Cardiff City

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Cardiff City fan groups have united to call for an urgent meeting with the club's board to discuss the "current situation at the football club".

A dismal season thus far has led to fans becoming increasingly frustrated with the key decision-makers at the club, including owner Vincent Tan, chairman Mehmet Dalman, chief executive officer Ken Choo and non-executive director Steve Borley.

Following their final fixture of 2024, a 2-1 win at Watford, the Cardiff City Fan Advisory Board (FAB) issued a letter to the club's hierarchy on behalf of all official Cardiff City supporters' groups after stating "issues surrounding communication have not been addressed" since an open letter was published on 1 December.

In a letter addressed to Dalman, Choo and Borley, the FAB wrote: "As previously raised in an open letter (1.12.2024) the cycle of failure at the club continues apace with no clear plan or strategy evidenced in relation to improving and securing both the immediate and long-term status of the football club. The issues surrounding communication have not been addressed.

"Supporter unrest, frustration and apathy continues to grow and we face losing a generation of fans through neglectful management of our club.

"In another challenging season, facing the very real threat of relegation, there is an absence of a full-time director and a director who can make key decisions.

"The situation has been exacerbated by the continued silence and absence of our owner Sri Vincent Tan Chee Yioun. The club needs leadership, direction and clarity. Supporters deserve communication and reassurances."

Manager Erol Bulut was sacked in September after what was Cardiff's worst start to a season in 94 years - with the Bluebirds claiming just one point from their opening six leagues games.

Caretaker boss Omer Riza initially improved matters and helped Cardiff climb out of the relegation zone before being appointed as boss until the end of the season.

But a run of nine matches without victory prior to the triumph over Watford has ensured the Bluebirds will go into 2025 in the bottom three of the Championship.

Setting our their aims for the proposed meeting, the FAB outlined the following topics as key points for discussion:

• The short-term plan to secure the club's position in the Championship for next season and beyond.

• The credible long-term plan which outlines the exact specifics of how the club will break the cycle of failure and the preventative measures introduced by the chairman, CEO and board members.

• Communication to Cardiff City supporters from Sri Vincent Tan outlining his plans for the club.

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Omer Riza says Cardiff City may see "a couple" of injured players return to action in Sunday's Championship fixture with Watford (15:00 GMT kick-off).

The Bluebirds have been without a number of key players of late - with Aaron Ramsey, David Turnbull, Kion Etete and Isaak Davies among those who are out for the longer term.

Cardiff's form has suffered as a result, with Riza's side failing to win any of their past nine league fixtures.

But Riza hinted that his squad options could improve for the trip to Vicarage Road in Cardiff's final game of 2024.

"We might have one or two back, but it's not 100% guaranteed," he said.

"Whether they can start or not, I don't know whether they've got enough minutes in their legs in training.

"There might be a couple available."

Play-off chasing Watford host struggling Cardiff City at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Victory over Portsmouth on Boxing Day took the Hornets up to sixth in the Championship table, while a pair of late goals were not enough to rescue a point for the Bluebirds - who are second from bottom - against fellow relegation battlers Oxford United.

• Watford have lost their last three home league games against Cardiff City and have only won two of their last 11 against them at Vicarage Road (D4 L5).

• Cardiff City are looking to win consecutive league games against Watford for the first time since a run of three between March 2009 and March 2010.

• Watford haven't won their final league match of the year in any of the last three years (D1 L2) since beating Norwich 1-0 in 2020.

• Cardiff City have lost their final league game of the year in three of the last four years (D1) since winning 2-1 against Sheffield Wednesday in 2019.

• Watford are winless in their last four home league games against Welsh opponents (D1 L3) since beating Swansea 2-0 in May 2021.

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Jason Perry says his former club Cardiff City are in "huge trouble" following their 3-2 loss to Championship relegation rivals Oxford United.

The Bluebirds are winless in nine matches and slipped to 23rd after being beaten by Gary Rowett's side.

