Cardiff City

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Cardiff City are launching a new ‘Former Players Association’ to help commemorate the club’s 125th anniversary.

The club says it wants to recognise former male and female players and "reconnect" them with supporters, in addition to celebrating the club’s landmark year.

The Bluebirds have also asked for "expressions of interest" for a representative of the club’s women’s team to join the interim board of the new association.

Already on the board are former Bluebirds Roger Gibbins, David Giles, Lee Jarman, Gary Bell and Damon Searle, as well as club medical director Len Noakes and historian Terry Phillips.

Cardiff City CEO, Ken Choo said: “We are delighted to help support this initiative to reconnect our former players with the club.

"These legends and icons are part of Cardiff City’s rich history, and their contributions will be forever valued.

"We want them to feel welcome and that they will always be a huge part of our club.”

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Cardiff City have completed their first signing of the January window after confirming a deal for Japanese defender Ryotaro Tsunoda.

But the 24-year-old will not be available to manager Erol Bulut this season having immediately joined Belgian side KV Kortrijk on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan is also majority shareholder at the Pro-League side.

Bluebirds boss Bulut had revealed earlier this month the deal had been agreed but the paperwork has been finalised, with Cardiff saying the loan move is aimed at allowing Tsunoda to gain experience of football in Europe.

Tsunoda can play at both left back and the centre of defence and has been part of the Marinos side that qualified for next month's AFC Champions League knock-out stages.

He was called into the Japan squad earlier this season but the former youth international missed out on a cap through injury.

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There's been no cup run to get excited about for Cardiff City fans this season, so how about reminiscing of glories past instead?

An FA Cup third round exit against Sheffield Wednesday means no tie for Erol Bulut's side this weekend, but the League Cup takes centre stage before the fourth round action.

It includes Championship Middlesbrough aiming to maintain their advantage in the second-leg of their semi-final against Chelsea tonight.

If they do, they'll become the first team outside the top-flight to reach the final in 11 years.

And the first Championship team since 2012 - when Cardiff met Liverpool at Wembley, as referenced in a look at the seven non-Premier League sides to reach the final since 1991.

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Cardiff lost out in a rollercoaster final having first taken the lead through striker Joe Mason.

Martin Skrtel forced extra time before Dirk Kuyt put Liverpool ahead, only for Ben Turner to equalise and send the game to penalties - prompting the big defender's shirtless celebrations.

Anthony Gerrard's penalty miss handed Kenny Dalglish's side the trophy but it remains a memory to look back on and smile.

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Cardiff City defender Oliver Denham has returned to the club after his loan spell at Dundee United was ended early.

Denham, 21, agreed a season-long loan with the Scottish Championship side.

But he has now returned to the Bluebirds after making just two competitive appearances for the Tangerines.

Dundee United said it was a mutual agreement with Cardiff to terminate the loan with immediate effect.

Denham, who has previously been called into Rob Page’s Wales squad, broke into the Cardiff first-team in 2021 under his former Under-21 manager Steve Morison.

It included an FA Cup appearance at Anfield against Premier League Liverpool.

But after seven outings in his maiden season, Denham made just one appearance last year ahead of his move to Scotland where his only minutes came in Scottish League Cup fixtures in July.

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Former Cardiff City No.1 Alex Smithies has seen his career ended early by injury.

The 33-year-old had spent the past 18 months at Leicester after leaving the Bluebirds at the end of his contract.

But he failed to make an appearance for the Foxes after moving from south Wales, with the club confirming he has "regrettably been forced to call time on a 17-year playing career, external."

Smithies had made almost 400 appearances for Huddersfield and QPR before he was snapped up by Neil Warnock in a deal worth £3.5m following Cardiff's promotion to the Premier League in 2018.

The former England youth keeper failed to oust Neil Etheridge as first choice in his debut season at Cardiff City Stadium, but was a regular between the sticks from then on.

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He helped Neil Harris' side reach the Championship play-offs in 2020 and wore the gloves for the Bluebirds 100 times during his four-year spell, also playing under Mick McCarthy and Steve Morison.

But his time in the Welsh capital ended when he opted to move closer to his home with the Bluebirds unable to agree a new deal as they cut their wage bill.

It also saw Morison drop Smithies before the end of the season to give understudy Dillon Phillips game-time.

