Cardiff are ready - Mackay

Malky Mackay is adamant Cardiff will have no hangover from their play-off heartaches as they prepare for West Ham.

The Bluebirds lost out to Blackpool in a thrilling Wembley final two seasons ago, before being downed by Reading at the last-four stage last term. The club, then under the guidance of former boss Dave Jones, had to watch as Welsh rivals Swansea took the tag of being the first side from the principality to make it to the promised land of the Premier League. But, given the major overhaul that took place last summer following Mackay's arrival, there are many in the squad who were not involved in those previous disappointments. And manager Mackay points to Cardiff's run to the Carling Cup final as proof that they can handle the pressure. "That's in the past, you have to take the individual games on their own merit," he said. "Last year losing Craig Bellamy against Reading didn't help and against Blackpool the year before they lost a striker who had got a lot of goals for them just 10 minutes in - Jay Bothroyd. "And Charlie Adam had one of those days where he put the ball in the top corner from 30 yards. That's the kind of thing you need to go for you to win a final. "But as far as we're concerned this is a group that has got to a Carling Cup final and taken a club like Liverpool all the way to penalties. That shows there's a strength in character here to enable us to handle a two-legged semi-final."