Cardiff City

Rob Phillips
BBC Wales Football Correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

And so history repeats itself at Cardiff City.

As was suggested in these columns last week this is a perilous time of year for Bluebirds bosses in the era of Vincent Tan.

Yet the departure of Erol Bulut was probably inevitable given Saturday's desperately poor 2-0 Championship home defeat to Leeds United – the final act under the former Fenerbahce boss, contributing to the worst start to a league season in 94 years.

After the Leeds reverse Bulut actually said he was not worried about losing his job. Maybe he knew the game was up.

On Sunday, chairman Mehmet Dalman – a key figure in the original appointment of Bulut last summer – had the task of telling the former Turkey under-21 boss his time in charge was at an end 111 days after agreeing a new two year contract.

Undoubtedly Bulut improved matters last season. But the protracted negotiations over a new deal suggested Tan had his reservations about his re-appointment.

So that made a good start even more imperative for Bulut this season. One point with just one goal scored in six Championship games ensured Tan’s patience was tested beyond breaking point.

Thankfully the parting of the ways was delayed until the day after the commemoration of the late former Cardiff and Leeds favourite Sol Bamba.

It’s fair to say Bulut’s achievement last season in lifting the club to a palatable mid-table position and what looked like a promising summer transfer window had raised optimism among some of the Cardiff faithful, many of whom had been critical of the perception that the club had dragged their heels in contract negotiations.

There had always been some qualms and complaints over Bulut’s largely defensive set-up. Cardiff, rightly or wrongly, are traditionally seen as having an 'in-your-face' approach.

Set-pieces, fighting to the end for smash-and-grab victories and making the most of limited chances was the formula which worked last season.

This season, Bulut said he wanted more control of possession. But a chronic lack of pace undermined any attempts to turn Cardiff into a more attacking force.

The continuing injury woes of Isaak Davies, who does have pace, and Aaron Ramsey, have been major blows, allied to Bulut’s reluctance to give a run to the flair of Rubin Colwill.

And if some players have downed tools on Bulut, then they are duty bound to pick them up again now he has gone. We shall see.

Certainly the support of the fans home and away has been the one constant. They deserve better.

Last season may too often have been boring to watch, but supporters were prepared to put up with that in order to avoid the relegation worries of the previous few years. In this campaign there has been no such solace.

So what now? Well, there is no stability and probably won’t be under Tan. That has been clear throughout his tenure.

Off the field with the improved academy facilities and a new training ground ever closer, things are developing.

For some time, the club has been crying out for a director of football, but that appears a long way off – not least because that person would probably go the same way as a clutch of managers if results were bad.

As is the way with Cardiff in recent times, Omer Riza – who joined the coaching staff in the summer from Watford – will get the chance at the helm while a search is underway for a Bulut successor. If Riza does well, he could even get the job to the end of the season.

But despite the table position, the reputation of the owner and the general uncertainty at Cardiff there will be plenty of interest in the manager's job.

Dalman nailed his colours to the Bulut mast, but after this experience may take a back seat on the next appointment with more responsibility on the shoulders of chief executive Ken Choo.

Frankly, money is best kept firmly in pocket over possible successors given the situation at Cardiff City.

All you can say is – they have plenty of experience of seeking someone to take the hot seat during the autumn.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City captain Joe Ralls has urged his team-mates to give "absolutely everything" in Saturday's game against Leeds United as a tribute to their former skipper Sol Bamba.

Bamba died last month aged just 39 having been taken ill while working as technical director for Turkish club Adanaspor.

The former centre-back captained Cardiff and Leeds, and Saturday's game will be an opportunity for both clubs to remember the hugely popular Ivorian.

“Horrible circumstances obviously, incredibly sad, but Sol was one of the most positive guys I’ve ever met in my life," said Ralls.

"It’s important we attack the day, attack the game in that nature, in his nature. I think that’ll be everyone, fans, players, everyone coming to the ground on Saturday, should have the same intention.

“Going out there and giving absolutely everything you’ve got with that shirt on your chest just like Sol did every time he stepped on the pitch for this club.

