Cardiff City

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Joel Bagan feels he has returned to Cardiff City a “different player” following his loan spell at Belgian club Zulte Waregem.

Having spent last season in Belgium’s second tier, the 23-year-old defender has made six appearances for Cardiff in all competitions this term.

Bagan earned praise for his performance in the Bluebirds’ first league win of the season on Tuesday as they beat Millwall 1-0.

The left-back has previously faced criticism for a perceived lack of aggression in his play but he believes that is one of the attributes he improved during his time in Belgium.

“It’s tough. I’ve spoken to managers before and said it's different in training to games,” Bagan said.

“I don't want to go into training and start smashing my team-mates before a game. But this season, I don't know, I think maybe it just comes with playing more regularly, you start to do things without thinking.

“I think that's why Belgium for me last year was so important, to get that run of games and playing regularly. I’ve come back this season and feel a lot more confident and feel like a different player.”

The win over Millwall was Cardiff’s first clean sheet in the Championship this season.

They remain bottom of the table and head to Bristol City on Sunday, but Bagan believes he and his team-mates proved a point with that much-needed victory.

“Yeah, definitely. No team wants to be sat bottom of the league without a win. We know as players, we haven't been good enough,” he said.

“It was important to get that first win, something to build on now and hopefully we can continue that and there are more points to come.”

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Cardiff City will be boosted by the return of three players from injury for Sunday's Championship encounter at Bristol City.

Winger Callum O'Dowda is available after missing Tuesday's 1-0 win over Millwall as a precautionary measure.

Midfielder Manolis Siopis returns having been absent for the previous two matches.

And centre-back Jasper Daland - who interim manager Omer Riza had said earlier this week was close to a return - is in contention after an ankle injury caused the Norwegian to miss four games.

"Jesper trained today, so it was nice to see him back," said Riza.

"He was training for a week but he's been getting through certain phases of his rehab. Today he trained really well, so he will be up for selection.

"Callum O'Dowda trained today and trained really well, he is ready for selection.

"Sio [Siopis] trained with medical today but will be training tomorrow with us, so he is up for selection."

Cardiff are still without long-term injury absentees such as midfielder Aaron Ramsey and striker Kion Etete.

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Cardiff City goalkeeper Jak Alnwick believes interim manager Omer Riza has boosted the Bluebirds’ intensity as they look to climb off the bottom of the Championship table.

Cardiff earned their first league win of the season at the eighth attempt on Tuesday, beating Millwall 1-0 at home.

The Welsh side had endured their worst start to a season in their history, costing former manager Erol Bulut his job last month.

Alnwick says he has “nothing but good words” for Bulut and his staff, but has seen an improvement during Riza’s two games so far.

“He’s a possession-based coach and I think with the training level he’s put the intensity up through different drills or whatever it may be,” said Alnwick.

“I think I've seen a bit of a difference in the training level, not so much with the standard but the intensity has gone up a little bit.

“It looks like we've got a bit more intensity to our game and also a bit of calmness.”

Having been on the periphery of Cardiff’s squad before Bulut’s arrival in 2023, Alnwick enjoyed regular first-team football under the former Fenerbahce boss.

He lost his place to Evan Horvath but has since reclaimed his starting berth ahead of the United States international.

Asked about Bulut’s departure, Alnwick added: “It’s not nice. They [Bulut and his staff] are great men who’ve lost their jobs and you never want to see that at a football club. He's moved his whole life over from a different country and made a real commitment and, on a personal level, I couldn't thank them enough.

“Since they came to the club, I ended up playing a lot of games, I signed a new contract and I made this my home and that was down to them. So I've got nothing but good words for them. It just didn't work out. But that's how it is in football. It can happen.”

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Cardiff City's interim boss Omer Riza believes Gavin Ward's qualities are exactly what the Bluebirds need behind the scenes at present.

Ward returned to Cardiff as interim first team goalkeeper coach following the departure of Mario Galinović, who left after the sacking of head coach Erol Bulut.

And Riza feels the return of Ward, who helped the Bluebirds win the Division Three title and the Welsh Cup during the 1992-93 season, can only benefit the club.

