Cardiff City

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Cardiff City interim manager Omer Riza says he "needs to see more" from striker Wilfried Kanga.

The 26-year-old was left out of the Cardiff squad for the first time in the Championship on Wednesday evening, as youngster Michael Reindorf was given a spot on the bench.

Kanga, a summer loan signing from Hertha Berlin, has failed to score for the Bluebirds in 13 appearances so far this season.

"I need to see more," said Riza.

"He has failed to score and create and it has been tough for him, but at the same time when you come on you have to make an impact.

"I know it is difficult, but there has to be hard work and endeavour.

"I'm sure he will come back with the same positive attitude and character he has to get back in the squad."

Cardiff were beaten 2-0 at home by Queen's Park Rangers on Wednesday night, as they dropped even closer to the Championship's bottom three.

QPR striker Zan Celar - who had also not scored all season - fired in a wonder strike in the first half, before a deft chip after 91 minutes sealed the game.

"Wilfried started the first five or six games, and I think there is an element that players are frustrated to have not played in the system we play now," added Riza.

"There have been conversations about trying improve. Today was purely about giving someone else [Reindorf] an opportunity."

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Former Wales striker Malcolm Allen believes Cardiff City should consider appointing Steve Cooper as their new manager.

The former Swansea boss has just been sacked by Premier League side Leicester City after less than five months in charge.

The Bluebirds currently have Omar Riza in interim charge following Erol Bulut's dismissal two months ago, but Riza's future remains unclear.

"He's got a point to prove," Allen told the Coridor Ansicrwydd podcast when asked about Cooper.

"He comes from the area, his family all live in the area.

"He needs to find a club where he's got more power than what he had at Leicester, and I think Cardiff would be perfect for him.

"The only problem he has is that Leicester City will continue paying him until he finds another club."

Cooper was in charge of Swansea City for two years between 2019 and 2021 where he led them to the Championship play-offs twice.

And former Wales midfielder Owain Tudur Jones believes his time in charge of Swansea would make it difficult for him to take over at Cardiff.

"I can't see Cooper going to Cardiff," said Jones.

"After being manager of Swansea would you go to Cardiff? I don't think so."

Image source, Rex Features

Omer Riza's record as Cardiff City's interim boss remains impressive, but more of the same is required if the Bluebirds are to pull clear of the Championship relegation scrap.

Riza has secured 15 points from his 10 games since Erol Bulut was sacked in September.

Nevertheless, Cardiff have lost momentum heading into what may prove to be a key run of fixtures, starting with Wednesday night's home game against Queens Park Rangers.

Riza won four and drew two of his first seven matches at the helm, which represented a spectacular upturn in fortunes after Cardiff banked just one point from the first 18 available this season under Bulut.

Since that impressive sequence, however, Riza's side have taken only a point from three games, with defeats against Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers before last weekend's draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

Bottom-club QPR head to Wales having registered just one win all season, at Luton all the way back on 30 August.

Since then there have been six draws and six defeats for Marti Cifuentes' team, who have not managed so much as a goal in their last four away games – the club's longest such sequence in 16 years.

After Rangers' visit, Cardiff go to Coventry City before two more home fixtures, against Watford and Preston, then a trip to Stoke City in mid-December.

There are opportunities ahead, therefore, for Cardiff to haul themselves towards mid-table – and for Riza to stake a renewed claim for a permanent contract.

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QPR will have to at least match the level of their performance against Stoke at the weekend to claim a result in Cardiff on Wednesday, says boss Marti Cifuentes.

The R's had 23 shots to Stoke's nine in the 1-1 draw at Loftus Road, with Zan Celar missing a penalty for the home side.

The Bluebirds had just one point at the end of September but went on a six-game unbeaten run and are currently one point above the relegation places, though they are without a win in their last three.

The Hoops are bottom of the table with just one victory from their first 16 league games.

"It's a talented team, I was a bit surprised how they started the season," Cifuentes told BBC Radio London.

"But that shows how tough and how ruthless is this league. They've got a group with many experienced players in this division, with some other additions who are talented players.

"I'm sure they have the level to improve in this table and it's true that with a change of manager, they got a good reaction and they're a difficult team. The way they play attacking-wise they've got talent and quality players.

"They're a team that's competing really well at the moment and we need to be ready to at least play the same level as we did against Stoke to get something from the game."