"That’ll be the message for the boys, and we’ll want to go out there and give a performance we’re sure that he’d be proud of, it’s important we do that."

Cardiff are in the midst of their worst start to a season for 35 years, bottom of the Championship with just one point and a solitary goal from their five matches so far.

Ralls hopes the emotion of Saturday's game against Leeds - and the chance to remember Bamba - will galvanise the Bluebirds.

"We’ve got our own stuff going on obviously, we need to get our season up and running, with the added thing of remembering Sol on that game, it’d be perfect for us to turn our fortunes around on that game," the midfielder added.

"First and foremost your thoughts go to Chloe, Sol’s wife, his girls, and his family and loved ones, we send our condolences always to them.

“Sol was brilliant. We had tough times with Sol and he was always there, I think we’ve just got to stick together as a team, and as a group of players."

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City fans have been giving us their views amid speculation over the future of manager Erol Bulut.

The Bluebirds boss is under pressure after failing to win a Championship game so far this season, the latest being a 1-0 defeat at Derby County.

Cardiff are currently bottom of the Championship table.

Benj: We seem to be the only club in the Championship that doesn’t know how to score goals. It’s been like this for years now. Really don’t understand what’s being coached. I’ve no idea what the solution is but it seems like Erol doesn’t either. Time for a change.

Tom Mander: What is going on behind the scenes? Where were the likes of [Callum] Robinson and [Yakou] Meite from the squad at Derby? Why [Perry] Ng off? We've lost our set-piece prowess with no [Mark] McGuinness and until we revert to either a 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 and get bodies in the box, we'll continue to flounder. [Rubin] Colwill too wasteful in his passing. [Emmanouil] Siopis is not up to the physicality of the Championship.

Ivor: Erol Bulut is not to blame. Look at the real evidence. Managers changed continually. Look how Bulut rescued City from relegation to finish mid-table in his first season. It has been the selling and loaning out players since that has let City down each time. The new and cheapest latest players brought in have failed to gel. [Owner Vincent] Tan and the directors are to blame.

Ray: We can get rid of our manager, change players every couple of years, stay in the lower half of the Championship for 10 years, maybe a relegation along the way, but until you change the money men at the top that is the way it's going to be.

You can send us your views here, external.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Cardiff City’s miserable start to the new Championship season ensured a number of disgruntled Bluebirds fans appeared on BBC Radio Wales’ Call Rob football phone-in over the weekend.

There was a feeling of cautious optimism before a ball was kicked this season after Cardiff handed manager Erol Bulut a new deal – eventually – on the back of a year of progress in 2023-24.

Cardiff’s summer transfer work was generally welcomed, yet a return of one point from the first five league games of this campaign has darkened the mood significantly.

Here is some of what the callers had to say:

Paul: It’s the running of the club. We signed this [Roko] Simic guy who went to Vincent Tan’s other club (Kortrijk). Erol Bulut is saying it’s nothing to do with him, it was the board. Well if the board are signing a player, what’s Erol Bulut doing?

I don’t understand why you’d run a club like that.

I just don’t know what’s going to happen. I know we’re only five games in, and we’ve got one point and conceded 10 goals. I’m worried it’s going to go deja vu again. We’re going to sack Bulut, get another manager and it’s back to deja vu again.

We need a director of football - we’ve needed a director of football for years. I know the players need to perform, but how can you perform when the club's not run well?

Anne: What I didn’t like was that at the end [at Derby County on Saturday], when the boys were coming up to clap all the fans, there was a hell of a lot of booing going on.

With Bulut he’s had his time. I know we’ve all said it’s still early in the season so let’s see, but at the minute I’m feeling really done with it. There’s no confidence in this team at the minute. There’s nothing motivating them at all.

Tony: We are definitely not a team, we’re a side not a team. It’s like these players don’t know what they’re doing in training.

Paul: Total disaster from the first game of the season. You know me, I’ve been following them a long time, and there’s something wrong. I think it’s coming from upstairs and it’s affecting the playing on the field.