And Perry admits Cardiff deserved nothing after their performance against the Us.

"They're in huge trouble. Before the game we said it's a must-win situation," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"The frightening part about it, I don't think the board in particular and the players realised they were in a relegation fight. 

"You were playing one of only two teams below you going into the game. It looked like that in the opening minutes, neither side looked confident, the game stuttered.

"Then suddenly, old player of Cardiff City Mark Harris taps the ball home and everything changes.

"Second half it was all Oxford. They did get two goals at the end, but it flattered Cardiff.

"They were flat, below the tempo and they looked like a side that were going to get relegated."

Ex-Wales international Perry pointed the finger firmly at the club's board following Cardiff's latest away defeat.

"It stems from the board. Unless there's a change, there won't be a change on the field," he added.

"Cardiff City reinvent themselves every single time they appoint a manager because there's nothing to build from, there's no long-term plan, it's short and reaction. 

"Cardiff is a boom and bust club, because there's no leadership. The bust could be bigger than we've seen for a long, long time."

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Cardiff City saw two former Bluebirds score against them on Boxing Day, as they were beaten 3-2 away at Oxford United.

Striker Mark Harris and defender Ciaron Brown both scored for the Us, as did former Swansea winger Przemyslaw Placheta.

Harris joined the Cardiff academy back in 2015, and left the club on a first permanent move in July 2023 to join then-League One Oxford.

Former Cardiff midfielder Will Vaulks was also in the Oxford starting 11 on Boxing Day, as a trio of former players celebrated victory over their old club.

"We're all trying our best now for Oxford," Harris told BBC Radio Oxford.

"We were all at Cardiff and I'm sure the other two loved it there as much as I did.

"I can't thank them enough for how they treated me.

"I was there a long time, but we're focused on getting three points for Oxford now."

Having opened the scoring, Harris cupped his hand to his ear in the direction of the travelling Cardiff fans - but he said the celebration was in good spirits.

"I've had a bit of banter from them," added Harris.

"I gave a little bit back but it's just football, that's the way it goes.

"It's all about believing in yourself and working as hard as you can."

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Cardiff City boss Omer Riza says the Bluebirds' position in the Championship might mean they have to focus on the loan market in January with players reluctant to join a club battling relegation.

The Welsh club slipped to 23rd after a 3-2 defeat by Oxford United and are now three points adrift of safety.

Riza says he has had a recruitment meeting with the Cardiff board, but admits the club might struggle to attract the right calibre of signing on a permanent basis, with a focus on the loan market likelier.

"We've had a meeting and a shortlist is with the board and discussions are taking place. Hopefully we can move ahead with transfers," Riza told BBC Radio Wales Sport. "It's an important window.

"There are a whole range of scenarios that might occur with our position at the minute, some players maybe don't want to come to a club who are in the position we're in at the moment.

£Maybe we might only be able to get loans in, there are a whole range of obstacles in the way, but we are looking at back-up as well, players further down the list who might be able to come in and help us."

The Bluebirds are now winless in nine games, but Riza says he remains optimistic and has only had discussions about transfer plans with the owners, when asked if he retains their support.

"A win can change everything. It's proving hard to get it at the moment," he added.

"We are in discussions all the time about what we need in January.

"We are not getting results and when that is happening there are always going to be questions asked."

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Cardiff City defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott will join National League leaders York City when the January transfer window opens on a permanent transfer.

The 22-year-old made the loan move from the Championship club back in early September and has impressed for the Minstermen so far.

Fagan-Walcott made three senior appearances for the Bluebirds, having joined from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2023.

The defender also spent time on loan at Dundee in 2021.

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Omer Riza has described Cardiff City's meeting with fellow strugglers Oxford United as a game his side "need to win".

Cardiff will attempt to end an eight-game sequence without victory when they go to the Kassam Stadium for a meeting of two sides in the Championship relegation zone on Thursday, 26 December.

