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Malky Mackay hits out at Tan’s antics, as Cardiff suffer big defeat to Saints

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Cardiff City’s Scottish manager Malky MacKay arrives for the English Premier League football match between Fulham and Cardiff City at Craven Cottage in London on September 28, 2013. AFP PHOTO/ GLYN KIRK RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO USE WITH UNAUTHORIZED AUDIO, VIDEO, DATA, FIXTURE LISTS, CLUB/LEAGUE LOGOS OR LIVE SERVICES. ONLINE IN-MATCH USE LIMITED TO 45 IMAGES, NO VIDEO EMULATION. NO USE IN BETTING, GAMES OR SINGLE CLUB/LEAGUE/PLAYER PUBLICATIONS (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

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The pressure is building in Cardiff and after a big home defeat to Southampton on Boxing Day, manager Malky Mackay showed the strain is starting to mount up.

Following months of speculation about his job, with the craziness of eccentric Cardiff owner Vincent Tan taking its toll, Mackay has kept his position after overwhelming support from Cardiff fans and soccer managers, players and supporters across the country.

But a crushing 3-0 home defeat to the Saints -- as three goals in 13 first half minutes left his men with a mountain to climb -- on Thursday highlighted the Bluebirds weaknesses and Mackay has hit out at the owner whose made his life misery so far this season.

“I’m not going to use any excuse about off-the-pitch events for our first-half performance,” Mackay said. “We seem to be washing our dirty linen in public. It’s something I feel very sorry for our fans. They should be enjoying being in the Premier League, but events off the pitch are putting us on the front pages and that is not good.”

Not using all of Tan’s madness as an excuse is admirable, as events in the boardroom have clearly derailed Cardiff’s promising start to the season which now sees the Welsh club just one point and two places above the relegation zone, after two wins in their last 11 games.

(MORE: Malky Mackay “deeply upset” by Vincent Tan’s email)

Following the Boxing Day shellacking from Southampton, Mackay was asked if the meeting he wants to arrange to talk with Mr. Tan has been sorted out yet...

Given everything that’s happened thus far, Mackay’s answer was hardly surprising.

“I do not know when I will be meeting [owner] Vincent Tan,” Mackay said. “It is not something that has been conveyed to me.”

Mackay is once again in the dark over where he stands as Cardiff’s manager. The longer that remains, Cardiff, Tan and Mackay’s season will continue on a downward spiral out of control.

Follow @JPW_NBCSports