The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Mackay admits Cardiff reprieve came as surprise Posted: 23 Dec 2013 02:57 PM PST The Scot, who led the Bluebirds to promotion last season, appeared to be on his way out of the club after being told in an email from controversial owner Vincent Tan (pic) to resign or face the axe. Tan's email, sent last Monday, included a list of grievances with the former Watford manager, and Mackay said he had been left "deeply upset" by its content. He had refused to step down but it looked like the axe would fall in the wake of Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. However, a reprieve came from chairman Mehmet Dalman, who released a statement on Sunday saying the 42-year-old would be in charge for the "forseeable future" while he tries to repair the fractured relationship between manager and owner. "I did feel I was going to lose my job on the weekend. The email deeply upset me," said Mackay, who admitted that his gesture to the travelling Cardiff fans on Merseyside effectively amounted to a farewell. "I declined to resign and expected to be sacked over the weekend. To give the fans a clap was something I wanted to do for the support they had given me." Now, though, it remains to be seen if Mackay can resolve his issues with the Malaysian Tan. There has been ill-feeling between the two since Tan's removal of Iain Moody as his head of recruitment in October, and the owner was said to be furious at Mackay's hopes of adding to his squad in January, which resulted in last week's incendiary email. Mackay admits he is not sure if and when he and Tan may meet after revealing two requests to come together for talks had already been rejected. "I wanted that meeting to be today (Monday) but that was declined. If not today, then tomorrow (Tuesday) but that was also declined," he said. "I don't know if we can talk. Mehmet has been trying to do this for three months, as have I. There are certain areas that have to be addressed that were in the email. I will find out when I go to the meeting. "At that point I will take stock of where I am." Mackay also had praise for Dalman, who he considers a close ally. "Mehmet is a good man and a sensible man. But he's not the man who makes the decisions. Ultimately he will not make the decision. That still has to be addressed. "I'm proud to be the manager here and I think I should be the manager here. I will keep doing what I'm doing and if someone wants to do something different that's up to them," he added. Cardiff are due to entertain Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday, before playing Sunderland, also at home, on Saturday. - AFP, December 24, 2013. |
| Arsenal frustrated by Chelsea in goalless stalemate Posted: 23 Dec 2013 02:51 PM PST This was the final English top-flight fixture before Christmas, but there was little festive cheer on display at the Emirates Stadium as Chelsea battered Arsenal with a series of bruising challenges. John Obi Mikel was fortunate to avoid a red card after the Chelsea midfielder crunched into Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal also complained they should have had a penalty for Willian's challenge on Theo Walcott. It was a frustrating night for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who failed to secure his first win over Jose Mourinho at the 10th attempt and as a result saw his side waste an opportunity to climb back above leaders Liverpool. Instead, second-placed Arsenal go into the Christmas programme level on points with Liverpool but behind the Anfield outfit on goal difference. "We should have won it," Wenger said. "They came here to defend and catch us on the break. We were a bit edgy at the start but we took control in the second half. "It was 100% a penalty when Theo Walcott was fouled. I don't know why it was not given." Chelsea, who moved up to fourth and are two points behind Liverpool, finished the more satisfied side after stifling Arsenal with ease and creating the better of the few chances on offer. "We controlled the game defensively. It was a tactical match, a match where neither side wanted to lose," Mourinho said. "We want creative players who use the ball and kill opponents. But there are some matches where we have to take one step backwards and play with a different philosophy." Wenger had admitted Arsenal had a point to prove after last weekend's 6-3 thrashing at Manchester City prompted many pundits to question his team's chances of lasting the pace in the title race, but this spluttering performance will hardly silence the doubters. Mourinho sent Chelsea out in a 4-5-1 formation, with Fernando Torres as the lone striker, and that cautious approach worked impressively as Arsenal struggled to find any rhythm. It didn't help that torrential rain and gale-force winds lashed the Emirates throughout the match, making passing something of a lottery. Frank Lampard made a typically intelligent run to meet Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the early stages, but for once the Chelsea midfielder's clinical finishing deserted him and he scuffed a mistimed effort well wide. Mourinho's men finally cast off their defensive shackles just before the break and almost took the lead when Lampard met Eden Hazard's pass with volley against the crossbar. Wenger was growing increasingly vexed on the touchline and he was furious when referee Mike Dean refused to even book Mikel for his aggressive lunge on Arteta. Mikel's eyes were on the ball when he went into the tackle and Arteta slid in with equal intent, but it was the Chelsea midfielder whose follow-through contained more menace and could easily have left the Spaniard nursing a serious injury. Arsenal's anger increased when they appealed in vain for a penalty after Willian's challenge caught Walcott on the foot without making contact with the ball. Arteta was the victim of another crunching tackle from Ramires, but the Brazilian escaped with just a booking. By now Walcott, usually mild mannered, had had enough and the winger responded by chopping down Azpilicueta, earning a yellow card of his own. The tone of an already fiery match became ever more combustible after Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic caught Mesut Ozil and then started a bout of shoving with an incensed Kieran Gibbs. Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky sought retribution and went into the book for a crude foul on Ivanovic. It was Arsenal who finished the stronger, with Giroud firing into the side-netting and then forcing Cech to block at his near post. Bacary Sagna's header was cleared off the line by Azpilicueta, but neither side deserved to take the points on an ugly night. - AFP, December 24, 2013. |
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 ulasan:
Catat Ulasan