Oxford's form is miserable too, with the U's chasing a first win in eight and just a second in 17 matches.

Their poor run saw Des Buckingham lose his job earlier this month, with former Birmingham City, Stoke City and Millwall boss Gary Rowett taking charge of Oxford for the first time when Cardiff visit.

While all four of Oxford's league wins this season have come at home, Cardiff go in search of a first second-tier away triumph of the season at the 11th time of asking.

"Every game is a big game for us - whatever points we can pick up, that's what we need," Riza said.

"But this one, even more so. It's a big game. Two teams at the bottom trying to pick up points and it's one we need to win."

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While they are still to win on their travels this season, Cardiff have drawn their last three away games, at Stoke, Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Riza, whose side face a tricky trip to Watford next Sunday, says that despite their record, the Bluebirds have played better on the road than they have at the Cardiff City Stadium.

"Obviously the game state changes with opposition away from home because the emphasis is more on them to win," he added.

"Potentially we can pick up more opportunities to counter-attack. I do feel our away performances have been better than our home performances.

"We haven't won away from home. I know it's a problem and it's something we are trying to fix."

Oxford will be hoping to turn around their wayward form of late which has seen them drop to 23rd in the Championship.

Gary Rowett has arrived at the U's with the club currently on a seven-game winless run, losing six of those seven.

Not that Cardiff have fared much better - the Bluebirds themselves have not won in eight games and are just a place above Oxford.

• This is the first league meeting between Oxford United and Cardiff City since January 2000, in which the sides played out a 1-1 draw at Ninian Park.

• In all competitions, the last meeting between Oxford United and Cardiff City was in August 2011 in a League Cup tie, with the Bluebirds winning 3-1.

• Oxford have won their last three home league games on Boxing Day since losing 1-0 to Southend United back in 2018.

• Cardiff have won two of their last 23 league games on Boxing Day (D12 L9) and are winless in their last 10 since winning 2-1 against Crystal Palace back in 2012.

• Cardiff have lost their last two away Championship matches against newly promoted clubs, last losing three in a row in the league back in September 1991.

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Cardiff City's hopes of striking a blow in the scrap to avoid relegation from the Championship at Oxford United will be hindered, once again, by injuries within Omer Riza's squad.

The Bluebirds will target a first win in nine league games when they travel to the Kassam Stadium on 26 December (15:00 GMT).

Oxford are winless in their past seven matches – and have registered only one victory in 16 – but will hope to be boosted by the appointment of new head coach Gary Rowett, who leads the U's for the first time against Cardiff.

But any prospect of a boost from the treatment room looks slim for Cardiff, with manager Riza suggesting Joe Ralls and Callum O'Dowda are "probably doubtful" for the Oxford trip having missed last Saturday's home defeat to Sheffield United.

Perry Ng and Ollie Tanner will definitely be absent, though neither has yet been ruled out of Cardiff's game at Watford on Sunday, 29 December.

Chris Willock is doubtful for the two festive away trips after he came off during the Blades loss with a hip problem, while the likes of Aaron Ramsey and David Turnbull remain sidelined.

Isaak Davies and Kion Etete are building towards first-team comebacks having not featured all season, while Riza has confirmed Jamilu Collins has not been involved for selection reasons rather than any fitness issue, amid speculation that he could move on in January.

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Cardiff City have appointed former Coventry and Millwall defender Richard Shaw as assistant coach.

Shaw, 56, made over 150 Premier League appearances for Coventry between 1995 and 2001.

He went on to become caretaker manager of the Sky Blues in 2012, and held the same role at Millwall five years previous.

Shaw has since coached academy sides at Crystal Palace and Watford, where he worked alongside current Bluebirds manager Omer Riza.

Cardiff go into Christmas in the Championship's bottom three, and Shaw's first game with the Bluebirds will be on Boxing Day against fellow strugglers Oxford United.

