Cardiff City

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It is almost time for Cardiff fans to start plotting journeys up and down the UK's motorway network and try to work out how the Bluebirds can better last season's 12th-place finish in the Championship.

The road ahead for the 2024-25 English Football League (EFL) season will become clear when the fixtures are released at 09:00 BST on Wednesday.

The regular season will begin on the weekend of 10-11 August and run until 3 May, 2025.

The 46 rounds of games in the Championship will be played across 33 weekends, nine midweek programmes and four bank holidays.

Boss Erol Bulut will be hoping to improve on the start to last season, when City let slip a 2-0 lead at Leeds on the opening day, and had to wait until their fourth game of the campaign to record a League win.

Fans will no doubt hope for a better finish to 2024-25, too, than the heavy defeats against Middlesbrough and Rotherham that spoiled the end of last season.

Cardiff will be joined by relegated Premier League sides Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton along with promoted Portsmouth, Derby and Oxford.

The Wayne Rooney factor brings added intrigue - the England legend is back for his third spell managing in the EFL.

Rooney was appointed Plymouth Argyle boss after they narrowly avoided relegation last season and will hope to make a good start after his disastrous spell in charge of Birmingham City last season where he won just two of 15 matches - one of which came at Cardiff City Stadium in mid-December.

All fixtures will be on the BBC Sport website and app as soon as they are announced.

The draw for the first round of the Carabao Cup will be held at 11:30 BST on Thursday.

A new £935m five-year deal between the EFL and Sky Sports means that 1,059 EFL matches are set to be broadcast - four times more than now.

Click here for more info on what to look out for in the Championship next season.

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Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut has added former Watford coach Omer Riza to his coaching staff for the upcoming season.

Bulut signed a two-year deal to remain as Cardiff City manager, a month after their 2023-24 Championship season ended.

Riza, a former striker, has spent the past six years as a coach at Vicarage Road having been involved in the academy from 2018 to 2023.

The Bluebirds have agreed deals to retain Nikolaos Karydas and Tom Ramasut as well as goalkeeping coach Mario Galinovic, but assistant coach Nadir Sonmez has departed the Cardiff City Stadium after one season.

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Cardiff City have confirmed their pre-season plans as they prepare for the 2024/25 Championship season.

Cardiff will play three games in the Welsh capital before embarking on a tour to Austria.

The Bluebirds will host Reading at the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday, 31 July in their final home friendly.

Erol Bulut’s side begin their pre-season against Kidderminster Harriers on Wednesday, 10 July before games with K.V Kortrijk on Saturday, 13 July and Penybont on Tuesday, 16 July with all three games scheduled for the Cardiff International Sports Campus.

Cardiff pre-season fixtures:

Cardiff City vs. Kidderminster Harriers, Cardiff International Sports Campus, Wednesday 10th July, 19:30 BST

Cardiff City vs. K.V. Kortrijk, Cardiff International Sports Campus, Saturday 13th July, 12:00 BST

Cardiff City v Penybont FC, Cardiff International Sports Campus, Tuesday 16th July, 19:30 BST.

Cardiff City vs. Reading, Cardiff City Stadium, Wednesday 31st July, 19:30 BST.

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Former Cardiff City striker Ross McCormack believes there is more to come from Scotland at Euro 2024.

Steve Clarke’s side responded to their thrashing by Germany in the tournament’s opening game by drawing 1-1 with Switzerland on Wednesday night.

McCormack, winner of 13 Scotland caps, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that Clarke’s men can improve again in their final group match against Hungary on Sunday.

“Last night was a lot better than Friday night, as the result suggests,” McCormack said.

“But I still think there’s more to come from this team, from what I have seen in the qualifying campaign.

“I am hoping they can put on an even better show on Sunday night and go into the knockout stages.”

McCormack, 37, scored 30 goals for Cardiff between 2008 and 2010 and was a popular figure with Bluebirds fans.

He also played for the likes of Rangers, Leeds United, Fulham and Aston Villa.

McCormack says Hungary “looked a decent outfit” during their 2-0 defeat by Germany on Wednesday, but is optimistic about Scotland’s prospects.

