Malky Mackay has a friend in Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, who has come to the Cardiff City manager’s defense by accusing the club’s owner, Vincent Tan, of “knowing nothing about football.”
Earlier in the week the public fallout between Mackay and Tan rose to a new level after the owner informed his manager he would not be given “a single penny” for new players in the January transfer window.
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The verbal slap has ramped-up speculation that Mackay’s time in South Wales is soon to be cut short and with Liverpool set to host the Bluebirds on Sunday, Rodgers sounded off on the situation.
“I find it incredible all the talk about Malky, who I know well from working with him at Watford,” Rodgers said. “I find it astonishing what he has had to go through.”
The former Swansea manager then discussed Tan’s odd behavior when Rodgers was the rival coach. “This is a guy [Tan] who walked into Cardiff after they had lost in the play-off semi-finals and they waited two weeks to sack the manager Dave Jones on the day we [Swansea] were in the final – which I found strange.
“Malky walked into the club with 10 players that summer and he totally transformed the mentality of the club. He took them to the Carling Cup final, to a play-off place and just lost out and the following season took them to the championship and promotion.
“He has had great results this season and is going to go on and be a great manager at a big club and I find it absolutely astonishing there is talk about him leaving there.”
Rodgers continued: “My only conclusion is you have a business guy operating the club who knows absolutely nothing about football. He has obviously been a successful businessman – congratulations but football is like no other business.
“When I see what Malky has had to put up with, to see him being questioned I find it remarkable. Especially when supporters there look up to him and respect him for what he’s done.”