Cardiff go into the game level on points with The Us, but one place higher on goal difference.

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Omer Riza admits there is "an element of pressure" on his Cardiff City side on home soil at present.

Kieffer Moore struck twice to earn league leaders Sheffield United a 2-0 win over his former club on Saturday as the Bluebirds fell into the Championship's relegation zone.

Defeat to the Blades leaves Cardiff winless in eight matches prior to the trip to fellow strugglers Oxford United on 26 December (15:00 GMT kick-off).

It was also Cardiff's seventh home league loss of the campaign, the most of any side in the division while their goal difference of -5 at Cardiff City Stadium is also the worst home return in the second tier this season.

"We're in a fight at the minute, and we need to get out of it," said Riza.

"Every mistake counts and that can lead to frustration, mistakes and nervousness.

"At home at the minute, I think there's an element of pressure there. The fans, maybe at the minute, the situation they're not happy with.

"They've got their opinions and they'll air their opinions and vent their frustrations.

"We can't do anything about it. All we can do is manage what we're managing.

"I can't control how the fans are. We want them to be happy and we want to perform so they're happy."

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Omer Riza says "togetherness" is key for Cardiff City as the Bluebirds head into a potentially pivotal spell in their season.

Cardiff host Championship leaders Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT) in the first of five league games in a fortnight.

After a seven-match winless run which has left Cardiff just a point above the bottom three, the hectic festive fixture schedule offers Riza's side a chance to pull clear of the relegation scrap.

The Cardiff boss says unity between his team, supporters and the rest of the club will be central to their hopes of putting together a positive run.

"I think the biggest factor for me is making sure everybody's together," he said.

"That's fans, that's players, that's the club - there has to be an element of togetherness. I think maybe the players have felt that a little bit at home and hopefully we can change that.

"We can only change that through our own performances. We have to be brave, play with confidence, enjoy what we are doing and pick up as many points we can."

After a flying start to the Riza era, Cardiff have banked only three points from seven games as they prepare to face the Blades, who arrive in Wales on the back of a 10-match unbeaten run.

"For me it's the best team I the league at the moment," Riza added.

"It will be a really tough game, but it's one we are relishing and one we feel we can do well in."

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Jesper Daland reckons consistency is key for Cardiff City as Omer Riza's side look to pull clear of the Championship relegation zone.

The Bluebirds host leaders Sheffield United on Saturday (15:00 GMT) after a run of seven games without a league win.

But Daland insists Cardiff, who are just a point above the bottom three heading into the weekend, are capable of avoiding a third relegation scrap in the last four seasons.

"We have a lot of new faces in the squad, including me, and sometimes it takes time," the former Norway Under-21 international said.

"I know it can be difficult for people around the club, the supporters, but I am in every day and I see the quality we have, I really do.

"I [also] know the ambitions of the club, so I am pretty calm about everything.

"When we are at the level, we know we can be really good. It's about showing consistency. I think in the end hopefully we can look back on a good season."

Thanks in part to injury, Daland has made only seven appearances since joining Cardiff from Belgian side Cercle Brugge in August.

But having played 90 minutes in last weekend's draw at Stoke City, the 24-year-old will hope to keep his place as Cardiff tackle the Blades.

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"Those are the games you want to play, against the toughest opponents," Daland added.

"It's a good chance for us to show what we can do. I think everyone in the locker room will be looking forward to it.

"If we take things from last weekend, I think we can make problems for them."

Riza made a spectacular impact after taking the reins from Erol Bulut in September, taking 14 points from his first seven games in charge.

But a 1-0 loss at Luton in early November marked the start of a dispiriting run that has seen Cardiff bank only three points from the last 21 on offer.

Daland has backed Riza, who signed a deal running until the end of the season earlier this month, saying: "He is very passionate, very hard-working. The way he sees football is very positive.

"I think we all enjoy [playing under] him. He does a good job and I think he is the right man in charge now."