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Mathew Davies

Cardiff City transfer news as Bluebirds want 'attack-minded' boss and ex-City manager admits he'd have sacked himself

These are your Cardiff City headlines on Sunday, January 22.

Cardiff want 'attack-minded' boss

The Sun report Cardiff want to appoint an "attack-minded boss" and that the new candidate will have to back up his credentials with stats.

The Bluebirds are into the second week in their hunt for a new manager after sacking Mark Hudson immediately after the defeat to Wigan Athletic. Another loss at home to Millwall has heightened the need to get a new permanent boss in place, especially with the transfer window closing in nine days' time.

READ MORE: Cardiff City have a week to save their season and secure their future after dark day

Whoever the new man is, he will have to show he plays front-foot football to the City hierarchy. They have been inundated with applicants.

The print report states: "Cardiff want to get an attack-minded boss - and will need to see the stats to prove it.

"The Welsh club are being swamped by candidates but a major demand is that the next boss can show his previous teams managed a lot of shots in games."

Sam Allardyce remains top of the bookies' list after emerging as favourite for the job on Friday, while Neil Warnock is second at 2/1.

Latest odds via SkyBet:

Sam Allardyce - 1/1

Neil Warnock - 2/1

Valerien Ismael - 7/1

Liam Manning - 9/1

Darren Moore - 14/1

Chris Hughton - 16/1

Dean Whitehead - 16/1

Leam Richardson - 16/1

Sol Bamba - 18/1

Dean Smith -20-1

Whitehead shouldn't be in job running

It was another bruising weekend for Cardiff on and off the pitch, with the Bluebirds going down 1-0 to Millwall at home to push them further into relegation danger.

Before the match protests were staged with fans voicing their discontent towards the board and owner, with the club managerless and in a downward spiral.

Dean Whitehead is currently in interim charge as Cardiff look for their third manager of the season, but to hand him the keys permanently would be a serious error, according to our Bluebirds expert Glen Williams.

He wrote in a passionate editorial: "Saturday must represent a line in the sand. Dean Whitehead said a new striker was close to joining the club, while a managerial appointment must be made sooner rather than later - to afford the new boss ample time to work with the squad ahead of their next league game in a fortnight's time.

"Those two additions should add least serve to spark some optimism into this evermore bleak campaign. They need more, too, more creativity and more ideas.

"Whitehead speaks well and his post-match analysis is pretty bang on the money, but under no circumstances should he be afforded the keys to this vehicle, which wouldn't pass as MOT in its current state. The responsibility of hauling this club out of its current quagmire cannot fall on another rookie.

"Cardiff need a manager with experience in getting teams out of this situation. Or at least someone with any experience at all, unlike Whitehead, or Mark Hudson and Steve Morison before him."

McCarthy would have sacked himself

Former Cardiff City boss Mick McCarthy says he would have "sacked himself" as Bluebirds boss following his dismal run at the end of his tenure in south Wales.

McCarthy was this week named as Blackpool's new manager, with the Tangerines dispensing of Michael Appleton's services with the club struggling in the Championship.

It's the veteran's first job back in football since his City sacking in October 2021 after he lost eight matches on the spin, something which left him completely taken aback.

He said: “I’m still surprised and shocked by that, it’s not normal. I made a few mistakes in that run. I think I went a bit too negative but there were mitigating circumstances. I’d have sacked myself after eight games without a win.”

On returning to the dugout, he said he knew it was time when he was "jet washing the jet wash".

“This came totally out the blue, I had no clue at all on Monday, no idea," he added. "It’s unbelievable how quickly things change in football, absolutely ridiculous the nature of it all. I’m really excited about it. It’s great to be back in the game and great that someone thinks you can do a job.

“It’s the same every time you get a new job, that buzz. I’ve loved spending time with my family but you miss being around it and Blackpool is a great club.

"Besides, on Sunday I jet washed my drive and I think it was a case of jet washing the jet wash. That probably told me it was time to get back in.”

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