Cardiff fans hit back at Riza 'clueless' comments

Cardiff City manager Omer Riza has been called "disrespectful" for branding some of the club's fans "clueless".

Riza has come under pressure with Cardiff in the Championship relegation places with just four games of the season remaining.

Speaking before Friday's key game at promotion-chasing Sheffield United, Riza said he was aware of criticism, admitting: "I do read comments, I read all the comments from fans and unfortunately a lot of them are clueless."

Riza went on to qualify the comment and insisted there were a lot of "good fans" but it still prompted a backlash on social media, with Cardiff City Supporters Trust issuing a statement on Thursday.

Posted on X, it read: "Comments that fans are clueless are both disappointing and disrespectful given the need for everyone to be pulling in the same direction as Cardiff City battles to avoid relegation.

"Given the club's precarious position, the manager, indeed any manager, should expect to receive criticism from fervent supporters who are passionate about the future of our club. We hope Omer will reflect on his ill-judged comments."

Supporters had been audibly frustrated at Cardiff's most recent defeat, a 1-0 home loss to survival race rivals Stoke City last weekend.

With the Welsh club one point from safety – and inferior goal difference to many sides around them – Riza said he was aware of the severity of the situation and was ready to accept responsibility.

Comments regarding fans came following a question over the personal toll the pressures have taken on him during his first permanent senior management position, having replaced Erol Bulut in the Bluebirds dug out in September.

"It's something I need to be better at," he said. "I've got a family. I can be obsessed with the situation and knowing the importance of it and sometimes you can neglect your family, and ignore them at times. Then you reflect and think that shouldn't happen and as a young manager it's something I need to get better at.

"I know how important it is. It's a failure on my part if we go down. I have standards, I have goals, ideas about where I feel I can take this club.

"I do read comments, I read all the comments from fans and unfortunately a lot of them are clueless.

"That's what I've got to learn, I've got to learn to come away from that side of things so I can stay focused on what I am doing - because there are lot of good people out there, around the club, a lot of good fans and we've got to do this together. "

'Not a time for jokes'

Omer Riza has won nine, drawn 14 and lost 13 Championship games since replacing Erol Bulut as Cardiff City manager in September 2024

It is the not the first time supporters have picked up on comments from Riza, a subject he had addressed earlier in the press conference where he admitted he had tried to be more cautious with what he said.

The former Watford coach had previously described Cardiff's remaining games as cup finals, something he suggested had been mocked by some critics among the fanbase.

"That got turned into a joke – but this isn't the time for jokes or for people to take the mick out of the situation," he said.

"For me that's painful because it seems like any opportunity for people to latch onto something that is supposed to be a positive and turn it into a negative, that's not a togetherness.

"Whether it's a manager making mistakes, a player or some of the fans are disgruntled, it's about everyone pulling together.

"Every press conference I have, maybe a sentence is turned into something it shouldn't be and that's disappointing for me. I just want the best for the club. From the bottom of the my heart I want it do well because I'm part of it."