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Queens Park Rangers were sorry to see Chris Willock depart when, with his contract up, the winger signed for Cardiff City in the summer.

Willock looks set to face his former employers for the first time when QPR travel to the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday night.

Assuming he features, Willock may hope a Rangers reunion can spark an upturn in form.

The ex-Arsenal youngster scored 20 goals in 144 appearances across four seasons at Loftus Road, with the seven strikes he managed in 2021-22 his best return in one campaign.

Yet Willock has scored only once to date in a Cardiff shirt, in the 5-0 victory over Plymouth in October.

He has played 14 times for the Bluebirds - though there have only been six league starts to date - but was left on the bench in last weekend's draw at Sheffield Wednesday.

In July, shortly before Willock signed a three-year deal at Cardiff, QPR chief executive Christian Nourry issued a statement saying that after "several months" of contract talks, the former Benfica player had decided to move on.

Nourry added that it was "no secret" that Rangers "would have liked to have found a way to continue the adventure" with Willock.

Five months on, Rangers are bottom of the Championship while Cardiff, who are only five points better off, are hoping Willock will have a greater impact as the season unfolds.

Image source, BBC Sport

Bottom side QPR travel to fellow strugglers Cardiff City on Wednesday night in search of a first win since 30 August, when they beat Luton 2-1 at Kenilworth Road.

That is still the only victory of the season so far for the Hoops who are without a win in the 12 league games they've played since (D6 L6).

Marti Cifuentes' side drew 1-1 at home to Stoke on Saturday, while the Bluebirds also drew 1-1, at Sheffield Wednesday, and are 21st in the Championship.

• Cardiff City are looking for consecutive league wins over QPR for the first time since January 2008.

• Queens Park Rangers have won three of their past four away league visits to Cardiff, winning 2-1 last season.

• Cardiff have won four of their five home league games under Omer Riza (L1), though they did lose their most recent such game against Blackburn 3-1.

• QPR have failed to score in their past four away league games (D1 L3); they last endured a longer such run in December 2008 in the Championship (eight games).

• Cardiff's Callum Robinson has been involved in four goals in his past four home Championship games against QPR (one goal, three assists).

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Saturday's hard-fought 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday was enough to lift Cardiff City out of the Championship’s relegation zone.

On Wednesday the Bluebirds have a golden opportunity to put further daylight between themselves and the bottom three.

Queens Park Rangers arrive in the Welsh capital propping up the table with just one win all season – although they do have a habit of drawing.

QPR hold a joint league record with Luton Town for the most draws this season at eight.

But Cardiff boss Omer Riza said: "We're just looking at ourselves, it's so early in the season still and there are so many points to play for.

“Obviously the teams that are in and around you, it’s important that you get those points, which we did against Plymouth and Portsmouth."

"If we had won [on Saturday] we would have been on level points with Sheffield Wednesday, it wasn’t to be, but we go into Wednesday now with a not bad performance, a resilient performance, and hopefully go and try and get three points."

Asked if Cardiff were looking down the table or up the table, Riza replied: "We're in a position now where if we win games we move up pretty quickly and that's what we're looking at.

"Obviously if you lose games you stay where you are, so hopefully we get through to January in a stable position and then we can kick on from there."

Image source, Rex Features

Cardiff City interim manager Omer Riza expects to remain in charge for Wednesday’s home Championship fixture against Queens Park Rangers.

Riza’s long-term future remains uncertain despite meeting Cardiff owner Vincent Tan in Malaysia last week, having overseen a significant improvement during his two months at the helm.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Sheffield Wednesday took Riza’s points tally to 15 from 10 games following Erol Bulut’s sacking.

That is in stark contrast to Cardiff’s opening six matches under Bulut which yielded just one point, the worst start to a season in the Bluebirds’ history.

Asked if he expects to be in the dugout against QPR, Riza said: "I don’t think anything will change that quickly. That’s down to the board now to comment on that. We’re preparing like we need to."

Wednesday dominated Saturday’s encounter at Hillsborough, so Riza was pleased his side could hold on for a point having lost their previous two matches before this month’s international break.

"It’s really important whatever points you can pick up away from home, whether it’s one point or three points, it’s always good for you," he told BBC Radio Wales.

"Coming off the back of two defeats, it was important we showed resilience. Hillsborough is a tough place to come and they’re a good side.

