CCFC CHAIRMAN MEHMET DALMAN:

The Mehmet Dalman Q&A: Cardiff City chief on concerning early form, promotion hopes and why the fans need an idol to step up

Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman also assesses club's summer transfer strategy


Monday 2nd September 2019



Bluebirds chairman Mehmet Dalman also assesses club's summer transfer strategy

It's been a stuttering start to the season for Neil Warnock's Cardiff City.

Heading into the international break after six games they are down in 13th position in the table, already eight points behind the Championship leaders.

The fact that those table-toppers happen to be arch-rivals Swansea City, with their rookie manager Steve Cooper at the helm, won't be helping matters in the eyes of Bluebirds fans.

But it's early days yet. Nothing is won and lost at the beginning of September and the Bluebirds, amongst the bookies' early favourites for promotion, still believe they have formulated a top-six team in the Welsh capital.

We caught up with Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman to discuss a range of issues, including the summer transfer policy, the realistic ambition for the 2019-20 campaign, Neil Warnock's planning for the future... and why he feels an idol needs to step up on the field of play for the fans.







The summer transfer window

The close-season mantra was for the Bluebirds to keep their best players and build a promotion-winning squad with shrewd new acquisitions.

But the unexpected summer losses of Bobby Reid, Bruno Manga and Kenneth Zohore blew something a hole in that theory, although millions were spent on bringing in new players.

Dalman says: "If you look at the process in terms of recruitment during the window, it has worked. The Board and management of the club react to the needs of the manager.

"We've supported Neil 100 per cent in terms of going after and getting his targets.

"Some of the transfers were smooth, others less so. Either way we have got them done.

"Robert Glatzel wasn't an easy one, for example. There were complications for three weeks, but we worked through that and got it over the line.

"We bought in eight players, spent just shy of £20m. The money at this level is getting silly, but we're not a Fulham, don't have their deep pockets.

"But we feel we've spent well. Neil Warnock is an old fox, sees value in players. That doesn't mean he gets every single one right, any more than I get every stock I pick on the market correct.

"Glatzel is a proper footballer and will start scoring goals. Marlon Pack was a really good acquisition from Bristol City. He rarely gets injured... we've been desperately unlucky that he has been just a few games in for us.

"Gavin Whyte looks exciting, in a couple of seasons he could be doing really well for this club.

"When I look at that team, apart from one I think the ones we've brought in are better players. Bruno Manga's absence is being felt at the moment, I think it's fair to say.

"We haven't had the best of starts to the season, the team has not yet gelled as well as we would have liked, but it's also understandable. New players will take time to bed in."







The loss of Reid and Manga



While Cardiff were relaxed about the £8m netted for Kenneth Zohore, believing it was good business, they were loathe to see Reid and Manga depart.

However, as Dalman explains, their hands were tied on each occasion and Cardiff wouldn't have been well served keeping two unhappy players.

"The Reid thing came as a surprise," he reflects. "We were hoping he would be a key player this season, even build the team around him.

"But he wanted to go and circumstances became evident that we should let him do what he wanted to do.


"I totally understand and appreciate the disappointment from the fans, but if someone's spirit is not with you there's not really a great deal you can do about it. I'm not here to keep people against their will.

"Manga was a little different. He came to me and said 'I've given six years for this club, have enjoyed every minute, but I need to go back home to France for personal reasons.'

"He had another year left on his contract, I guess we could have insisted he stayed, but it was difficult to do that in these circumstances.

"Bruno also left a lovely parting message for the fan base, thanking everyone, saying how incredible the supporters had been, that he would never forget them.

You can read the warm Bruno Manga message Dalman talks about here

"If I were a fan I'd be more upset at losing Bruno, with his attitude and who left with heavy spirit, than Reid, who wanted to do a career path."


Bruno Manga is a real loss, feels Dalman



Is the top two on?

The assumption has been that having won automatic promotion last time, the Bluebirds would do it again with a stronger squad in 2019-20.

But Dalman cautions that it is nowhere near as simple as that.

"I think the top six would be a really good achievement for us," he says.

