Cardiff City today finalised the move from Dato Chan Tien Ghee’s Malaysian consortium to take over the running of the club with the formal acceptance of their £6m investment.
With ‘TG’ having courted the club for over 6 months, and kept almost daily contact with CCFC officials in recent months, he has become caght up in the atmosphere around the Bluebirds and his jubilation (against Leicester City) and heartache (at Wembley) were evident for all.
TG’s initial contact with the club was when his son, Nick Chan, was offered a trial at the Bluebirds – and impressed. He has also had spells with West Ham and had already agreed to talk with Dave Jones this summer over a potential further trial with the Bluebirds after completing his A-levels.
With Chan’s father now Chairman of the club, a move looks all the more likely and has clearly been on the cards for some time. An interview given by Chan in the Malaysian Star (March 2010) suggests he is determined to return to Cardiff City:
“The coaches there are so committed. I was training mostly with the first team at Cardiff. Even when it was snowed in, the reserve team coach would give me one-on-one training indoors. He still calls me from time to time to see how I`m doing, and I`m not even their player yet!”
“That`s why I feel like going back to Cardiff. The coaches give us their best, so I feel like giving them my best too.”
“I had quite good reviews. The coaches said that if I had started earlier I would already be playing professional by now. But now it always feels like I`m playing catch-up there.”
“Right now, even if there was a chance to play professionally in League Two, I`d take it. But I really want to play for Cardiff. I feel like I belong there.”
There are currently no Malaysian players in the Football League, and with the Bluebirds looking to creat close ties with Malaysia and the lucrative and passionate Asian markets, Chan could be an important signing. He is primarily a defensive player, able to operate in defence or midfield, but has not had the training or experience many teenagers coming through the British system have had.
The Bluebirds’ reputation as a ‘family club’ could yet be further enhanced, if, as Chan hopes, he is able to secure a contract and join his father as part of Cardiff City Football Club.
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Could cause problems between Chairman and manager – not picking your bosses son!!!
doesn’t actually say he’s signing? Would seem strange if he said ‘feck cardiff’ given his dad just bought us………..
has anyone else heard the latest???…………………. our debt ridden club is about to sign craig bellamy!!!!!!!! LOL the malaysians are looking to rebuild the clubs finances not break them…………….. the malaysians are without a doubt rich and unless they have changed there approach since last month and have decided seeing us getting so close to promotion has given them an idea to open there cheque book in order to give us a chance of auto promotion then this story is a joke!!!!
hang on a second paul scholes is also coming in for midfield and sol cambell at the back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why not sign buffon for keeper as well and maybe messi!!! just cos we are under new ownership or should i say part ownership all this nonsense comes out…… we’ll see the true extent of the 30% shareholding the malaysians have over the coming weeks and the effect it has on the club can’t be any worse can it??
action speaks louder than words. i wish cardiff would get a move on on the transfer market
Good to see some local interest, I bet he will lead with his heart and his love of his beloved Wales and Cardiff.
heard roy keane is moving in with £4m for chopra!!! does he not realise this is a lost cause the club in my opinion should want nearly double that to even think about selling chopra. we paid £4 for him why sell a 20 goal striker for the same as we bought him for. the consortium have the funds to bankroll his wages so no need to sell will be a backwards step for a club aiming ofr top 2 this year!!
roy keane is willing to sell owen garvan as well……. great player would be good for us in centre mid in my opinion, plus he’d be cheap as he has only a year on his contract!!!
why on earth would DJ sell michael chopra to another champteam
and were the hell has ipswitch got £4m from?and smakerthebluebird, roy keane won’t give us garvan if we dont give him chops.
what do you think about adam mathews going to inter milan.