Smithies' final outing for Cardiff was far from a happy memory; the 4-0 south Wales derby win for Swansea City in 2022.

That would ultimately be the final game of Smithies' career.

Erol Bulut’s revealing interview with BBC Sport Wales has certainly got Cardiff’s fanbase talking, with many hoping the Bluebirds boss stays in his role.

Supporters on BBC Radio Wales’ Call Rob Phillips programme gave their thoughts on Bulut’s revelation that he could leave the club if he feels he’s not supported by the club’s board during the January transfer window.

“I thought the interview was explosive to say the least,” said Steve from Barry.

“We all know things haven't been right down the city since October, something has gone on behind the scenes.

“You can see Bulut is under pressure, maybe from above, and he’s obviously disgruntled with the lack of investment.

“But the manager does tweak throughout games, the tactics and formation, and players don't know what formation they’re playing. There’s no pattern to the play at Cardiff City.

“Listening to that interview, reading between the lines, it looks like the manager has had enough. I’m a big Cardiff fan, I've been going since 1966, and the football has been abysmal”.

Paul from Cardiff is also unhappy with recent performances but hopes Bulut gets support:

"He was promised money in January, pre-season we signed good players that no one had heard of and I thought we would have built players around them,” he said.

“I think the biggest problem with Cardiff at the moment is midfield, it’s shocking it is.

“A lot of my friends are big Cardiff fans and they said if we can finish in the top ten at the end of the season they’d bite your arm off.

“The way the manager spoke he's as frustrated as we are. Between now and next week, a lot is going to happen at that club one way or another”.

Former Wales striker Iwan Roberts says manager Erol Bulut needs the support of the Cardiff City board in the January transfer window.

Bulut has cast doubt on his future at the Championship club following his comments after their 3-1 defeat by Plymouth that he's "not happy about many things" during the transfer window.

"I'm not surprised (by Bulut’s post match comments)" Roberts said on BBC Radio Cymru's Dros Frecwast programme

"It’s been a quiet month so far for Cardiff. The fans had been hopeful they could bring a striker into the team. Right back defender Perry NG is the Bluebirds' highest goal scorer this season, and he only has five goals, and you wouldn’t have expected that from him.

"Aaron Ramsey is nearly fit, but the man (Bulut) needs help. They’re currently on a disappointing run: they’ve lost three now in a row, have lost four of their last five, and nine of their last 14. It’s pretty obvious Erol Bulut needs help and that’s the problem. They’ve scored one goal or less in their 15 of their 28 games, and it’s plainly obvious where the squad needs to strengthen."

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Former captain Jason Perry has described Cardiff City's hierarchy as a "circus" amid concerns Erol Bulut could leave the club.

Following his side's 3-1 loss at Plymouth Argyle, Turkish boss Bulut stated he was not happy with "many things" at the club.

He went on to suggest he would have to consider his own future with the Bluebirds.

And former Wales and Cardiff defender Jason Perry feels the club's owner Vincent Tan should not have publicly declared his intentions to back Bulut in the January transfer window given the club's inability to bring any players so far this month.

"I've been saying it for years, Erol Bulut is finding out what every manager finds out when they step into the hotseat of Cardiff City... it is a circus above you, and there in itself is the problem at Cardiff City, and it will not change," Perry said on BBC Radio Wales' Call Rob.

"I was at the game working with [BBC Sport Wales football correspondent] Rob Phillips when Rob interviewed Vincent Tan. Vincent Tan said he was going to give the manager money in the January transfer window, play-offs he was talking about.

"I came back with negatives. That does not give me any confidence, I wish he wouldn't talk, you'll cause more harm than good.

"January is a difficult time to spend your money. You know if you're going to spend in January, you're going to pay over the odds. It isn't a secret.

"If you're not prepared to do that, you don't get your players. So if you're not going to do that, don't say anything."

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Nathan Blake feels Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut's "hands are tied" given the club's failure to bring in any players so far during the transfer window.

Bulut has regularly stated his desire to add to his squad in the winter window, although with two-thirds of January now gone, Cardiff are yet to sign a player.

"The manager has been talking about bringing in players in the January transfer window since early December, maybe late November," Blake said on BBC Radio Wales.

