What Mick McCarthy really thought of Cardiff City and the question he refuses to answer
Mick McCarthy said he "loved" his time at Cardiff City and was left disappointed by how his second season turned into a "nightmare".
McCarthy took over following Neil Harris's sacking in January 2021, with Cardiff struggling at the wrong end of the table, having gotten into the play-offs the year before.
And the former Republic of Ireland manager galvanised the team and took them on a late charge up the table, which saw them flirt with the play-offs from an incredibly unlikely position at the mid-point of the campaign.
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He began his tenure with an 11-game unbeaten streak, however his second season saw him lose eight games in a row - a disastrous start to that campaign which saw him sacked by the October in the same year. But, looking back, he remembers his time at the club with fondness.
"I loved it! I did. Yes. It was great," he said on this week's episode of Undr The Cosh, hosted by ex-Cardiff striker Jon Parkin.
"The first season we went from 17th to seventh and we just missed the play-offs. And then we didn't do too much recruitment, there were lads coming out of contract and my second season was a nightmare, to be honest with you.
"But I loved it. It's a great place and a great club. The fans were brilliant, until you're leaving and like everyone else... well, the results were rubbish, so I deserved it.
"But the club is fabulous."
There was, however, one aspect of his time at the club he refused to answer. When Parkin enquired about working under Vincent Tan, McCarthy was abrupt in his response. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
"I'm not saying anything about that," he replied curtly.
McCarthy, like all City fans, was disappointed the way the second season panned out. But, as he rightly puts it, there is a reason why every manager since he left has had their struggles.
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"It was unusual," he said of some of the off-the-pitch stuff. "I had to go into the prayer room once and I did it out of respect for what they believe in, but I said, 'Look, I'm a Catholic so we will leave that alone now.'
"That kind of stuff was different. But the club, and the players who were there at the time, were terrific.
"I was really disappointed, you always are when you get the sack, of course, but because the first season was brilliant. It looked like it was all going to be going well, but there were a load of players coming out of contracts, no one was renewing contracts, so it was difficult.
"And it looks like it's been difficult for everyone who has followed me since.
"I was treated by great respect by Vincent Tan at the top and everywhere else. Not always the way I would do things, but we have all got a difference of opinion on that."
