Pressure on boss Malky Mackay increases.
Cardiff City confirmed Friday Malky Mackay’s longstanding assistant Iain Moody had left but insisted they remained fully behind their manager.
After refusing to confirm several days of reports in the British press that Moody had left his post as head of recruitment, the Premier League side announced his exit on Friday.
They also announced that Alisher Apsalyamov, a 23-year-old from Kazakhstan, reported to be a friend of the son of Cardiff’s Malaysian owner Vincent Tan, and with no known significant previous experience in football, had replaced Moody in an acting capacity.
“Cardiff City Football Club can announce the departure of Head of Recruitment, Iain Moody,” a statement issued by the Welsh club on Friday said.
“Iain is leaving the club with our thanks for his contribution.
“In the interim period, Alisher Apsalyamov has been appointed as Acting Head of Recruitment, focusing on gathering data on individual players.
“Ultimate recruitment decisions of course remain the domain of the manager and majority shareholder.
“Tan Sri Vincent Tan, the Board and the staff at the club are fully committed to the future success of the team and hold a strong desire to compete in the best league in the world.”
Tan added: “I have every faith in Malky and his team to lead us through the challenges of the Premier League.
“I have supported him in the past and will do so in the future for many years to come.
“I would say to all Cardiff City fans and everyone connected to the club, let us look forward to the future and remain united in our support of the team.”
Apsalyamov joined the club in February but his name does not appear on a list of key staff members on the club’s official website.
Moody followed Mackay from Watford when the Scot joined Cardiff in 2011, and played a key role in the acquisitions of Steven Caulker, Gary Medel, Kevin Theophile-Catherine and Fraizer Campbell.
Tan took over Cardiff in 2010 and helped finance their promotion to the Premier League last season as the club returned to English football’s top flight for the first time in more than 50 years.
But he also angered many Cardiff supporters by insisting the club change from its traditional blue kit to his ‘lucky’ colour of red.
Cardiff are currently 14th in the Premier League, a point in front of south Wales rivals Swansea.
COMMENTS