Mackay seeks assurances at Cardiff

14 October 2013 01:16

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay will seek assurances at a board meeting on Monday that he retains the support of owner Vincent Tan.

The Bluebirds confirmed on Friday that Iain Moody, one of Mackay's most trusted aides since their time together at Watford, had left his post permanently having been placed on gardening leave earlier this week.

They also confirmed 23-year-old Kazakhstani Alisher Apsalyamov as Moody's replacement on an interim basis.

Apsalyamov is thought to be a friend of Tan's son and appears to have no previous experience in football.

Tan claimed to have "every faith" in Mackay, adding: "I have supported him in the past and will do so in the future for many years to come."

But the episode has cast the manager's future into doubt - bizarrely, given Cardiff's strong start following promotion to the Barclays Premier League - and his agent Raymond Sparkes is seeking clarity at the meeting.

Sparkes told Wales Online: "Malky does not want to talk about himself too much right now, but he is aware the biggest question that many people have is, 'What is the manager's current situation?'

"He knows everyone wants him to stay and he says, 'Yes', he will do that. But he needs certain assurances that these things will be better as we move forward.

"We have to feel the climate is right to be able to move things forward. We know there are three or four 'Doubting Thomases' and Malky is aware right now there is not 100 per cent support for him in the club.

"Malky's main aim is to seek and clarify his position at the club moving forward. We would like to make it totally clear that Malky has no intention of resigning."

Source: PA