"If Scotland turn up and play to their potential, there’s no reason why they can’t get the three points," he added.

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Cardiff City have begun their recruitment planning for the season ahead after securing the future of manager Erol Bulut.

Bulut signed a two-year deal to remain as Cardiff City manager, a month after their 2023-24 Championship season ended.

Bulut's previous contract had been set to expire this summer after he took charge at Cardiff on a one-year agreement in June 2023.

Cardiff City chairman Mehmet Dalman, Bulut and the rest of Cardiff’s transfer committee had a meeting earlier this week to discuss potential recruitment plans.

Bulut is expected to return to Cardiff next week as the Bluebirds look to step up an overhaul of their squad.

In addition to incomings, Bulut has previously suggested he expects Premier League interest in defender Perry Ng and forward Rubin Colwill.

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Manager Erol Bulut says his goal is to manage in the Premier League and he hopes to do it with Cardiff City.

After finally ending speculation about his future by singing a new two-year deal to stay with the Bluebirds, Bulut has now revealed his lofty ambitions.

Speaking to SportBox, Bulut said: "To be honest, my goal is to become a manager in the Premier League and lead our team to success there.

"I hope I can achieve this with Cardiff this season.

"In the coming years, I can coach in the top league of the world with Cardiff and achieve more success.

"As I have always said, my goal has always been the highest level. Will I succeed? We will see it together."

Bulut took over last summer, finishing in 12th place in the Championship in his first season.

That was a big improvement on the relegation battles Cardiff had faced in their previous two campaigns.

But in the SportBox interview, Bulut also revealed some of the problems he faced when first taking over in south Wales.

"There was such an environment that when I started at Cardiff," he added, "our own players didn't want to renew their contract.

"There was such a troubled situation in the club that nobody wanted to renew the contract.

"We went to the [pre-season] camp in Portugal, we created a good atmosphere in the camp, there was a good atmosphere.

"The goal was to stay in the league at the beginning of the season.

"Suddenly the mood was 'Will we be a play-off team, will we make it to the Premier League?'

"We created such a situation. I hope we can build on it this year, too. If we make good transfers, we want to push for the play-offs."

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Cardiff City are expected to step up their drive for new players next week.

It has been a slow summer so far for the Bluebirds, dominated by the long wait for manager Erol Bulut to agree a new contract.

Fans and pundits have expressed concern that the delay would leave Cardiff lagging behind Championship rivals in their recruitment drive for next season.

It is believed Bulut is still on holiday at the moment, but when he returns he will sit down early next week with Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo to discuss transfer targets.

Bulut is likely to want several new players this summer, with at least one striker top of his list of priorities - no-one in the Bluebirds squad scored more than six goals in the Championship last season.

A defender or two is also likely to be on Bulut's shopping list as he looks to tighten things up at the back, too - only three other clubs conceded more goals than Cardiff (70, jointly with Plymouth Argyle) last season.

One player who has signed on for next season is third-choice goalkeeper Matthew Turner. The 22-year-old has signed a new two-year contract through until 2026.

Turner joined City in 2021 and has often been involved in first-team squads, working alongside fellow goalkeepers Ethan Horvath and Jak Alnwick last term.

Cardiff City famously reached the semi-finals of the 1967-68 European Cup Winners' Cup, eventually exiting the competition at the hands of Hamburg.

But the squad were welcomed home as heroes on their return to the Welsh capital after reaching the last four courtesy of quarter-final victory over Torpedo Moscow.

In this footage from the BBC archive, manager Jimmy Scoular and goalscorer Norman Dean gave their reaction to the result and the prospect of facing Hamburg.

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A former Cardiff City goalkeeper has received a surprise call-up to this summer's European Championships.

But he won't be making a shock appearance in Germany after being invited into England's camp as a training keeper.

Tom Heaton played 64 times for the Bluebirds across two spells under Dave Jones and Malky Mackay - including featuring in the 2013 League Cup final.

