On Friday, Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan issued an ultimatum to manager Malky Mackay: quit, or be sacked. Now, after a 3-1 loss to a Liverpool side guided by the once-again excellent Luis Suárez, it seems almost certain that Mackay will be out the door.
But it won’t be because Mackay is giving up on the club he helped guide to promotion last season. After the loss to Liverpool, the Cardiff manager said that he “100% won’t be resigning.” When questioned as to why not, Mackay replied, ""Because I’ve got a steely determination and a passion for my job and for what I do and have done for the football club for the last two-and-a-half years.”
As for Cardiff’s supporters, they’d rather have Tan leave than Mackay. The away supporters stuck around after the final whistle, waving banners reading “Tan Out” and showing their support for the Bluebirds’ manager. It’s little surprise then that Mackay stated, “I love my job and am proud to be the manager here. There is no way I will be walking away from that.”
Brendan Rodgers, who shared a hug with Mackay before kickoff, spoke in support of the Scot after the match. The Liverpool manager, whose fans applauded Mackay and his side after the final whistle, responded to a question about the Cardiff situation by saying, “Everyone in the country and in football sees it as a wrong. He is a hero to the Cardiff fans and the Liverpool fans showed their humility by supporting that. Only one person does not seem to be appreciating the job he has done.”
Will Tan be moved by the outpouring of support from both the Cardiff fans and other influential voices of the game? Or will the Bluebirds’ owner focus solely on the club’s position in the table?