“You try and keep those cards close to your chest but I think it’s probably as a result of trying to convince the owner to do some business.

“He’s probably come in with the assumption that, come January, we’ll make the squad a bit stronger and move forward. He’s trying to embed himself in the club while progressing, but it’s just not happening.

“He’s blindfolded, his hands are tied. He’s not sure what’s happening."

Blake's comments come after Bulut said"some things have to change" at the club following Cardiff's 3-1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle.

“Where does he go from here? The next step is ‘I have to start questioning myself and my own future’," added former Wales and Cardiff striker Blake.

“I’ll still maintain, I think he can get more out of this team. These players earlier on in the season were doing far better than what they’re doing now, and I don’t think they’ve really improved from a coaching perspective.

“But at the same time, if he doesn’t feel he’s getting backed or the club has a plan to move forward, then it’s almost ‘what’s the point?’ and I think that’s what you’re hearing from him now.

“He’s starting to question whether it’s worthwhile for him to be here because there doesn’t seem to be any sort of plan in place."

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Erol Bulut says Cardiff City can boost their Championship play-off hopes with victory at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday despite issues with injury and illness.

Bulut suggested on Thursday that he will have only 15 senior players available for the trip to Home Park.

Joe Ralls has joined Aaron Ramsey and Callum O’Dowda on the sidelines, while Rubin Colwill and Callum Robinson are doubtful for this weekend.

Cardiff have lost loan signings Ike Ugbo and Jonathan Panzo this month – and are yet to bring any players in despite Bulut’s continued pleas for new faces.

Nevertheless, the Cardiff boss says his team will set out to claim only a second win in their last six matches in all competitions against a Plymouth side who took a point in the Welsh capital on 26 December.

“We played them a few weeks ago at home. We should win that game in my opinion,” Bulut said.

“I think even though our squad is now smaller and we don’t have many players, we should go to Plymouth to take the three points - only focusing on winning three points.

“It is possible to do it, even with the squad we have right now.”

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Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut says he would happily sign Ryan Kent – but believes the Fenerbahce winger is attracting interest from Sheffield United.

Ex-Rangers star Kent, 27, has struggled at Fenerbahce since joining the Turkish club last summer and is being tipped for a January return to British football.

Cardiff have been touted as one of the clubs interested in the Oldham-born player.

“I read that, so if you ask me if we want him, immediately I would sign him,” Bulut said.

“From my side it would be no problem, but I know he has some other offers.

“I hear Sheffield United are interested in him, so then we don’t need to continue to speak about it because we cannot make [the deal] done when a Premier League club is chasing him, or another club where he can get more, or the deal can go quicker than what we would have to do.

“But if we could have the possibility, you can be sure [we] will go for it.”

Axel Tuanzebe is another of the many players linked with Cardiff this month, but Bulut played down talk that he could move for the Ipswich defender.

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Winger Josh Bowler says seeing Aaron Ramsey back in action would be "massive" for everyone at Cardiff City.

The Wales captain has returned to training with the Championship club following a knee injury which has kept him out since September.

But Bluebirds manager Erol Bulut "cannot guarantee" when Ramsey will be fit to play 90 minutes.

"It’ll be massive. Everyone knows how good he is and how much he helps the team when he plays," said Bowler.

"He presses well, defensively, and links play. It’ll be big for everyone".

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Erol Bulut says Cardiff City have only 15 senior players available for Saturday’s Championship trip to Plymouth Argyle.

Long-term absentees Aaron Ramsey and Callum O’Dowda remain on the injured list, while Joe Ralls (abductor) is also expected to miss out, Callum Robinson is ill and Rubin Colwill (knee) is doubtful.

“I have problems with my squad – injury and sickness,” Bulut said.

“Right now I have only 15 players available for the game at the weekend.

“Maybe there will be four or five players from the under-21s with us, it looks like that.”

Manager Erol Bulut says he is praying Cardiff City can strengthen their squad this month and feels a failure to sign any players in January would be a “big problem".

Bulut has repeatedly stated that he wants a number of new faces but the Championship club are yet to get a deal over the line.

Bulut believes Cardiff's board are “working hard” on transfers, while the Cardiff City Supporters Trust said this week they have been assured by club sources that some potential deals are at an “advanced stage”.

