Life under Tan

[Divine Wright]

Does anyone think that life as a city fan will ever be "exciting" again under Tan ?

I can't imagine anything similar to us making ambitious signings in the way we did when Malky was here. I don't see us signing a left-field or youthful manager. I don't see us developing any youngsters.

Things are beginning to feel a bit stale with the current setup.

There are obviously positives in that we should continue to become more financially stable , if the projected plan is realised off the pitch and we will hopefully remain a solid championship side under the new manager.

I just can't remember the last time I got excited about a signing. I miss a bit of hype and buzz about the future of the club.

Even with Warnock leaving at the end of the season, there are ZERO rumours or talk of what should be a new and exciting era for the club.

Maybe we are just going to have to get used to being a pragmatically run second tier side for the next few seasons.

Where do you see the glimmer of light ?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Does anyone think that life as a city fan will ever be "exciting" again under Tan ?

I can't imagine anything similar to us making ambitious signings in the way we did when Malky was here. I don't see us signing a left-field or youthful manager. I don't see us developing any youngsters.

Things are beginning to feel a bit stale with the current setup.

There are obviously positives in that we should continue to become more financially stable , if the projected plan is realised off the pitch and we will hopefully remain a solid championship side under the new manager.

I just can't remember the last time I got excited about a signing. I miss a bit of hype and buzz about the future of the club.

Even with Warnock leaving at the end of the season, there are ZERO rumours or talk of what should be a new and exciting era for the club.

Maybe we are just going to have to get used to being a pragmatically run second tier side for the next few seasons.

Where do you see the glimmer of light ?

Eventually being debt free, if that comes to fruition. Would put us on a very strong footing.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

There was no ambition in making signings to keep City in the Premier League and the signings during this summer weren't really showing any ambition to get promotion. It does make you wonder what's in it for Tan now.
We won't get promoted and won't get relegated - but the football is of a byegone age and it all seems very stale.

[NYCBlue]

I'm not even that gutted we lost to the JB's. I mean I was yesterday, but today I'm over it. That's something that would normally ruin my weak. We were well-beaten yesterday. On international TV again. Tan doesn't seem to realise that Cardif City is a brand. And from the time he becaome "involved" our brand has been embarassment.

[Divine Wright]

I'm not even that gutted we lost to the JB's. I mean I was yesterday, but today I'm over it. That's something that would normally ruin my weak. We were well-beaten yesterday. On international TV again. Tan doesn't seem to realise that Cardif City is a brand. And from the time he becaome "involved" our brand has been embarassment.

I was unaffected by yesterday's match as well.....and I find that a bit worrying. Sometimes I think that it's because I'm living abroad but then when Wales play I feel way more invested. I care. At the moment I'm finding it difficult to care about Cardiff City. I suppose it might be a bit of a PL comedown thing as well. I think the first season back in the champ after the last time we were in the top league was similarly underwhelming.

All the more reason to be on the front foot though. If you know there is going to be a dip, do everything possible to keep that PL buzz and optimism going.

[NYCBlue]

I've never felt this way about Cardiff City. In over 40 years.

[surge]

I'm not even that gutted we lost to the JB's. I mean I was yesterday, but today I'm over it. That's something that would normally ruin my weak. We were well-beaten yesterday. On international TV again. Tan doesn't seem to realise that Cardif City is a brand. And from the time he becaome "involved" our brand has been embarassment.

If it's a brand doesn't that make us customers and Tan can switch us back to red? It's a football club first and we're not currently being given signs of what Tan/Dalman etc. have learnt about running a club in their 5'ish years of being here. If that doesn't come next Summer then things will get heated quick.

[The Lone Gunman]

As things stand, Cardiff City has an absentee owner who very rarely has anything to say about the club, a Chairman who was looking to buy another club during the summer, a manager who maintains he is retiring at the end of the season regardless of what happens between now and then, an ageing team that plays prehistoric football and a youth set-up that hasn't produced a genuine first team regular for years.

Under the circumstances it's no surprise that things feel a bit stale.

[Rjk]

Jones' tenure pretty much reached a natural end as a chunk of the squad were out of contract, so you would either have to sign him up for another 3 years or let someone else have a go.

Malky was relatively young, and was exactly what we needed following Jones.

Ole was a fairly left field appointment, but to this day I'm not sure what he was trying to achieve tactically.

Slade was clearly just there to steady the ship and take cost out, both of which he did pretty well .

Then paul Trollope was an interesting move, they publicly stated they wanted someone who was "stats literate" or something along those lines, and we were trying to play a more attractive brand of football, but it never really got going.

Then Warnock is parachuted in as a knee jerk reaction. He did brilliantly to start with, but the longer he is here, the more he moulds the team in his image the more predictable and one dimensional we become, and we are starting to get a real squad age problem, at a time that the average squad ages are getting younger (probably as a result of the high energy game that a lot are playing).

The big problem for me is there is no consistent direction with any of these appointments. Each one is just a reaction to the failings of the last one. It's like driving a car and only turning the steering wheel when you hit something.