Now 38, the Manchester United three-cap international has linked up with the Three Lions to help support Jordan Pickford, Aaron Ramsdale and Dean Henderson during the tournament.

Heaton was a popular player during his Cardiff days having first arrived at Ninian Park on loan from United in 2008 to rival Peter Enckleman.

He then returned the following season, signing on a free transfer to battle for the Cardiff number one shirt with David Marshall, the former Scotland stopper who announced his retirement on Monday.

Heaton played his part in the club's history by making saves in the Bluebirds' League Cup semi-final penalty shootout victory over Crystal Palace, also saving from Steven Gerrard against Liverpool in the final before the Reds ultimately lifted the trophy.

Heaton then moved to Bristol City, Burnley and Aston Villa before returning to Manchester United, being included in England's Euro 2016 squad along the way.

He is now back in the England camp, under the watchful eye of another former Cardiff goalkeeper, Martyn Margetson, who serves as Gareth Southgate's keeper coach alongside his duties at Swansea City.

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Former Cardiff City goalkeeper David Marshall has retired at the age of 39.

He made 278 appearances for the Bluebirds, keeping 87 clean sheets and helping the Welsh club win the Championship title in 2012-13.

Marshall, who was signed by then boss Dave Jones from Norwich City in 2009, also impressed at Premier League level even though Cardiff’s top-flight stay only lasted one season.

The Scotland international was eventually sold to Hull City in 2016.

Cardiff described Marshall as one of their "all-time greats” on social media.

He also had stints at Celtic, Wigan Athletic, Derby County and Queens Park Rangers before returning home to Scotland in 2022 when he joined Hibernian.

Marshall is to stay on at Hibs as technical performance director under sporting director Malky Mackay, his one-time boss at Cardiff City Stadium.

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No news is not good news when it comes to the transfer market and football fans.

It has been a slow summer so far at Cardiff City, with the long wait for manager Erol Bulut to agree a new contract dominating the agenda in the first month of the close season.

Now, with Bulut’s new contract sorted, Bluebirds supporters are left waiting to hear about summer transfer business.

After all, there are a number of vacancies to be filled in Bulut’s squad.

With the start of pre-season training beginning to appear on the horizon, there is little sign yet of new faces arriving at the Cardiff City Stadium.

But it is not as if Cardiff are the only club in this situation.

In fact, the Championship transfer market has been remarkably quiet this summer.

You can almost count on one hand the number of done deals so far in the second tier.

With the transfer window officially opening later this week, perhaps a few more deals will start to materialise.

But many more will not happen until pre-season, while there will be the inevitable late rush before the window closes at the end of August.

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Cardiff City’s Rubin Colwill reckons the 2023-24 season was the best of his career.

Attacking midfielder Colwill, 22, scored three goals in 40 appearances as the Bluebirds finished in mid-table in their first campaign under Erol Bulut.

The Cardiff manager, who this week ended speculation over his future by agreeing a new contract, suggested last month that Colwill had taken a “big, big step forward” during the course of the season and that Premier League clubs were monitoring his progress.

Colwill, who is with the Wales squad for friendlies against Gibraltar on Thursday and Slovakia this Sunday, says he “enjoyed” his first year working with Bulut.

“It’s probably been the best season of my career so far,” Colwill told BBC Sport Wales.

“I’ve played in a lot of games and I feel I’ve improved.”

Colwill, who shot to prominence when he was named in the Wales squad for Euro 2020, has been troubled by fitness issues in the early stages of his career.

But the Cardiff academy product says he has “learned how to deal with injuries better”.

“I’m really enjoying my football at the moment,” he added.

“You get a lot of ups and downs while playing football – everyone does.

“Things seem to go better when you’re enjoying your football. I try to play with a smile on my face.”

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It may have been a long wait to end the uncertainty of Erol Bulut’s future, but Cardiff City’s manager has no time to waste when it comes to planning for next season – and beyond.

Bulut, 49, has finally been confirmed as the Bluebirds boss for the upcoming campaign after agreeing a new two-year deal this week.

It means Cardiff can now press on with a number of details looking ahead to the 2024-25 season - including plans for pre-season, which are understood to being finalised.