When asked how he would feel if no signings were made, Bulut said: “It would be a big problem for me and for Cardiff City.

"Our board is working hard on getting some players in.

“I’m hoping and from today I will start to pray for that.

“If it depended on me, I would announce [signings] yesterday.

“I think we could have made at least two transfers in the first 10 days of January. It doesn’t happen.

“Now we have to work much much harder to finalise until February 1 the transfers we need for the team to push to stay close to the play-off positions.

"We are only three points away [from the play-offs] - it’s still nothing."

Cardiff have freed up two places in their squad for potential incomings this month.

Defender Jonathan Panzo has returned to Nottingham Forest after his loan spell was cut shot, while striker Ike Ugbo's loan was halted so he could join Sheffield Wednesday.

“I said before four or five [transfers] would be great. We need it." Bulut added.

“We have two players less so we have to cover those positions. It looks like we need five, maybe six.

“We don’t look only at loan players but we are also looking to sign players permanently."

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Young Cardiff forwared Kieron Evans has joined Gateshead on loan for the remainder of the season.

Evans has made four cup appearances for Cardiff this season but has now switched to the National League side.

Evans spent last season on loan with Torquay United.

Cardiff City Supporters Trust says fans can be assured that potential new signings at the Championship club are at an “advanced stage”.

After talks with "senior sources" at the club, Trust Chair Keith Morgan issued a statement last night following “issues raised by Bluebirds fans on social media”.

“The club directors are working in close co-operation and agreement with the manager and recruitment team to bring in new players either on loan or permanently and a number of potential deals are at an advanced stage,” said Morgan.

“Deals are never straightforward as they have to be agreed with the players involved and their current clubs but it is anticipated that some deals will be finalised and announced in the coming week. The announcements will include players in and out of the club.”

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All focus at Cardiff City is now turning towards Saturday's Championship trip to Plymouth Argyle.

But it appears there's some fans eager to a lot more from their side than they saw in last weekend's heavy defeat to Leeds.

The Bluebirds were comfortably beaten by the promotion-chasing Leeds, a game that prompted a little bit of criticism from manager Erol Bulut towards his players for showing the visitors 'too much respect'.

But Bulut was also the subject of some frustration from fans who joined BBC Radio Wales' Call Rob Phillips phone-in on Saturday evening after the final whistle at the Cardiff City Stadium.

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John from Tonteg said he was frustrated and concerned at the recent run that has seen Cardiff slip to 13th in the Championship table, albeit still just three points off the play-offs.

"What I want from my team is a bit of spirit and to get stuck in," he told the programme, whose guests included ex-Wales striker Iwan Roberts and former Leeds assistant manager Cameron Toshack. "But we didn’t show up and haven’t shown up for about the last eight weeks.

"And I don’t really know what the manager is going to do about it because surely he’s going to have to make some alterations.

"I’m just getting frustrated. I thought we would finish 12th this year and hopefully we have enough points to avoid relegation, but we need to do something we’re starting to look downward now rather than upwards.

"We’re not really showing any endeavour, any guts if you like, and I don’t know where we go."

With Cardiff keen to reinforce the squad in the remaining two weeks of the January transfer window, Dai from Pontypool believes things had "gone off the boil" in recent weeks after picking up ten points from the last ten games.

But he added: "For anyone to be talking about not extending Bulut’s contract I honestly don’t get it because look at what he’s achieved in the first-half of the season.

"His remit was to keep us up. The fact is we’re three points off the play-offs. If you turned around at the start of the season people would have ripped your hand off. He’s done all this under an embargo. It’s a no-brainer."

The final remark was in reference to the recent discussion around extending Bulut's contract having signed a 12-month deal in the summer, but Steve from Barry had a very different opinion.

"What I’d suggest to the Cardiff board is get on the phone to Steve Cooper. I thought (it) was the most abject, pathetic display from a home side I’ve seen for a long time.

"I know we haven’t got much to pick from, but I watched Ryan Wintle at right back at Sheffield Wednesday and then at No.10 looking like a fish out of water and Rubin Colwill on the bench getting splinters. It’s chronically bad. I think Bulut's out of his depth."

The show will be back on Saturday, 20 January after the game at Home Park, with former Bluebirds captain Jason Perry among those taking your calls.