Unfortunately, some foreign owners treat clubs they have bought as a personal fiefdom and make decisions in the absence of any real understanding of the game or its traditions, especially those of a particular club. It is these owners who then attract all the publicity rather than the more sensible ones who seek to appoint knowledgeable people to run things and then take a step back.
Unfortunately, some foreign owners treat clubs they have bought as a personal fiefdom and make decisions in the absence of any real understanding of the game or its traditions, especially those of a particular club. It is these owners who then attract all the publicity rather than the more sensible ones who seek to appoint knowledgeable people to run things and then take a step back.
Exhibit A at the moment is Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan. Indeed, the Daily Telegraph has nominated him for the Eccentric Foreign Owners Hall of Fame. Tan had already courted controversy by replacing the Bluebirds traditional kit colour with a supposedly lucky red which was also said to boost marketing opportunities in Far Eastern markets.
Recently, Tan advised manager Malky Mackay that players should pass the ball less and shoot at goal more. This ‘shoot on sight’ policy should at least put Cardiff top of the ‘shots off target’ rankings.
Most people would give locally popular manager Mackay credit for getting Cardiff to the Premier League and give him the best chance of keeping them there. The Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust have made it clear that they want him to stay. Unfortunately, his position appears to be in jeopardy, despite receiving the dreaded vote of confidence from Tan. There will be a board meeting on Monday.
Mackay’s position was undermined by the baffling decision to put Iain Moody, the experienced head of recruitment, on gardening leave. This appears to arise from a dispute over a claimed £15m overspend during the summer transfer window. The issue here is whether the £32m budget was just for transfer fees or also included signing on fees, wages and bonuses.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of this, it is difficult to understand why Moody was replaced by a 23-year old Kazakh, Alisher Apsalyamov. He was previously employed on stadium maintenance, otherwise knows as painting one of the stands, but apparently is a fan of Fifa on X Box. Perhaps more to the point, he knew the owner’s son at a Swiss finishing school.
Tan has also been involved in a dispute over bonuses with the players which has led to them requesting that he does enter the dressing room on match days.
Since his Malaysian consortium took control of the club in 2010, Tan has invested £125m, including £70m of loans that he has subsequently converted into equity. He owns 51 per cent of the shares but is not on the board. He is buying up stock owned by a group of Welsh investors, who are represented on the board, which would give him a 98 per cent stake in the club.