"It was a tremendous effort to have gone up with the team we had two years ago and Neil and his coaching staff have to take enormous credit for that. Not many fancied us for promotion back then, but the management took these guys and got every last bit out of them.

"But it's different this time. We've come down from the Premier League, we're more of a target and we have to deal with the expectations upon us.

"You can't compare apples and pears. I feel this side is at least as good as the last one and it is a side that can get promotion again, that's certainly the aim, but it would be a mistake to think we can automatically get into the two.


"Circumstances have changed. Teams that come from the Premier League are targeted and that was certainly a big lesson from our first few games. Also, not many that do come down go straight back up.

"But Neil Warnock wants that ninth promotion and he won't differ from my own views. We need to finish in the top six as a minimum and we feel we can get there.

"Leeds and Fulham are favourites for the top two, with the money they have spend, but we will give them a right old fight










Concern at early season form - step forward an idol

Cardiff have had a mixed bag from their opening six games, winning two, losing two and drawing the last two with Blackburn and Fulham.

It has led to criticism from some pundits and fans of results, style of play and performances.

"Am I concerned at the early results? Yes," says Dalman. "Am I panicking? Absolutely not

"As I say, it's far too early to make judgements and it was always going to take a little time for the new players to gel.

"We probably didn't deserve to lose at Wigan. Equally we were lucky to only lose 3-0 at Reading. That performance worried me more than anything else, but hopefully we won't see that sort of thing too often.

"It's too early to be talking of patterns about winning at home, but losing away. What I would say is you can see this team doesn't yet have the smoothness of machinery of two years ago, but that's understandable given the new signings and the time it'll take.

"What we need is for players to stand up and take responsibility. The fans need an idol to step forward. There, I'm writing your headlines for you! But they do need someone to grasp the nettle and become an idol.

"It will also be great when Sol Bamba returns. He's a leader, character, personality, the type the dressing room responds to."










Glatzel's lack of goals

Cardiff haven't had a great record in recent times when it comes to strikers. They've spent big on Gary Madine, Andreas Cornelius, Etien Velkonja. More recently was the £5.5m spent for Robert Glatzel from German second tier club Heidenheim. Like the other three, Glatzel has yet to net a goal, but Dalman is confident he will be a success.

"I like Robert, we've paid a lot of money for a German Second Division striker," says Dalman.

"But watch him. He's a proper footballer, has the attributes you need for a striker. And once he gets his first goal, I'm sure lots of others will follow.

"He's a good professional who trains hard. He needs to stay confident and optimistic."








Vincent Tan's January transfer plans



This, explains Dalman, is quite simple.

"If we're in the top six, or there or thereabouts, our attitude towards the budget in the next transfer window will be different to if we're near the bottom.

"If Neil feels there is a need to strengthen in one or two positions, to kick on in the second half of the season and get us over that promotion line, I'm sure he will have the full support of Vincent.

"If we're not near the top, there will need to be a different way of thinking with regards the budget."







Warnock's future and the next Cardiff manager

Warnock says this will be his last season, although that is by no means certain. He has also indicated he could play a part in the appointment of his successor, as and when the time comes, to help retain Bluebirds continuity.

"I love Neil to bits, enjoy working with him," says Dalman, who Warnock describes as 'the best chairman I have worked under.'

"I'd love to find a good reason to continue working with him, but I respect his judgement about what he wants to do.

"We will see how it goes until Christmas and re-assess from there. Those are his words, not mine, by the way.

"But whatever we discuss for next year, Neil will be an integral part of the conversations. He's mentioned it, but I've said it's too early to talk about that.

"We want to get back into the Premier League and we want Neil to achieve that promotion for us."

As for an heir apparent, Dalman says: "Neil and myself speak openly about things. We will sit down together if we need to discuss the future, but I emphasise the word IF."

He makes it clear though that ultimately the choice of the next man will be the call of the Board of Directors.







Why Chelsea still bugs Cardiff

There were a number of controversies during Cardiff's 2-1 Premier League loss against Chelsea, including Cesar Azpilicueta's offside equaliser.

Several months on, the game still rankles.



