seven times his salary at Copenhagen, no one will be able to afford to take him from Cardiff, his 18 career goals, all in Denmark, suggest he’s simply not worth anything like money he’s on.
If you’re Cardiff City, here’s the problem when you try to recruit for top flight football: after 50 years in the wilderness, you’re favourites for the drop. Players with other top flight options will take them, you’ll have to pay over the odds to convince players to sign on. You’re also shopping in a market you have absolutely no experience of – making mistakes more likely.
Spending £10m on a striker was possibly a sensible idea for Cardiff (I can imagine how popular it was, any sane voices would have been whistling against the wind) but what striker, genuinely worth £10m, would go there without being ‘bribed’ with copious amounts of cash? I’m aware of the parallels with Celtic, which £10m striker would come to Scotland?
They could have received 50 knock-backs before doing a deal in Copenhagen. This pattern was replicated across the rest of their summer spend. They should have invested their Premier League windfall on long-term development, irrespective of the short-term consequences.
For the sake of the club’s fans I hope they survive but inadequate controls at board level, with an owner seemingly intent on self-destruction, a rapid decline through the leagues seems inevitable, sooner or later.
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742 Comments- Pages:
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eldiegobhoy
19:41 on 28 December, 2013
You trying to take over my mantle…:)
Where you hear that?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
JPH
If that’s the extend of Ledley’s aspirations he can GTF ..
Overseasbhoy….
Vic has broken leg but would probably still get a game in SPFL.
JPH
Hooper was looking for any gig in the EPL to get him an England call up
nice one ryecatcher!
Tin hat on…..
A relegation scrap in EPL is still a far higher standard than Celtic playing any team in Scotland.
EDB, Weefrathetim
James Brown ;-)
Happy new year to you both.
HH
Celtic need out of their corrupt backwater league……NOW.
ryecatcher
20:00 on28 December, 2013
That follows of course. Thats who we sell our best players too.
HH
awe naw
You too kiddo, love reading yer rantings.:)) Happy new year when it arrives. Ipad nearly out of juice, going on charge now. :) Later guys.
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
PFAYR
The player may be advised that he has a relatively short career and that this could be his last opportunity to earn big bucks .
With a future 50 years or do ahead of him to budget for the keeping of his family.
So trebling his wage and a big lump sum may be the right thing to do if you were him.
Fighting a relegation battle in The EPL may carry more kudos than winning this pitiful SPL.
If you are not a Celtic fan , then your head would lead you to the EPL if you were Joes age.
TT
PFayr. I watched Hooper today up to he was subbed in my opinion I have as much chance of playing for England in the World Cup.He was never in the game a total waste of a jersey I bet it would shock both you and I if we knew what Norwich are paying him. I honestly think 90% at least of footballers are merceneries the days of playing for your home town club for your total career are long gone im afraid. H.H.
Ryecatcher 20.00 & 20.02
I couldn’t agree more.
TT
Pfayr
Asked to take a pay cut and expect to see the team decimated and all for profitable gain season upon season ? And he should GTF ? Naw he is looking and learning.
HH
Please please please comrades ……
Rise above anything to do with commenting on the Kincora Boys Home inquiry on any Orc media site or SMSM.
We are better than them to point score over poor unfortunate children.
We are far better than them.
Awe-Naw-No. Fella im sorry to say I have to agree with you Joe Ledley is no ones mug. H.H.
TT
Not a chance Ledley will treble his wages
And
He’s already earned more money than he can spend
What gets me about him is all this talking up CFC when he has no intention of signing in …..IMO he’s a moderate player who hides when games are difficult
Tiny TIm
Hiya,pal… Merry Christmas n A PROSTPEROUS NEW YEAR..tae you n Your immediate Familee..
Yes..Ledley, should Tak the Coin..
Why No?
Celtic,hiv gien him a Platform tae Spring fae..
N… After all..
‘
Like ye say.. A Fitball Player’s Playing Life ..is Shoart..
Yes.. He should Go fur the Gelt..
Ah wid..
Right?
Of course ,Ah am.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Anybody who doesn’t see just what Joe Ledley brings to our team, I’m afraid is sadly lacking
in intelligence, I’m sorry too say!
H.H.
Awe naw
Maybe so …but cut out all this ‘I love CFC ” pish
I’m being hypocritical here…I’m not a fan and think his substantial wage could be better employed
Gerald766
Really ?
Maybe just someone with a different opinion ….
Is their any need to abuse posters you don’t know ?