"They attack well, they’re fluent in their attacking if you allow them the ball and we did that too much today with our own possession. We turned the ball over and weren’t clinical enough in our passing as we have been.

"It’s a shame to concede a goal so soon after [taking the lead] but we’ve come away with a point, and we can build on that moving on to Wednesday."

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Joe Ralls believes his former Cardiff City captain Sean Morrison has a bright future as a coach – but does not think his playing days are over just yet.

Morrison, 33, enjoyed a successful nine-year spell at Cardiff between 2014 and 2023, helping the Bluebirds win promotion to the Premier League in 2018.

The centre-back has been without a club since leaving Rotherham United at the end of last season.

Although he has not yet retired, Morrison has been coaching with Cardiff’s youth teams in an unofficial capacity.

"I think he’d be a great coach," said Ralls. "I think he could still play as well. I know he’s still keeping his options open and working hard, training individually to keep himself fit.

"I speak to him every day, he’s a great mate of mine. He’ll be great at whatever he puts his mind to. He’s done a bit of [television punditry] work with Sky too."

On Morrison’s work with Cardiff’s youth teams, Ralls added: "From our point of view if we had Sean Morrison with the youngsters, helping them in terms of what’s expected of them at the club, what’s needed to make a career in the game, there would be nobody better.

"He’s been there and done it at this level. He’s been a great player and captain for this club so the fact he’s around the city and if he can be around the young players and help out in that way, then great.

"He’s keeping his options open and there’s still the possibility he could play. Whatever he does, he’ll do well."

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Cardiff City midfielder Aaron Ramsey has suffered a setback in his bid to return from a hamstring injury.

The Wales captain, 33, has not played since sustaining the injury during his country’s Nations League win in Montenegro in September.

Having originally been scheduled to be back playing after two months, Ramsey had returned to training with Cardiff before the new problem occurred.

"Aaron has picked up a slight problem as well with the injury so it might be a bit further down the line," said the Bluebirds’ interim manager Omer Riza.

"We’re waiting for the medical team to clarify that. We have to be guided on that."

Striker Kion Etete, who has not played at all this season due to a hamstring injury, has also seen his return date pushed back.

"Kion had a little setback in the Brentford game [friendly during this month’s international break] so he’s been put back a couple of weeks. That was more cautionary," said Riza.

But there is better news for forward Callum Robinson and midfielder Joe Ralls, both of whom are fit again and in contention for Saturday’s Championship trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

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A couple of Cardiff City's international players have returned to Wales having had similar experiences during the final break of 2024.

Manolis Siopis, of Greece, and the Republic of Ireland's Callum O'Dowda return to club duty having each been part of heavy defeats to England.

Midfielder Siopis played 82 mins of Greece's 3-0 home loss to England last Thursday.

That result meant England were in pole position going into the final round of matches in Group B2, and they pressed home their advantage in a 5-0 mauling of O'Dowda's Irish side at Wembley last Sunday.

O'Dowda played the first 67 minutes against England, having played the full 90 in the Republic's 1-0 win over Finland last Thursday.

Siopis, meanwhile, came on for the final 15 minutes of Greece's 2-0 win over the Finns on Sunday.

There was only one other Bluebird on international duty during this break, Wales' Rubin Colwill.

The attacking midfielder is enjoying a positive season at club level, but he was left on the bench throughout the draw in Turkey and home victory over Iceland.

Luca Muzzupappa
BBC Sport Wales

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Cardiff City return to Championship action at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday hoping to claim a first away win since early April.

The Bluebirds are back in the relegation places after their revival under interim boss Omer Riza was halted by back-to-back defeats prior to the international break.

With pressure on once more, this weekend would be the ideal time for Cardiff to improve their underwhelming away record.

Just three of the 15 points Cardiff have banked in 2024-25 have come away from home.

They are one of only six clubs in the three English Football League (EFL) divisions who are yet to win on the road in the league this season, with only Oxford United and Plymouth Argyle (two each) claiming fewer away points than the Welsh side.

Cardiff are without a victory in seven league games on their travels this season, but the winless run stands at nine including the tail end of last season.

The last time Cardiff waited this long for an away success at the start of a campaign was in 2019-20, when they triumphed at the 10th time of asking at Nottingham Forest in late November.

Despite the slow start outside Wales, they finished that season in the Championship play-offs.