You can sack the manager but that won’t solve anything. There’s something drastically not right there.

When it comes to transfers, we’ve been wanting a centre-forward ever since Steve Morrison was here.

Image source, Getty Images

Alan: Do you think Bulut’s the man? I don’t think so, I don’t think he’s up to Championship level. I was one of those at the end of last season, I rang in and said I think Bulut should go, definitely don’t give him a contract.

I’ve got a name for you I would like to see back managing. He knows the Championship, he did well with a low budget at Preston, and that’s Ryan Lowe.

Dai: We should get rid of [Ken] Choo, [Mehmet] Dalman and [Vincent] Tan. We haven’t been a successful club since 2018. We’ve got to keep Erol Bulut.

If you get rid of the manager, then all of Erol Bulut’s players, the new manager might not like them, and we’ll be back to square one with a revolving door.

Rhys: It’s groundhog day isn’t it? You might as well just record this programme and play it cyclically every six months.

Image source, BBC Sport

Cardiff City's miserable start to the Championship season continued as they were beaten 1-0 at Derby County on Saturday.

There was optimism in the summer about the campaign ahead on the back of Cardiff's progress under Erol Bulut last season, plus the club's close-season recruitment work.

But that positivity has rapidly disappeared on the back of a sorry run to open up 2024-25.

Cardiff have taken only one point from their first five league games, with their solitary Championship goal so far securing that draw in the derby at Swansea City.

The Rams defeat came after losses against Middlesbrough, Burnley and Sunderland.

There has already been some media speculation about Erol Bulut's future, with the pressure on going into next weekend's home game against Leeds United.

What do you think? What is going wrong at Cardiff? Where can the side improve? Should Erol Bulut be given time to turn his team's fortunes around?

You can send us your views here, external.

Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts believes Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut is at risk of the sack after another Championship defeat.

Saturday's 1-0 loss at Derby County means the Bluebirds are still yet to win a league game this season.

More: Bulut avoids media after Cardiff's worst start for 35 years

Erol Bulut opted against speaking to the media following Cardiff City's 1-0 defeat at Derby County.

The Bluebirds boss is coming under increasing pressure having overseen four defeats and just one draw from his side's opening five Championship matches of the 2024-25 campaign.

BBC Sport Wales' Simon Davies discusses Bulut's situation following Cardiff's loss to the Rams.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Manchester United defender Will Fish is set to come into contention as Cardiff manager Erol Bulut fulfils his promise to ring the changes for Saturday’s clash with Derby County, at Pride Park.

Fish, 21, was signed just before the transfer deadline for a fee which could rise to £3m with add-ons.

The centre back has yet to feature in the Cardiff squad this term.

But the Bluebirds are without Norwegian defender Jesper Daland, who is still recovering from a leg injury which forced him off just before the interval of the 2-0 home defeat by Middlesbrough in Cardiff's last game before the international break.

Experienced Greek international Dimitrios Goutas was Daland’s replacement against Boro, but manager Erol Bulut has confirmed Fish will be an option available to him.

“He can also be with us, he trained fully with us. When we need him he will be there,” said the Cardiff boss.

Wales captain Aaron Ramsey will be another absentee at Pride Park, having returned from international duty with a hamstring issue.

But, more positively for Bulut, Cardiff club captain Joe Ralls is available again after a hip problem which has sidelined the midfielder since the 5-0 defeat at Burnley, on 17 August.

Even without the injury problems, Bulut had vowed to make changes as he looks to belatedly kick-start Cardiff’s Championship campaign.

Cardiff are bottom of the table, winless in the league with just one point and one goal scored in four Championship games.

Immediately after the defeat by Middlesbrough, Bulut insisted he would change his line-up in search of the elusive first league win.

And the international break has not diminished his desire to take decisive action on his starting XI.

He said: “There will be some changes. On Saturday you will see it. I have to do something.

“We've had four games, it's good to have the control we had, but if you don't win a game and you don't score many goals how it should be, then you have to change something.

“I think it was enough games for many players who played from the start and now there has to be some changes to see some other players if they can deliver what we expect.”