Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan has asked the club’s boss Malky Mackay to resign or risks been humiliated with a sack notice.
The 41-year-old manager was criticised by the Malaysian businessman owner of the Welsh club concerning his signings, transfer budgets, results and style of play, as contained in a letter emailed to the Scotsman on Monday.
Tan also questioned Mackay’s record as a club manager.
The ex-Scotland international became Cardiff boss in June 2011, going on to lead the club into the Premier League, after sealing the Championship title with a 1-1 draw away at Burnley. He was voted the League Managers Association (LMA) Championship Manager of the Year on 21 May 2013.
The former Watford manager’s future at Cardiff became uncertain following the removal of head of recruitment, Ian Moody, in October.
At length, Tan said he was “extremely upset” after Mackay revealed he was hoping to recruit three new players in the January transfer window and also believes the transfer budget agreed between Mackay, Moody and chief executive Simon Lim in the summer was overspent.
Cardiff’s Malaysian owner claimed he budgeted £35m and that £50m was spent including add-ons.
While the likes of striker, Andreas Cornelius (£7.5m), defender, Steven Caulker (£8m), and midfielder, Fary Medel (£11m) were all club record acquisitions over the summer (among other signings), excess revenue look to have been spent on transfer add-ons.
Mackay and Moody have reportedly denied those claims, insisting the £35m was solely for transfer fees and that Lim and Tan had no complaints about the rising with add-ons.
Now that Mackay’s days at the Cardiff City Stadium may are numbered, Molde manager, Ole Gunner Solskjaer, has emerged one of the favourites to replace him at the club, after the Norwegian club notified the press of interest from some Premier League clubs including managerless West Bromwich Albion.
Cardiff, who sits on the 15th position in the league standing, faces a trip to Anfield on Saturday.