A modern thinking DoF would be my first appointment

[thehumblegringo]

Jones' tenure pretty much reached a natural end as a chunk of the squad were out of contract, so you would either have to sign him up for another 3 years or let someone else have a go.

Malky was relatively young, and was exactly what we needed following Jones.

Ole was a fairly left field appointment, but to this day I'm not sure what he was trying to achieve tactically.

Slade was clearly just there to steady the ship and take cost out, both of which he did pretty well .

Then paul Trollope was an interesting move, they publicly stated they wanted someone who was "stats literate" or something along those lines, and we were trying to play a more attractive brand of football, but it never really got going.

Then Warnock is parachuted in as a knee jerk reaction. He did brilliantly to start with, but the longer he is here, the more he moulds the team in his image the more predictable and one dimensional we become, and we are starting to get a real squad age problem, at a time that the average squad ages are getting younger (probably as a result of the high energy game that a lot are playing).

The big problem for me is there is no consistent direction with any of these appointments. Each one is just a reaction to the failings of the last one. It's like driving a car and only turning the steering wheel when you hit something.

A modern thinking DoF would be my first appointment

Given that the same issues would apply regarding this current board employing a director of football as it would employing a manager (their complete lack of football knowledge) maybe Steve Mcphail would be a good option for us considering his ties to the club and he's been Sporting Director at Shamrock Rovers for the last 3 or 4 years?

[Rjk]

Given that the same issues would apply regarding this current board employing a director of football as it would employing a manager (their complete lack of football knowledge) maybe Steve Mcphail would be a good option for us considering his ties to the club and he's been Sporting Director at Shamrock Rovers for the last 3 or 4 years?

Would be better than someone with no experience, for sure.
My preference would be get someone who has worked in a club that is moving in the direction that we want to be.

[Stavross1927]

Jones' tenure pretty much reached a natural end as a chunk of the squad were out of contract, so you would either have to sign him up for another 3 years or let someone else have a go.

Malky was relatively young, and was exactly what we needed following Jones.

Ole was a fairly left field appointment, but to this day I'm not sure what he was trying to achieve tactically.

Slade was clearly just there to steady the ship and take cost out, both of which he did pretty well .

Then paul Trollope was an interesting move, they publicly stated they wanted someone who was "stats literate" or something along those lines, and we were trying to play a more attractive brand of football, but it never really got going.

Then Warnock is parachuted in as a knee jerk reaction. He did brilliantly to start with, but the longer he is here, the more he moulds the team in his image the more predictable and one dimensional we become, and we are starting to get a real squad age problem, at a time that the average squad ages are getting younger (probably as a result of the high energy game that a lot are playing).

The big problem for me is there is no consistent direction with any of these appointments. Each one is just a reaction to the failings of the last one. It's like driving a car and only turning the steering wheel when you hit something.

A modern thinking DoF would be my first appointment

The issue being is if, and it’s a bit if, they did appoint a DOF, then it’s more than likely to be Warnock and you’re back at square one.

[Rjk]

The issue being is if, and it’s a bit if, they did appoint a DOF, then it’s more than likely to be Warnock and you’re back at square one.

That would be worse than square one.

Warnock has some genuine strengths as a manager. In some areas he's amongst the best there is. Man management, motivation clarity of message, that kind of thing. Those are all areas that the DoF doesn't really get involved with. And the things the DoF does need to be doing, long term planning, youth development, style of play, recruitment are all areas that Warnock has weaknesses in.

[J R Hartley]

Given that the same issues would apply regarding this current board employing a director of football as it would employing a manager (their complete lack of football knowledge) maybe Steve Mcphail would be a good option for us considering his ties to the club and he's been Sporting Director at Shamrock Rovers for the last 3 or 4 years?

Wed probably end up with Steve Mclaren

[J R Hartley]

That would be worse than square one.

Warnock has some genuine strengths as a manager. In some areas he's amongst the best there is. Man management, motivation clarity of message, that kind of thing. Those are all areas that the DoF doesn't really get involved with. And the things the DoF does need to be doing, long term planning, youth development, style of play, recruitment are all areas that Warnock has weaknesses in.

I doubt very much Warnocks style of "man mangement" works on younger players. Its why he signs so many older players.

[Des Parrot]

UNINSPIRING.

it’s like watching a replay of a TV series that was crap the first time. Repeat after repeat after repeat, at least on TV I can turn over or leave the room. At City I’m trapped into watching the same dull episode game after game.

[Hilts]

Weve had 2 PL promotions under this ownership.

Problem is we are playing sh!t football and not winning.

Who gives a shit where Vincent Tan is? Im more concerned with the multi millions spent on players who either cant get in the team or in other cases are not good enough.

Not to mention watching our tactics of long throws up the line trying to win the 2nd ball.

[thehumblegringo]

Would be better than someone with no experience, for sure.
My preference would be get someone who has worked in a club that is moving in the direction that we want to be.

Everyone knows my thoughts on Sporting Director and similarly when it comes to a manager. I'd love a combination of someone like Stuart Webber and Jokanovic but given that won't happen in a million years then thinking baby steps, Mcphail or Mark Hudson may be a good option in the short term and they are the only players I can think of with adequate quality who have a connection to the club.

