Kavanagh going to Wigan

[fat bob]

Cardiff City's financial problems could result in the shock sale of skipper Graham Kavanagh.
BBC Wales understands that Championship title chasers Wigan are closing in on a £400,000 deal to sign the Republic of Ireland midfielder.

That is despite manager Lennie Lawrence saying on Thursday that no player would be sold before the weekend.

Kavanagh was Cardiff's first £1m purchase in 2001 and he has been a driving force in the Bluebirds' rise.

Wigan manager Paul Jewell revealed on Thursday that the Latics were closing in on the signing of two high-profile players, with Reading striker Nicky Forster believed to be another target.

"I've had a busy day but it looks as though we have agreed fees with two clubs for a couple of players," Jewell said.

"Obviously there is still work to do and therefore it's not fair to name names at this stage. However, I'm pretty confident both deals will go through.

"With a bit of luck the first will be completed tomorrow (Friday) morning, while the other should be wrapped up early next week."

Former Middlesbrough, Darlington and Stoke player Kavanagh revitalised his international career at Cardiff, earning a recall from Republic of Ireland boss Brian Kerr

If the 31-year-old does depart, fans will wonder if the first exit is a bid by chairman Sam Hammam to fend off the club's financial crisis.

Nottingham Forest have also been linked with striker Peter Thorne, while wing Jobi McAnuff is another thought to be in demand.

Ninian Park players and staff have not been paid this month as the club struggles to honour a wage bill believed to be £750,000 a month, while auditors are looking at possible cutbacks.

 

[larus]

Thank christ we've got someone in charge like DK.

OK, it's tough, but at least we appear to be 'reasonably' stable financially.

 

[bhaexpress]

Can't say I'm too surprised, I expect Gabbiadon and Thorne to go too. Sadly, despite all the bluster from Sam Hamman Cardiff have been living well beyond their means and now they're paying the price for it.

We should be thankful that we have a very good manager who has made the proverbial silk purse ect.

 

[Paddy B]

It really is geting serious there now.

I just thought that they had run out of money to carry on with the stadium, but players not being paid and now their best player being sold?

However I am not going to gloat, I honestly dont want to hear of any club in financial trouble even them.

I would like to hear the Cardiff side of the story, TLB?

 

[Scarface]

Hopefully this will stop the recent good form they have had. £750k a month?! Any idea how much our monthly wage bill is? I'd be surprised if it was half that!

 

[Rougvie]

Seriously for once, I'm coming round to getting mighty concerned about Cardiff after sitting on a plane last might with a CCFC fan and the sort of lies that Hamman and others have come out with (if what he told me was true) is nothing short of serious fraud.

Kavanagh always struck me as a player who could have done a job in the premeirship, its a good move for him regardless of the situation at CCFC

 

[oldham gull]

just goes to show how well we have done too, with all our financial restaints. We have come up through the league pretty much level with them all the way (apart from our blip season) and yet without any of the big spending that is now coming back to haunt them.

 

[Yorkie]

So much for Lawrence pledging yesterday that no player would be sold before Sat's game

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/4316105.stm

 

[rool]

After all the various Cardiff supporters who have come on here over the last three years gloating about how rich and massive they are and that the sleeping giant will be in the prem within 5 years at a gleaming new stadium I can't have too much sympathy yet.

Despite all that little Brighton has matched them in league status and play off wins and have two championships to boot.

that's gotta hurt

 

[Albion Dan]

I wonder where Taffy is these days?

 

[Wilts]

£10m a year wage bill

Thats about double ours...! Who on earth gets paid all that money!?!

 

[sullyupthewing]

I wonder if Hamman is still an honuary Welsham, somehow I doubt it.

 

[saafend_seagull]

Looks like they will be deep in the relegation battle if they lose him.

 

[rool]

So the sleeping giant opened his eyes, threw back the covers, farted, pulled them back and rolled over for a few more years sleep.

 

[GUNTER]

A fans take on the situation:

Financial Crisis? Administration? Not Looking Good

Going Bust?!By Chris O'Brien - March 2 2005

We can't draw conclusions how serious the problems are at Ninian Park. Yet with mounting debts, unpaid players, a team in relegation trouble and supporters being lied to; all is not well at Cardiff City Football Club.