Sheffield Wednesday will look to make it successive home wins on Saturday having overcome Norwich City in their last game at Hillsborough, though they had gone three matches without winning on their own patch before that.

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Cardiff City Women survived a scare in the Bute Energy Welsh Cup second round against Cascade before winning 2-1 with a late Molly Kehoe goal.

Megan Waite put the Genero Adran South side ahead just before the half-hour mark.

Cascade had knocked out Cardiff's fellow Adran Premier team Cardiff Met in the Genero Adran Trophy round of 16 last week and another upset against a top-flight side looked in the offing.

But midway through the second half Nieve Jenkins bundled home the ball following a corner to bring Cardiff level, before Kehoe grabbed a dramatic winner deep into time added on to clinch a place in the quarter-finals.

Bute Energy Welsh Cup second round

North

Felinheli 0-10 Wrexham

Llandudno 0-6 The New Saints

NFA 0-8 Aberystwyth Town

South

Cardiff City 2-1 Cascade

Johnstown 0-3 Pontypridd United

Caldicot Town 2-2 Barry Town United (Barry win 4-2 pens)

Penydarren 1-11 Briton Ferry Llansawel

Carmarthen Town 0-3 Swansea City

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There is no word yet on how productive – or otherwise – Omer Riza's talks with Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan have been this week.

Riza has flown to Malaysia to meet Tan and discuss the future for Cardiff, where he has been in interim charge since the dismissal of Erol Bulut on 22 September.

Tan could not be accused of rushing into a decision on who should be Bulut's permanent successor – and this is not the first occasion on which he has taken his time over a big call.

As it stands, in fact, Riza has not waited as long as Mark Hudson did to find out if he would get the Cardiff manager's job on a permanent basis.

Hudson was placed in caretaker charge on 18 September, 2022 following the departure of Steve Morison.

It was not until 14 November – 57 days later – that the former Bluebirds captain was appointed manager on full-time basis.

As it stands, Riza's spell at the helm has lasted 54 days.

Morison was another who initially stepped up to be a manager on a temporary basis, after the sacking of Mick McCarthy in October 2021, yet the former Wales striker needed only 20 days to convince Tan he was worth a permanent deal.

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Of course, it did not end particularly well at Cardiff for Morison, who departed in October 2022, while Hudson was dismissed just two months after being handed a permanent deal.

There have been other caretakers during Tan's 14-year spell with the Bluebirds.

Dean Whitehead took the reins after Hudson left but made way for Sabri Lamouchi after 13 days.

A decade ago, Danny Gabbidon and Scott Young were made joint-caretaker bosses following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, lasting 17 days before Russell Slade took charge at the Cardiff City Stadium.

And in the 2013-14 season, David Kerslake spent a mere six days holding the fort after Malky Mackay's exit before Solskjaer was appointed.

Tan's decision on the way forward was swift on that occasion, but that has been the case less often in recent years.

Image source, BBC Sport

We asked for your views on Cardiff City's managerial situation and plenty of you have had your say.

Should the Bluebirds make interim boss Omer Riza their permanent manager? Perhaps they should they stick with the temporary arrangement in place since Erol Bulut left the club in September, or should they look elsewhere?

There could be some news in the pipeline after it emerged that Riza has travelled to Malaysia for talks with Cardiff owner Vincent Tan.

Here are some of your opinions on the current situation.

Andrew: Great improvements under Riza, but need to see a response to two losses now and the goals have dried up again. Suggest wait until after Christmas, and if still positive then offer a one- or two-year contract with another year based on performance, but let Riza know this is the plan.

Jack: Give Riza the chance now.

Mary: Yes, keep him. Tough on players to keep changing managers with different styles and expectations each time.

David: Without doubt Riza should get the job!

Chris: The inertia is damning. Either give the guy the job or appoint someone else. Make a decision!

Robin: While this man has been in charge we have seen a vast improvement in City’s performances. Yes we have lost two, and 1-3 at home [to Blackburn last weekend] is not good. But who are we going to bring in? The board have failed with everyone they have brought in, sacked all of them. Give the man a chance, the players all like him, give him the job for this season.

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Mike: Should give Riza until January transfer window then decide based on his results and future thoughts for transfers etc. The team are definitely playing better but still room for improvement.

Martin: Time for change - Mark Robins for me.