"That Chelsea game cost us our Premier League place. There were so many bad calls against us it bordered on the absurd," says Dalman.

"How officials can make those decisions and be comfortable with them amazes me.

"Yes, we lost at Fulham afterwards, but Chelsea was the moment the Premier League went. It changed everything. Certainly knocked the stuffing out of me. There weren't just one or two bad calls, but three or four.

"Once down, it was always going to take time for the players to adjust back to the Championship from the Premier League, and that is what we've been seeing.


"But, as I say, we feel this team is good enough to finish in the top six and the intention is to give it a right old go. It's still very early days for this season."

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Spot on that for me.

Any better than payoffs would be another miracle. I'd be happy with this outcome.

The big question for me is who replaces Warnock at the wheel in May.

Looks like MD wants him to stay

He makes some sensible quotes but also talks some nonsense

However he tries to spin it, the transfer window was poor after he himself saying we are going to give it a real go

We are still sort at full back, lack creativity in midfield and lack a proven goal scorer

Spot on that for me.

Any better than payoffs would be another miracle. I'd be happy with this outcome.

The big question for me is who replaces Warnock at the wheel in May.

Hopefully most of our fan base can accept that is our aim and that just because we were in the Prem doesn’t mean we should be challenging for the title automatically.

Let’s hope Neil has a say in that - previous appointment by Tan have flattered to deceive

A good read and interesting that he says that the fans need an idol to step up.

I can see Pack coming back and being a favourite on the evidence I’ve seen so far but I don’t think there’s an ‘idol’ in this squad.

Another Ernie would be something else!

Would have been great if we had managed to bring in a marquee signing in the summer to become the idol that the fans need.
There were a few about.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

How much was spent before a player was sold? Im Sure we didn't sell the players then go out and spend 20m did we? Doesnt matter how look at it we did spend 20m on players

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

Correct


I use to say to Dalman himself you remind me of an MP

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

I'm sure we haven't handed over all the cash yet for the players we've bought, it works both ways

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

I'm sure we haven't handed over all the cash yet for the players we've bought, it works both ways

We haven’t, the majority of its over 2-3 yrs.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

I'm sure we haven't handed over all the cash yet for the players we've bought, it works both ways

We haven’t, the majority of its over 2-3 yrs.

Id assume slightly different with Red though as its a loan and he is our biggest sale.

Irrespective of what we have sold, Warnock has been fully backs the last few windows and we should have a squad capable of top 2 finish with what he has spent on the players we still have with us.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

You may disagree but I don't understand your irrationally angry response. I was merely trying to state a fact.

If you want to go entirely on cash paid in and cash paid out I doubt very much if we have splashed out any where near £20 million. A lot of it will be paid in instalments.

We have sold £20 million of players and according to Dalman have bought £20 million.

In my books that represents a nil net spend.

The decision in the Chelsea game was an absolute shocker but I don't agree that it was at that point we were doomed to relegation.

We still had plenty of games left to get the points we needed including an away game at already relegated Fulham and a home game against a Crystal Palace team already on the beach.

For me it was the Fulham game that doomed us - the negative, defensive, safety first approach against a relegated team where we only started to play when we went behind was in my opinion completely the wrong decision.

Also I am sure that if we had actually needed to get a result at Man United to stay up we would have approached that game in exactly the same way as the Fulham game rather than in the positive, attacking way we did when the game had no importance whatsoever.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

not sure we would have signed Pack had Reid not been pushing for and achieving a move away..

The decision in the Chelsea game was an absolute shocker but I don't agree that it was at that point we were doomed to relegation.

We still had plenty of games left to get the points we needed including an away game at already relegated Fulham and a home game against a Crystal Palace team already on the beach.

For me it was the Fulham game that doomed us - the negative, defensive, safety first approach against a relegated team where we only started to play when we went behind was in my opinion completely the wrong decision.

Also I am sure that if we had actually needed to get a result at Man United to stay up we would have approached that game in exactly the same way as the Fulham game rather than in the positive, attacking way we did when the game had no importance whatsoever.

Agreed David


Plus you don't go down due to one game, its over a season.

