McCarthy, 61, was appointed on Friday after Neil Harris was sacked in the aftermath of a 1-0 defeat to QPR.
The former Wolves, Ipswich and Republic of Ireland boss takes charge of a side that finished fifth last season, but have now lost five straight league matches (six in all competitions) to languish 15th in the Championship table pre-weekend.
But Kightly, who played under McCarthy at Wolves, says his old boss will make the Bluebirds a far tougher nut to crack.
“First and foremost, he’ll bring stability,” said the 34-year-old, who also played in the Premier League for Burnley.
“Like Sean Dyche, he’ll start from the back. He’ll stem the bleeding and it’s not just about the back four. It’s defending from the front, getting your wide players in the right positions. Making sure your two central midfielders block balls into strikers.
“Knowing Neil Harris as I do, I’m disappointed to see him go. But in Cardiff’s situation, there’s nobody better out there at the moment.”
Kightly says Cardiff’s players will also enjoy the experience.
This story is from the January 24, 2021 edition of The Football League Paper.
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This story is from the January 24, 2021 edition of The Football League Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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