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Cardiff City Owner Vincent Tan Calls British Media 'Racist,' Threatens To Quit

EPL club Cardiff City Owner Vincent Tan has branded the British press "a little bit racist" after their criticism of his tenure in Wales, but insists he will only leave the Premier League club if the fans "p*** him off," according to James Orr of the London INDEPENDENT. The Malaysian's time in Cardiff "has been shrouded in controversy." But in an interview with BBC Sport, Tan "believes he has the backing of 90% of the Bluebirds supporters," and said that he is no "villain." Tan claimed that "his family want him to leave the struggling club." Tan said, "Right now at this point of time, I will stay, unless the fans really p*** me off so much, then I will leave." Despite receiving complaints from the Bluebirds' faithful over his decision to change the club's color, Tan said there is "no way" he would change it back. Tan: "There is no way I will change it back to blue under my ownership. Perhaps they can find an owner who likes blue and buy me out. Sure, he can change it to blue after that. I'll go somewhere and do another red club" (INDEPENDENT, 2/28).

TALE OF TWO WORLDS: The BBC's David Ornstein wrote a long-standing interview request "was granted when Tan agreed for me to visit him in Kuala Lumpur on Founder's Day," an event held annually since '11 to honor his business and charity work through Berjaya Corp. -- the conglomerate he established from scratch in '84. It is not until you spend time with Tan in his homeland that you realize "just how sharp a contrast there is between the perception of him" in the U.K. and Malaysia. Cynicism "gives way to celebration, anger to admiration, ridicule to respect and protests to parties." Tan "could hardly be more popular in his native country; it is a very different picture in Cardiff." Tan: "When a manager does well they're applauded, when they don't do well they get the sack. Football is a tough world. Those who watch enjoy it -- for everybody else there are a lot of challenges." These "are challenges to which Tan is not accustomed." In his other businesses, "he is used to succeeding and what he says goes." In British football, "he has encountered a new culture and unfamiliar obstacles." He "is clearly still coming to terms with it all." Whether people like him or not, "Tan let me throw any question in his direction and answered each one that did not relate to the legal case" between Cardiff and former Manager Malky Mackay. He "did not impose any time restrictions, attempt to sway our coverage or ask to know what material we would be using." Love him or loathe him, "he was simply speaking his mind." In the U.K. and Malaysia, "it seems, he will continue to split opinion" (BBC, 2/28).

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