Tom: The silence from the board has become deafening. Full credit to Omer for what he has done in the interim, in difficult circumstances, not helped by key injuries. Can the board please make a decision and communicate this to us stakeholders? The club need to be planning ahead for the January window - continued uncertainty is doing none of us any good.

Phil: A decision needs to be made one way or another so everyone, particularly Riza, knows where they stand. The club has treated him appallingly and [it] is indicative of the shambles that is Cardiff City. No plan, no strategy, no communication. It's no wonder that fans have voted with their feet and attendances have fallen off a cliff.

Darren: I think Riza has done enough to get the job until the end of the season. The players seem to trust and enjoy his methods. A new coach would have to get to know the players and figure out what we need in the transfer window in January. Riza probably has ideas already in place and irons in the fire. Omer Riza is the right man for the job.

Clive: Either give Riza the job now or get Mark Hughes in.

Edge: I think it would be better to make a decision one way or another now for everyone, team and fans. The football style is much better now to watch.

Image source, Getty Images

Rod: Whichever way we twist, the manager needs some decent investment in the squad. We have three strikers who need moving along and need more firepower to complement Callum Robinson. Any new appointment is doomed to fail without this and bringing through talented academy players is imperative too.

Jordi: Under Riza, we look like we're finally playing flowing, attacking football for the first time in a while. We got our biggest win in six years under him when we beat Plymouth 5-0, the players like him and he's got a good reputation with the fans. As a passionate season ticket holder, I say keep him around, we surely can't do any worse than before!

Iain: The board have taken far too long to come to a decision and it is undermining all aspects of the club, from fans to players and the staff. Based on this inability to decide they should take the simple and perhaps easier option and give the job to Omer until the end of the season and then review. It may not work out but it would end the uncertainty.

Viv: Riza should stop talking about whether or not he’s retained and get on with job. It’s hard without a fit, consistent striker, and with a poor subs' bench, but in that Blackburn game we were as bad as under Bulut.

Jarrad: I think they should give Riza the job until the end of the season and evaluate from there. Performances and results have been far better, and players like him and seem far happier than they were under Bulut. Reports have already suggested the Cardiff hierarchy have been underwhelmed by available candidates so let’s just stick with what we’ve got

Dave: I strongly believe City should appoint Mark Robins, who is available. He has an impressive track record having led Coventry from League Two to the brink of Premier League status. He was also close to beating Manchester United in the FA Cup last season. He’s made these achievements on a relatively low budget. Go get him Vincent Tan. This is an opportunity not to be missed.

Another international break, another fortnight of uncertainty for Omer Riza and Cardiff fans.

Unless, of course, Cardiff use this two-week window to make a call on Riza after nine games as their interim manager.

Give him the job on a permanent basis? Or keep him in limbo for the time being to see how he does over a longer period of time?

It was beginning to look like Riza's job to lose after six games unbeaten and a huge improvement in performances from his predecessor, Erol Bulut.

But have back-to-back defeats against Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers spoiled the 45-year-old's chances of landing the job full time?

After the Blackburn loss, Riza admitted he does not know if he will still be in charge come the end of the break, saying he will “prepare as I normally would” ahead of the trip to Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November.

Some pundits, including former Bluebirds striker Nathan Blake, say Cardiff need to make a decision now on whether to stick with Riza or head in a different direction.

However, Ian Walsh believes owner Vincent Tan should hold fire on the decision, saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

What do you think about Riza's position, Cardiff fans? Does he deserve a decision one way or another? You can have your say by sending your views here, external.

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Alex Robertson's international future appears to be the subject of considerable debate in Australia right now.

The Cardiff City midfielder is missing from the Australia squad for World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in this international break.

Robertson has been capped twice by Australia, though he is yet to feature in a competitive game and is therefore eligible to switch allegiances to a different country.

The 21-year-old could represent Scotland as he was born there, while he also qualifies for England and Peru.

Australia boss Tony Popovic has said Robertson made himself unavailable for this month's games, adding that it is down to the former Manchester City youngster to change that.

Australian international forward Kusini Yengi, meantime, has said this week, external his former Portsmouth team-mate is "confused" about what he wants – but added that he remains hopeful Robertson will wear the Socceroos jersey again.

It seems it is up to Robertson, who has impressed since joining the Bluebirds in the summer, to decide what happens next in his international career.

While the player makes up his mind, Cardiff will surely see it is a boost that he is with them preparing for a trip to Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November, as opposed to travelling to the other side of the world and back.