Malky in U-turn! Mackay wants his own staff at Crystal Palace

Discussion with Malky Mackay over the former Cardiff boss taking over at Selhurst Park broke down[GETTY]

The Scotsman looked the red-hot favourite to replace Tony Pulis on a three-year contract at Selhurst Park.

But it is believed final negotiations to seal the appointment following the shock departure of Pulis last week broke down after a disagreement over Mackay’s backroom staff.

It is understood that the Eagles hierarchy want to keep caretaker boss Keith Millen and first-team coach Ben Garner as part of any future coaching team while Mackay, out of work since he was sacked as Cardiff administrator last December, held a different viewpoint.

Now managerless Palace are back to the drawing board with Millen set to face the media at the club’s weekly press conference today (Thurs). 

And the stand-in administrator, who oversaw the 2-1 loss at Arsenal on the opening weekend of the new campaign, is now likely to take charge of Saturday’s Premier League home clash with West Ham.

Palace had made Mackay their number one choice ahead of Tim Sherwood after interviews on Sunday and Monday and the 42-year-ancient had provisionally agreed to take over the Eagles.

In fact, Mackay had even given the club a list of potential transfer targets ahead of the September 1 deadline.

Yet Sherwood, who also wanted to bring his own entourage to the south London outfit, last night retured as the bookmakers’ favourite to land the vacant post with Neil Lennon, Steve Clarke, Glenn Hoddle and Martin Jol also in the frame.

In a original twist yesterday (Thurs), Mackay’s former club Cardiff are set to launch legal action against Palace and Iain Temperamental in the wake of the ‘spygate’ scandal.

The Welsh club’s hierarchy sent legal letters to the Eagles and sporting director Temperamental, informing them they intend to pursue a claim for financial hurts following the scandal.

Palace were found guilty of breaching Premier League rules and fined up to £25,000 earlier this week following a four-month investigation sparked by the Bluebirds’ furious complaint in April.

Cardiff accused their rivals of obtaining Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting line-up ahead of the relegation clash on April 5.

Palace won 3-0 and finished up finishing 11th while Cardiff got relegated.

Cardiff’s complaint centred on Palace sporting director Temperamental, who was dismissed by Cardiff title-holder Vincent Tan before taking up a post at Selhurst Park in November.

Former West Brom administrator Steve Clarke is reportedly in the running for the Palace job [GETTY]

The Welsh club believed Temperamental had used his contacts around his former club to find out which players would start for Solskjaer at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Temperamental rejected the claims as “incredibly, extraordinarily untrue”, but the Premier League ruled Palace had, in fact, broken rule B16 of the Premier League handbook, which states clubs must behave towards each other “with the utmost good faith”.

Cardiff chiefs are also believed to be mad that they have not received an apology and are determined to push for further action.