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Cardiff owner Vincent Tan takes a gamble on West Ham's wayward winger Ravel Morrison

The former England Under-21 international has become a peripheral figure at Upton Park under manager Sam Allardyce

Matt Lloyd
Wednesday 24 September 2014 00:03 BST
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Ravel Morrison tweeted he had joined Cardiff on loan but any deal for the winger is yet to be finalised
Ravel Morrison tweeted he had joined Cardiff on loan but any deal for the winger is yet to be finalised (AFP/Getty)

The chaotic reign of Vincent Tan at Cardiff City took yet another twist when the West Ham United player Ravel Morrison announced on Twitter that he was moving to the club on a three-month loan.

Ultimately, all moves have to be sanctioned by Tan, the Cardiff owner, and the decision to bring in Morrison is a gamble by the Malaysian businessman, as the 21-year-old is due in court in January accused of various charges including threatening to throw acid in the face of his ex-girlfriend, Reah Mansoor, and arrange to have her killed.

The former Manchester United and England Under-21 winger has become a peripheral figure at West Ham, and manager Sam Allardyce, like Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, has found Morrison impossible to handle.

Morrison tweeted: “Happy to get a 3 month loan @CardiffCityFC time to start playing football again.” Cardiff refused to comment officially, though privately club officials expressed surprise that the player had “jumped the gun”. A deal is expected to be completed later in the week.

Morrison was not present for Cardiff’s Capital One Cup tie at home against Bournemouth.

More ominous still for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s successor, who will be Cardiff’s third manager in less than 10 months, is the involvement of the club’s hierarchy in the decision-making.

A four-man transfer committee was established after the bitter fall-out with former manager Malky Mackay. The club condemned the transfer policies of Mackay and head of recruitment Iain Moody, claiming to have lost £8.5 million in six months on Denmark striker Andreas Cornelius alone.

With Scott Young and Danny Gabbidon now in temporary charge following Solskjaer’s departure last week, it is general manager Ken Choo, chairman Mehmet Dalman and, ultimately, Tan who have identified, spoken with and, it appears, signed Morrison.

The winger may provide the pace that Cardiff have missed this season with Craig Noone injured, Craig Bellamy retired and Jordon Mutch sold to Queen’s Park Rangers.

Morrison’s loan may even pave the way for a permanent move from Upton Park, pending the outcome of his court case.

He could make his Bluebirds debut against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, by which time the Welsh club hope to have Solskjaer’s successor in place.

Leyton Orient manager Russell Slade remains the favourite, having been nominated by Glenn Roeder, who has become a confidant of Tan’s and who is expected to become director of football.

Whoever takes over at Cardiff City will try to succeed where Ferguson and Allardyce failed in getting the best out of Morrison.

Morrison is also alleged to have threatened to blow up his his 19-year-old ex-girlfriend’s house during a campaign of harassment against her. He was bailed after a preliminary court appearance last month, when he denied all the charges against him.

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