PFayr. I think fella it would be reasonabely easy for Ledley to treble his wages and Palace are one of the teams willing to do so and they wont be alone.How do you work out he has already earned more money than he can ever spend ? I do agree with you he is a moderate player but the EPL is full of them. H.H.
Gerald
Man..that is a very Profound Observation ..ye hiv made,there.. Son
So..
Anybuddy, who Disnae see things the wey YOU see ’em
Is..
Lacking in Intelligence?
Hmmmmmmmm
Kojo
Still,Laughin
http://www.time-capsules.co.uk/picture/number3851.asp
JPH
Ledley is reputed to be CFCs highest earner
He would have to be for us have secured his services in the first place
Palace play nearly £100k per week .?
Can’t see it .
£30k or thereby per week …four years ….plus what he earned at Cardiff ..no bad
Joe Ledley is a player’s player in my opinion.His fellow professionals will always rate him higher than his paying public.
An analogy that springs to mind is someone like Lucas at Liverpool (for illustrative purposes only as I realise Lucas is several notches in quality above Ledley).The type of player that you only realise he’s quite good when he doesn’t play.
I reckon Joe is a top half championship player at best in England.
PfAyr
Yeah he is learning to spin also. Its endemic along with simulation on the pitch and corruption off it. I can’t get worked up on it. Yesterday Celtic get a good goal chalked off and Rangers get a penalty out of nowhere from the son of the guy whose silence was bought off for a job in UEFA probably at their behest. The same scenario when I last tuned in. Zzz_zzzzzzz………
Kick Celtic off the park never give them a decision. Stifle the game. Kill it off…..and we are in bed with them ???
HH
For every Ledley there is a Pukki.Balde and a Boerrigter
X=MC2
weefrathetim
19:27 on 28 December, 2013
You’ll be here annoying everybody for years to come mate hh
PFayr. Now Im only saying what I have heard so it may well not be correct but it is from a good source Joe Ledley is reputed to be on £20,000 per week at Celtic.Now Palace are prepared to offer a six figure tax paid signing on fee and a salary of £60,000 per week now for the sake of the discussion and I know you are a good Celtic man would you turn that down to earn £20,000 per week.at Parkhead ? H.H.
ryecatcher
20:07 on
Well said, my thought’s exactly
Well.. We wull soon have the Answer tae the burning Questions..
“Wull, Ledley n Sammi, Go? or.. Wull Ledley n Sammi, No Go?”
Ah hope They wull Go..
But…
Heck, Baith these guys wid be gien up ..
A Sinecure.. if they Went..
And
In case ye .. well….Don’t Know..
SINECURES , in these Hard Times..ur Awfy Hard tae Come By.
Everybuddy, wants.. well .. Wan of them… Sinecure, thingmies..
And ..
If they Dinnae..?????
Hmmmmmmmm
Kojo.
Still, Laughin
Has this been posted?
uefa.com/memberassociat…
ryecatcher
20:20 on 28 December, 2013
I can’t see past super joe, the best we have at the club and will be sorely missed if he goes HH
EDB,
I heard similar on Hooper about 6 weeks ago from a very good source.
From experience this source tends to be spot on with his story, but, sometimes the timing can be out.
At the time he told me, I thought it was a 75% certainty, but, I suspect that will have reduced now he is scoring & we are out of Europe.
If he wanted out at the summer, sadly someone like QPR is likely to offer a much higher wage.
PF Ayr,
Re Joe L
I agree it is concerning someone would want to leave us to go to Palace, but, football can be a short career, and a bad injury can literally end someone’s career in an instant.
I always thought that was why Liam Miller went to Man U , as he had suffered lots of injuries and probably realised his career wasn’t going to last.
KOjo,
It would be good to give some of the young guys a chance, and as I have said before, best to do it away from home , when it is more competitive.
Hun Skelper
Ah ,completely , Disagree … wi.. That..
Joe ,wullnae be Missed..
Heck..there are several Games ,in which he Never Played, because of one thing or Anither…
‘
And..
Ah kib assure ye..
‘
Ah never Missed him..
Not.. Wan teeny, tiny, Bitty.
Kojo
Still,Laughin
Kojo. The answer to your question will Sammi go will Joe go? the answer to that puzzle is Celtic want both to stay and have given them both a final offer. It is now up to the players and there agents wither they go or stay only time will tell.H.H.
Sorry..link thingy didnt work.
Uefa records for most consecutive wins..
Benfica 71-73. 29
Dinamo Zagreb 05-06. 28
Celtic 04-05. 24
As far as I’m aware, not a mention from the same press who trumpeted Ally’s all conquering div 2 team…pre boxing day.