The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Mackay vows to stay at Cardiff City Posted: 18 Oct 2013 08:24 AM PDT MacKay's future at the Welsh capital side was called into question last week when Moody, who'd worked with him at Watford and was responsible for helping the manager recruit new players, left. Cardiff also announced that Alisher Apsalyamov, a 23-year-old from Kazakhstan, reported to be a friend of the son of the club's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan, and with no known significant previous experience in football, had replaced Moody in an acting capacity. This led to speculation that Mackay might quit. However, the Scot, in his first public comments about Moody's exit during a news conference Friday ahead of Saturday's match away to Chelsea, said: "As far as I am concerned, again for clarification, under no circumstances was I asked to resign and at no time have I thought of resigning from the football club." Mackay defended Moody by saying: "Iain is an absolute class act as far as I am concerned. He has done a very impressive job for the football club. "In one of the periods of success at the football club, which we have been in over the last two-and-a-half years, he has had a huge part to play in the restructuring of my squad. "He helped bring in more than 20-odd players and he is someone who had a huge part to play in the current success, who will be missed by everyone who works for out football club. "He leaves with my utmost gratitude and respect. I would say our loss will be someone's huge gain." And he insisted Moody had not left because of excessive pre-season spending. "One thing I would clarify, as I have read a few things over the past couple of weeks, is that we were absolutely under budget this summer. I want to clarify that. That is what I have to say about Iain." Mackay, who refused to say if he's spoken to Apsalyamov, also emphasised his good working relationship with new Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman. "Over the last week he has helped draw a line under some of the things that have happened and try and make things better going forward. "Any other questions in terms of where that's concerned, you can ask to discuss with the CEO (Simon Lim). "I want to protect the players. I want to talk about football, we have a game against Chelsea. I am the manager and my job is to look after the football side of the club so, with respect, that's all I will be saying about that." Tan took over Cardiff in 2010 and helped finance their promotion to the Premier League last season as the club returned to English football's top flight for the first time in more than 50 years. But he also angered many Cardiff supporters by insisting the club change from its traditional blue kit to a 'lucky' colour of red. Cardiff are currently 14th in the Premier League, a point in front of south Wales rivals Swansea. - AFP, October 18, 2013. |
| Arsene Wenger relaxed over new Arsenal deal Posted: 18 Oct 2013 04:44 AM PDT Wenger, 64 on Tuesday, is in the final season of his current contract with the north London club and it was reported earlier this week he had agreed terms on a new deal which would keep him at the Emirates Stadium until 2016. Arsenal have repeatedly made it clear they want the Frenchman, who took charge in 1996 and is now the Premier League's longest-serving manager, to remain with the Gunners. Wenger, however, said today that now was not the right time for him to be involved in detailed contract talks and that he wanted to focus his attention on the team, although he did confirm he'd been offered a new deal. "Yes, I didn't deny that (that a contract had been offered)," Wenger said ahead of Arsenal's match at home to Norwich on Saturday. "I just said what I said at the start of the season and nothing has changed." Wenger added: "I believe that when you are manager at the club, you have to prepare for the long term always and act like you would stay forever. "I believe that what is important is the next game." For Arsenal that means facing a Norwich side who are 18th in the 20-strong Premier League and who've lost four of their seven league matches so far this season. However, Wenger - looking to guide Arsenal to a first major trophy since 2005 - was wary of the threat posed by Norwich. "We have learnt something in the last 18 months, that the Premier League has changed, that every single game is a potential danger for any team in the league and the recent results in the Premier League have confirmed that. "Every team who is favourite today is on its toes because they know every game is a potential danger." Arsenal club record signing Mesut Ozil is expected to be fit following a minor knee injury but the Germany playmaker could be on the bench ahead of next week's Champions League tie against Borussia Dortmund. Midfielder Santi Cazorla (ankle) ans full-back Bacary Sagna (hamstring) but England forward Theo Walcott is likely to be sidelined again following abdominal surgery. Despite rarely having had a full-strength squad to select from this season, Wenger's side still find themselves top of the table, on goal difference from Liverpool, heading into this weekend's fixtures. "You want all of your best players to play together in a very positive way, which is what will happen," Wenger said. "I am very happy with the team who has played until now, so we do not expect anything special (from the players returning to action). "What is important is that instead of focusing on one or two players, we focus on developing ourselves as a team and our team play, where there is still room for improvement. "There is still the desire within the team to improve that," he added. - AFP, October 18, 2013. |
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