Cardiff City 2023-24 Championship season preview: Erol Bulut leads latest new era

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Erol BulutImage source, Huw Evans picture agency
Image caption,

Erol Bulut's playing career included spells at Fenerbahce, 1860 Munich and Olympiacos

The more things change at Cardiff City, the more they stay the same. A new season means another new manager and another new era.

After a 2022-23 campaign in which three bosses came and went, Erol Bulut is the latest man to take the reins in the Welsh capital.

Under Steve Morison, Mark Hudson and Sabri Lamouchi, Cardiff came close to relegation in the Championship last season.

Now, having overseen a promising summer in the transfer market, Bulut will be aiming to guide the Bluebirds to the higher reaches of the table.

In Aaron Ramsey, Cardiff have made one of the most eye-catching signings in Championship history.

And with the Wales captain back at the club where his illustrious career began, Cardiff fans may allow themselves to dream that better times lie ahead.

How did last season go?

Media caption,

Here comes the new season

Put simply, it was one to forget.

Ahead of Morison's first full season in charge, Cardiff's squad had undergone major surgery as 13 players came in and 10 left.

Despite some encouraging signs of a more progressive style of football early in his tenure, Morison lasted only 10 games in the 2022-23 campaign before he was sacked in September.

Former club captain Hudson was his successor but was dismissed four months later, leaving Cardiff one place and three points above the relegation zone.

Ex-Nottingham Forest manager Lamouchi then came in on a short-term contract and steered the Bluebirds to safety, with wins over Bristol City and Watford among the highlights.

Securing Championship survival was a grind, with Cardiff finishing the season in 21st place as the Championship's second lowest scorers.

All that mattered, however, was avoiding relegation, and Lamouchi fulfilled his brief. But after talks over a new deal broke down in May, the Frenchman departed and left Cardiff searching for a fourth manager in just eight months.

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What are their prospects this season?

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Aaron Ramsey played for Arsenal, Juventus and Nice before rejoining Cardiff

Speak to most Cardiff fans and you'll get a broadly positive view of the Bulut appointment.

The former Turkey Under-21s international may not be a household name having never coached outside his homeland but, having worked at Fenerbahce and Alanyaspor among others, Bulut boasts considerable managerial experience.

The 48-year-old seems encouraged by the quality of squad he has to work with at Cardiff and he has been pleased with the signings he has made so far.

Although a transfer embargo means Cardiff cannot pay fees for players, the club have made some shrewd free and loan signings such as forwards Yakou Meite and Karlan Grant.

Considering how blunt the Bluebirds were in front of goal last season - only bottom side Wigan scored fewer - improving the attack has been Bulut's primary target in pre-season.

The likes of Ramsey, Grant, Meite, Josh Bowler and Ike Ugbo should do that, while Greece centre-back Dimitrios Goutas will add to the depth in defence.

Making any prediction in the Championship runs the risk of making you look foolish but, with their transfer dealings and Bulut's appointment in mind, it would seem fair to expect that Cardiff will improve on last season's dismal display.

Manager Erol Bulut's view:

"Generally, our [pre-season] games that we played, they were good. The games in Portugal, I was very satisfied. We lost the games, but in general, what I want to see from the team, I saw it.

"What we give to the players, they put it on the pitch well, but we've missed the goals. We create a lot of chances, but have not taken them.

"Some players are still new... they are trying to adapt to the team. For the coming weeks, we have to manage much better, of course. This will come I think.

"Our ambitions have to be high, I put always my target on the highest level, I was always like this, so at least we will know what we are fighting for."

Transfers in

Aaron Ramsey (Nice, free); Yakou Meite (Reading, free); Karlan Grant (West Brom, loan); Ike Ugbo (Troyes, loan); Dimitrios Goutas (Sivasspor, free); Josh Bowler (Nottingham Forest, loan).

Transfers out

Mark Harris (Oxford United, free); Gavin Whyte (Portsmouth, free); Dillon Phillips (Rotherham, free); Tom Sang (Port Vale, free); Max Watters (Barnsley, free); Ollie Denham (Dundee United, loan).

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