Cardiff boss Mackay could be in crosshairs

Dec 16, 2013 - 9:11 PM Cardiff manager Malky Mackay's future has been

plunged into fresh doubt after the club's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan refused

to back him in the January transfer window.

Mackay had claimed at the weekend he hoped to bring in three new players to

improve his squad for the second half of the Premier League season.

But Cardiff's chief executive Simon Lim released a statement on Monday

outlining the club's stance on spending in which he claimed Tan was jolted by

Mackay's announcement that he would seek backing from the board for squad

strengthening.

Lim said it was Tan's view that the club overspent in the transfer market

ahead of the season.

"Tan Sri Vincent Tan was extremely upset to read quotes from the manager

concerning the possibility of new recruits, before he had been informed whether

funds would be made available," Lim said.

"He believes that doing so unfairly raises supporter expectations, placing

unnecessary pressure on the club.

"His view is that due to the funds already committed, including the

originally authorised summer transfer budget of 35m that rose to 50m in

total, including add-ons, the manager has been fully supported.

"The overspending of 15m has upset Tan Sri greatly, resulting in the

removal on Iain Moody as head of recruitment. As such, he has stated that not a

single penny will be made available in January.

"Having been the highest-spending promoted club and the seventh-highest

spender in the Premier League last summer, the owner believes that the manager

has been given the best possible chance of retaining our Premier League status."

Mackay was allowed to spend big money on the likes of Steven Caulker, Gary

Medel, Kevin Theophile-Catherine and Andreas Cornelius following last season's

promotion from the Championship.

But Cardiff stand just four points outside the relegation zone despite that

significant outlay and the Bluebirds boss was hoping he would receive the

board's cheque-book backing in January to bolster their survival bid.

The fact Tan has indicated that will not be happening may be of some

concern to the Scot, who is in his third season at the club.

Mackay has already had to survive one round of speculation about his

position after Moody was replaced by Kazakh 23-year-old Alisher Apsalyamov in

October.

Source: AAP