Quote Originally Posted by TH63 View Post
Simply put, this signing was a massive waste of money. The fee naturally brought a great deal of expectation, as it turned out, unfounded expectation. You then surely have to question the motives behind the transfer, particularly based on the subsequent, albeit unsubstantiated, rumours.
Cornelius arrived at Cardiff having completed just one full season of first team football. During that season he had topped the scoring charts in the Danish league, won the league's Player of the Year award, won his country's Young Player of the Year award, won several senior international caps, scored for the Danish national side and scored goals in European competition. It was hardly as if Mackay was shelling out big bucks for a parks player.

The transfer was obviously a gamble and one that failed dismally. Cornelius seemingly struggled with fitness and form from day one and never looked like being Premier League material, as was the case with Van Wolfswinkel at Norwich, who was signed for a similar fee. However, the notion that Mackay, himself an ambitious rising star in the management game at the time, made what was then Cardiff City's highest-profile record signing for nothing other than personal financial gain is just ludicrous.