Similarly, Cardiff’s retained list is due shortly now that the manager is formally in position.

But there is unlikely to any groundbreaking news for supporters to digest when it is eventually released. There are only two senior players who see their deals expire this summer, and neither have figured prominently under Bulut so far.

Sheyi Ojo is out of contract having spent the past year at Cardiff’s ‘sister club’ KV Kortrijk, while 32-year-old Romaine Sawyers made only two league appearances – both from the bench – after being told by Bulut to find a club last August.

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So, as he returns to work in south Wales, the futures of others in his squad will be of greater significance to Bulut as he looks through his in-tray.

Because as it stands, Cardiff have 11 players who will see their contracts end next summer – including a number of key players.

That includes Wales captain Aaron Ramsey, 33, who signed a two-year deal when he rejoined his boyhood club last summer, although there are some suggestions there is an option for a further year.

Likewise, Bluebirds skipper Joe Ralls has a contract that - on the face of it - runs until next summer. But the fresh terms he penned in March includes a one-year extension based on appearances.

Bulut showed last year he is happy to plan ahead. He was quick to tie down Ryan Wintle, Mark McGuiness, Perry Ng and Rubin Coilwill who were all also among those who signed new contracts on the 49-year-old’s watch.

Jak Alnwick also signed for a further year last September, and has one more season left to run on that deal – although he is likely to now play back-up to January addition Evan Horvath.

And he may be tempted to wrap up a longer stay for centre-back Dimitrios Goutas, the Greek centre-back signing a two year deal when he joined in August 2023 before going on to make 37 outings in an impressive debut campaign.

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Elsewhere, Jamilu Collins has another year to run after his deal extended during a campaign where he made 41 outings following an injury-hit first year in south Wales.

With Cardiff’s attacking threat having been under scrutiny at times last term, it could be a key period for a trio of frontmen with the contracts of Callum Robinson, Yakou Meite and Kion Etete all due to run out in 12 months’ time.

Likewise, Mahlon Romeo – who made 18 appearances last term – is also out of contract in the summer of 2025.

There are already question marks over whether some will stay for the remainders of their deals, including Ebou Adams who enjoyed a successful loan spell at Derby County last term as they earned promotion back to the Championship and could be the subject of further interest from the Rams.

Fellow midfielder Andy Rinomhota, 27, also sees his deal expire in 2025 having been on loan last season as part of the Rotherham side relegated to League One.

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Former Cardiff City striker Robert Earnshaw has welcomed the end of the uncertainty surrounding Erol Bulut's future.

But he has warned the delay on reaching an agreement with the Bluebirds boss may have already caused harm to plans for next season.

Out of contract at the end of the season, Bulut is understood to have agreed in principle to remain at Cardiff City Stadium next season following five weeks of talks.

The club are expected to confirm the new deal in the coming days.

"Finally!," Earnshaw told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"There would have been interest [in him] because he's done an excellent job. He's stabilised the club; yes they finished in 12th but looking at the previous season to this season, [it was] way, way better.

"It was concerning because it's taken so long; we knew there were discussions straight after the season but it's been a worry.

"To be honest with you, I thought he was going to leave because it's taken too long and Cardiff City unfortunately are already behind...in their recruitment in preparing for next season."

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Earnshaw, who made more than 200 appearances for the Bluebirds across two spells, was among a number of former players who had expressed concern at the length of time it was taking to sort their managerial situation.

But he says 49-year-old Bulut now has the chance to build on the work of his first season in south Wales in what will be a milestone year for the club.

“They need to build," said the ex-Wales striker. "Cardiff City is a great football club, the fan base is great, there really is massive potential for Cardiff City.

"It is the 125th year so it is going to be huge but Cardiff City need to pick the right recruitment, the right players.

"If the manager stays now you’ve got a guy that’s going to be there and help build because Cardiff City need to build."

Earnshaw says he thinks Cardiff should now target promotion from the Championship, claiming play-offs would be a possibility.

He added: "Looking at the season last year it’s going to be difficult but Cardiff City have that potential.”