[Rjk]

Everyone knows my thoughts on Sporting Director and similarly when it comes to a manager. I'd love a combination of someone like Stuart Webber and Jokanovic but given that won't happen in a million years then thinking baby steps, Mcphail or Mark Hudson may be a good option in the short term and they are the only players I can think of with adequate quality who have a connection to the club.

I'm not sure what benefit a connection to the club actually brings, I'd rather have someone who has experience in a club that is run in the right way, that they can bring back here.
Even if it is someone more junior that would be making a step up i.e someone in recruitment or analysis.

First though we should think about exactly what we want the DoF to do. There are many different ways the role has been implemented , with differing levels of responsibility,

[NYCBlue]

If it's a brand doesn't that make us customers and Tan can switch us back to red? It's a football club first and we're not currently being given signs of what Tan/Dalman etc. have learnt about running a club in their 5'ish years of being here. If that doesn't come next Summer then things will get heated quick.

Yes and yes. As has been proven though, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

[Enoch Mort]

As things stand, Cardiff City has an absentee owner who very rarely has anything to say about the club, a Chairman who was looking to buy another club during the summer, a manager who maintains he is retiring at the end of the season regardless of what happens between now and then, an ageing team that plays prehistoric football and a youth set-up that hasn't produced a genuine first team regular for years.

Under the circumstances it's no surprise that things feel a bit stale.

You are right but I think it's worse than you say. The board consists of 8 members - 5 are Malaysians including VT. The other 4 Malaysians no-one has really heard of. So, it seems to me that we have and absentee owner and a four absentee board members. If this is true we only have 3 board members in Cardiff. Is 3 enough for a quorum ? I don't know but it suggests to me that it is likely that board meetings do not take place. Who is left ? Steve Borley, whilst I would never question his committment to the club and the empirical knowledge he can bring to the board he looks to me like VT's token Cardiff appointment. Mehmet Dalman who appears to have ambitions to own a club himself and Ken Choo, who I have no doubt is hard working but at the end of the day is VT's employee. Three people left, on a day to basis, to manage the most experienced and probably wiliest manager in the Football League. Not an ideal situation I would have thought.

I think that things are worse than "stale" I think that there is a real crisis in terms of management of the club off as well as on the field.

[Croesy Blue]

Everyone knows my thoughts on Sporting Director and similarly when it comes to a manager. I'd love a combination of someone like Stuart Webber and Jokanovic but given that won't happen in a million years then thinking baby steps, Mcphail or Mark Hudson may be a good option in the short term and they are the only players I can think of with adequate quality who have a connection to the club.

Jokanovic would be the best possible appointment we could make, I don't think there is a chance in hell though.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I try not to come on the message board for a couple of days after a defeat as I know that there is a lot of hysteria and overreaction.
However, I have to say that I won't feel terribly motivated to renew my season ticket if the Slade-like torpor continues. It's simply not worth the road trip from the bowels of Somerset. I would mind less if the team was making some sort of positive effort and losing more often. There's just little entertainment to be had.

[lisvaneblue]

As things stand, Cardiff City has an absentee owner who very rarely has anything to say about the club, a Chairman who was looking to buy another club during the summer, a manager who maintains he is retiring at the end of the season regardless of what happens between now and then, an ageing team that plays prehistoric football and a youth set-up that hasn't produced a genuine first team regular for years.

Under the circumstances it's no surprise that things feel a bit stale.

Add to that a part time CEO who also runs VTs car franchise H R OWEN

[J R Hartley]

You are right but I think it's worse than you say. The board consists of 8 members - 5 are Malaysians including VT. The other 4 Malaysians no-one has really heard of. So, it seems to me that we have and absentee owner and a four absentee board members. If this is true we only have 3 board members in Cardiff. Is 3 enough for a quorum ? I don't know but it suggests to me that it is likely that board meetings do not take place. Who is left ? Steve Borley, whilst I would never question his committment to the club and the empirical knowledge he can bring to the board he looks to me like VT's token Cardiff appointment. Mehmet Dalman who appears to have ambitions to own a club himself and Ken Choo, who I have no doubt is hard working but at the end of the day is VT's employee. Three people left, on a day to basis, to manage the most experienced and probably wiliest manager in the Football League. Not an ideal situation I would have thought.

I think that things are worse than "stale" I think that there is a real crisis in terms of management of the club off as well as on the field.

In many ways the promotion season has just papered over the cracks.

Neil Warnocks ego has taken over the club. No-one can question him. He wont even take it from an ex-footballer (Nathan Blake) because hes never managed, so I doubt very much he will take it from Dalman and Choo, a pair of novices in football terms. He runs rings around them.

They should be demanding to know why so much money has been wasted. Tan cant let go of the Cornelius deal 6 years later but Warnock has wasted 5 times that amount.

"Judge me on where we are when I leave and where we were when I took over" he told Blakey. Ironically, it will be back to square one, with a worse squad and having spent over 50 million quid.