Carl Curtis : Cardiff City update

by Carl Curtis

http://www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=150138

I doubt there is a Cardiff City fan that isn’t aware that Vincent Tan has instructed his London based lawyers, Mishcon de Reya, to investigate the transfer deals when Malky Mackay was manager and he is also targeting football agents who were involved a number of deals.

Tan held a meeting with his lawyers and senior members of the Cardiff City management board and has instructed the lawyers to not only investigate the deals during Malky Mackay’s time but also the transfer deals under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Tan is not holding back in his pursuit of agents involved in the transfers over the past three years and there is no budget set to work too in investigating if there has been any fraudulent activity for any transfer, Tan has said he will pay whatever it takes to prove what he believes that has taken place.

To date no fraudulent activity has been found concerning any transfer whilst Mackay was manager but Tan has instructed that every bit of paperwork to be scrutinised again and even if it takes millions of pounds in investigations, Tan wants a full and thorough investigation. No stone will be left unturned and every document will be looked at in depth.

You will probably be aware that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was ready to hold a press conference when he left Cardiff and it is believed that Tan persuaded him to cancel and that he would be fully paid up but has of yet Ole has not received his settlement, this is the reason why Norwegian media are beginning to start ask questions about possible scenarios, as yet Ole has made no comment regarding the matter.

 

Whilst there are cutbacks taking place elsewhere within the club a part of the club that is not facing such cutbacks is the academy, Tan is continuing to make sure the academy is funded and the scouts are seeing the benefits of it. No longer do the scouts have to wait for their expenses to be paid, historically scouts have put the costs invoices to the club and would wait to be paid for a long time but now the set up is very different, the invoices go in and they are paid on time.

Despite continuing the funding, Tan is asking questions of what the academy is producing for the first team, the owner is not satisfied that with the amount of money that is going to the academy there is not enough talent being produced in readiness for the first team, he wants to see more youngsters coming through the ranks and breaking into the first team squad.

 

Two players who may be good enough to be in the first team squad but are currently out on loan at Bolton are Joe Mason and Kevin McNaughton, there is talk around the club that both players are being monitored and Russell Slade is considering recalling both players to City in January.

Both of the loan deals are that City pay part of their wages at the Macron Stadium but can be recalled in January, I am told that Joe Mason is unsettled at Bolton and wants to come back to Cardiff.

 

Russell Slade has a the names of ten players on his January wish list and he is hopeful that he can bring in at least four players to his squad. Slade is fully aware that he must wheel and deal by selling or loaning out players before he can bring any players in but he has already started the process.

 

Anyone thinking of travelling to Birmingham tomorrow in the hope of paying on the gate will be unable to do so, Birmingham have informed City that it is an all ticket game and there will not be an option of buying tickets at St Andrews, as a result Cardiff City ticket office will sell tickets right up to midday tomorrow for anyone wishing to attend the game but have not yet purchased a ticket.

As I yesterday, Birmingham police are apparently going to search every coach that arrives at the ground tomorrow but Birmingham City will be serving alcohol at their bars in the ground.

Approximately 1700 tickets have been sold for Birmingham.