Dalman happy to continue without some sort of director of football at City, so, does this mean he is happy with the present situation of transfer committees?

An Under 23 side that's losing every week and an Academy that doesn't produce first team footballers?

Interestingly, he thinks that the players brought in this summer are improvements on what we had in 2017/18 in all bar one case.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

You may disagree but I don't understand your irrationally angry response. I was merely trying to state a fact.

If you want to go entirely on cash paid in and cash paid out I doubt very much if we have splashed out any where near £20 million. A lot of it will be paid in instalments.

We have sold £20 million of players and according to Dalman have bought £20 million.

In my books that represents a nil net spend.

Correct. The figures being the same is not a coincidence. It's called balancing the books.

Complete spin.

He quotes the £20 million spent. The net spend was nil.

We haven't got the money for Ried yet,doesn't happen until next season.A typical unresearched bollox response.Yet another crisis junkie.

You may disagree but I don't understand your irrationally angry response. I was merely trying to state a fact.

If you want to go entirely on cash paid in and cash paid out I doubt very much if we have splashed out any where near £20 million. A lot of it will be paid in instalments.

We have sold £20 million of players and according to Dalman have bought £20 million.

In my books that represents a nil net spend.

Correct. The figures being the same is not a coincidence. It's called balancing the books.

Yes and as been pointed out whilst 20m each way means nil expenditure what needs to be taken into consideration is the way transfers are being payed for or way money is received when buying players ! Not sure why people are making an issue over it?

Ahhhhhh here we go all the experts are out ripping apart a chairman that we will find very hard to replace over an interview with the local newspaper.

What you expect him to say loads of Negative things?

Considering all the chairman before him have been lying cheating money grabbing scum bags I think we should be grateful and not talk shit about the guy to be honest.

Dalman presents very well but I'm not convinced.

I agree with Davids that mindset for Man Utd game would have been different if it had mattered and the Fulham game still hurts me as far as our negativity is concerned. Fulham there for taking which is what last ten minutes proved.

Whilst we've had, another, shocking window Dalman was trying to buy C by Charlton! Priorities. Conflict.

I also don't understand how years after his appointment we have an under producing academy. Though what's as alarming is that the football being played by all younger age groups is of a completely different style to first team. You wonder what point of that is. It's like having an apprentice plasterer and then telling him when he's trained up he's no good as a roofer.

Dalman presents very well but I'm not convinced.

I agree with Davids that mindset for Man Utd game would have been different if it had mattered and the Fulham game still hurts me as far as our negativity is concerned. Fulham there for taking which is what last ten minutes proved.

Whilst we've had, another, shocking window Dalman was trying to buy C by Charlton! Priorities. Conflict.

I also don't understand how years after his appointment we have an under producing academy. Though what's as alarming is that the football being played by all younger age groups is of a completely different style to first team. You wonder what point of that is. It's like having an apprentice plasterer and then telling him when he's trained up he's no good as a roofer.

years after whose appointment.?

Dalman presents very well but I'm not convinced.

I agree with Davids that mindset for Man Utd game would have been different if it had mattered and the Fulham game still hurts me as far as our negativity is concerned. Fulham there for taking which is what last ten minutes proved.

Whilst we've had, another, shocking window Dalman was trying to buy C by Charlton! Priorities. Conflict.

I also don't understand how years after his appointment we have an under producing academy. Though what's as alarming is that the football being played by all younger age groups is of a completely different style to first team. You wonder what point of that is. It's like having an apprentice plasterer and then telling him when he's trained up he's no good as a roofer.

years after whose appointment.?

Years after Dalmans appointment. Academy hasn't produced, culpable in the red thing and OGS was his man to keep us in PL. He tried to buy another club in the summer. How can that possibly have helped us one little bit? Reid had his head turned and wanted to go so he goes. How would we feel if our manager had wanted to go back to Sheffield United and applied for job but got turned down and then stayed with us? Dalman wanted to buy another club which happens to be in London where he lives but was unsuccessful so he's still here. In a paid role. Part of a failed transfer committee.

Whilst our u23s go from strength to strength.

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.