Cardiff look to future after Malky Mackay departure says Ben Turner

Cardiff City defender Ben Turner says the players must move on after manager Malky Mackay's sacking in order to preserve their Premier League status.

David Kerslake, Mackay's assistant, took control for Saturday's 2-2 home draw with Sunderland.

But Turner says the players will stay focused on winning games while a new permanent boss is found.

"If we look back, we'll get relegated won't we? We have to look forward, that's what we want to do," he said.

"That's one thing the old manager would say, once the game's over look to the next one. Whatever's happened, you look to the next challenge.

"He would have wanted us to look forward and carry on. We're at the halfway point [of the season] and I think we're in with a good chance of staying up."

Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman has said he knows who he would like to appoint as the new manager and hopes to have that person in place as soon as possible.

Dalman has remained quiet on who that man is, but former Manchester United and Norway striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, currently in charge of Molde, is thought to be the favourite.

Turner, though, believes the players can't worry about who the new man will be.

"Obviously we'll have a new manager at some point but until then we're very comfortable with the staff who are here," he said.

"We haven't had time to digest that [Mackay's departure] because with the Christmas fixtures, it's been coming thick and fast and we've had to concentrate on the game.

"Maybe we'll have time now to digest what's happened over the last few weeks and then we move on to Arsenal away [on New Year's Day]."

Mackay was dismissed on Friday, following weeks of uncertainty that resulted from a falling out with owner Vincent Tan.

Turner, who was signed by Mackay for Cardiff from Coventry City in 2011, says he's focusing on the Bluebirds' Premier League survival campaign.

"Obviously the manager brought me here and showed a lot of faith in me, but at the same time nothing is forever in football and we have to look forward," said Turner.

"We're not in the know or we don't really know what has been going on. Now we know where we stand and the former manager is not with us anymore and we look forward from here."