Something is definitely wrong at Ninian Park. The media have sparked fears of a cash crisis as Sam Hammam calls in the auditors to sort out the woeful financial situation at Cardiff City. The more pessimistic supporters are discussing the prospects of relegation, administration or even bankruptcy and club ambitions of a new ground and Premiership football look a mere pipe dream.

The revelations started on Tuesday. Concerned employees of Cardiff City contacted the local press after they had not been paid. Sam Hammam and the club were quick to squash any rumours of a financial catastrophe. The blame was placed on a administrative error, everything was fine, and the players would wake up the next day to a nice boosted bank balance. There was a bad smell - with debts of over £30million, was this just an honest mistake?

24 hours later and fans can now see things are worse. We still don't know the truth, but reading between the lines of hurried press reports, the money troubles at Ninian Park are getting progressively worse. Hammam has drafted in auditors to study the financial problem at the club, jobs are set to be axed and, to boot, we have had another delay in the tedious "building" of our shiny new Leckwith stadium.

With a monthly wage bill of over £750,000, it is hardly surprising that the debt is mounting. Our highest paid player earns £12,000 a week, and though he remains a mystery figure, there is not one single player in the entire squad who deserves that kind of pay cheque. Staff have still not been paid, and the talk of a computer error would appear to be more lies. The club hope to have paid all staff by next week.

Information is sketchy. Conclusions cannot be drawn at this stage, but with auditors going through club finances with a fine toothcomb clearly the problems are getting worse. Hammam has gone against his word of offering £10million for team strengthening and has now told supporters all the spending must stop. Job losses look certain, and several of the playing staff look set to be on their way out of Sloper Road. Daniel Gabbidon, anybody?

Robert Page left for Coventry last week. The defender has been poor since his surprise move over the summer, and farming out the Welsh international will have cut a few thousand off the weekly outgoings. Who's next? Tony Warner, Tony Vidmar, Daniel Gabbidon. Just three of the names expected to leave at the end of the season. Big changes look likely to the squad, and City may have to rely on a talented youth side to add depth to a depleted roster next term.

As for the new ground, it's yet another delay. When Hammam arrived, he seemed to think the stadium would be ready to move into 14 months ago. A shovel has not yet dug a trench, and the farce rumbles on. The latest date plucked from the air suggests work won't begin until August with the 'grand' opening for the St.David's complex to be two years after that. However, it is clear we have more short-term problems to deal with than the possible New Ninian.

On the pitch, Sheffield United visit Ninian Park on Saturday. Fears are that many staff won't turn up for match day amid fears of not getting paid, but the club has assured them and all fans otherwise. The Blades will be battered and bruised after being taken all the way in an F.A Cup replay at home to Arsenal before losing on the lottery of penalties, but will the City players have the passion to perform. Putting bread on the table could be a bigger concern!

Something is being hidden, and not very well either. I've never believed the hype surrounding Sam Hammam and the cracks are starting to appear and are growing. Mounting debts, unpaid players, unpaid staff and a team slipping towards the relegation zone of the Football League Championship. We need answers and we need them soon.

 

[Bwian]

I hope it all ruins Hammam-he's a nasty little bastard and after his 'walkabout' amongst us a couple of years ago I lost any respect I might have had for him.

As for CCFC-they won't go out of business, there'll be somebody to take over if the slimeball bails out...

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

A fans take on the situation:


Our highest paid player earns £12,000 a week, and though he remains a mystery figure,

They have players on 12grand a week! That must cover 70% of our first team...

 

[Easy 10]

I'm more worried about Wigan acquiring Kavanagh and Forster in time for their visit to Withdean. A front line of Forster, Ellington and Roberts looks, um....scarey. To say the least.

 

[Bwian]

I'm more worried about Wigan acquiring Kavanagh and Forster in time for their visit to Withdean. A front line of Forster, Ellington and Roberts looks, um....scarey. To say the least.

Nothing to worry about...get Tank and Kerry nipping away at them early on and at least one of 'em'll get sent off

 

[Yorkie]

Are Cardiff likely to go into administration?