"Gav's a good friend of mine, he's been at QPR a long time," Riza told BBC Sport Wales.

"He's a great guy, a great character with a great work ethic.

"To bring him back to Cardiff, I think it made a lot of people happy as well.

"Not only is he a professional guy, he's also a great person, and they're the sort of people you want around the place."

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Jesper Daland is set to be available for Cardiff City's trip to Bristol City on Sunday (15:00 BST).

The Norwegian centre-back has missed the Bluebirds' past four games due to an ankle injury sustained during his side's 2-0 defeat by Middlesbrough in September.

But interim boss Omer Riza has confirmed the defender is in contention to feature for the visitors at Ashton Gate this weekend.

"Jasper will probably be back in contention. He's been training," Riza told BBC Sport Wales.

Cardiff will assess several players prior to the contest with the Robins, including Ollie Tanner who received a knock during the Bluebirds' 1-0 triumph over Millwall.

"Ollie got caught in a tackle," added Riza.

"Credit to him, he carried on and got through it, so we'll see how Ollie fares in the week.

"We're going to have a lot of tired legs, Rallsy's [Joe Ralls] played 90 [minutes], Alex [Robertson] has played another 90, Chambo's [Calum Chambers] played another 90.

"A lot of the boys played 90 tonight [Tuesday] who played on Saturday so we'll reassess everything when we come back in.

"We've got a few more days now until Bristol City on Sunday, luckily we've got the extra day and we'll start again."

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Neil Harris says managers have to accept high demands if they work for Cardiff City.

Millwall boss Harris spent 14 months in charge at Cardiff before being sacked in January 2021.

Harris led the Bluebirds to the Championship play-offs in 2019-20, but was shown the door after a run of six successive defeats.

He made a first return to the Cardiff City Stadium as Millwall were beaten 1-0 by a Cardiff side under the stewardship of Omer Riza, who is in interim control following last month’s sacking of Erol Bulut.

Perry Ng’s header was enough to deliver Cardiff’s first league win of the season.

Bulut’s exit – which came only 111 days after he signed a two-year contract – has left Cardiff looking for a 12th permanent manager in 14 years.

Asked about the latest upheaval at his former club, Harris said: “Cardiff have had success over the last 20 years, promotion, Premier League time, good Championship periods.

“The demand from the fanbase and the ownership as well is to try to be top half, top six of the league - try to fight to get back into the Premier League.

“Obviously it was a poor start to the season so, as I found myself after a poor run, a change happens. We accept that as managers.

“When you step into the hot seat here, you know what the demand is.”

Harris added that he is “always disappointed” to see managers leave Cardiff because "sometimes I’d like to see people get given a bit more opportunity to extend their stay”.

However, the former striker said club owner Vincent Tan was entitled to expect success.

“On the flip side, Vincent’s a good bloke who has put a lot of money into the football club and his demands are high,” Harris added.

“Erol will know that. I am pleased for Omer to get an opportunity. I am disappointed his first success has come against us, but what it does is buys a bit of time for the football club to make calm decisions.”

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Harris, meanwhile, said he was “surprised” when the chance to sign Cardiff midfielder Ryan Wintle on loan for the season presented itself in August.

Wintle was allowed to leave by Bulut despite playing 44 times in 2023-24.

“We were pleased to take Ryan,” Harris said.

“His opportunity to be in our starting XI has not come yet because we have played so well, but when he’s come on he’s been very good for us and he has been excellent in training.”

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Danny Gabbidon believes Cardiff City’s hard-fought victory over Millwall could change the course of their season.

Perry Ng’s goal saw the Bluebirds claim a first league win of 2024-25 at the eighth attempt.

Cardiff remain bottom of the Championship despite Tuesday’s triumph, but Gabbidon says the result will change the mood at his old club.

“It could turn their season around,” the former defender told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“We have been talking about maybe a relegation dogfight already, but in this league you can go from six or seven games without a win to six or seven games unbeaten, then you are in a very different position.

“I have been in this situation myself where you don’t know where the next win is coming from.

“But they have gone out, puffed their chests out, we have seen some good individual performances, a good team performance and they have got the result. That will be massive for confidence.”

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Cardiff sacked Erol Bulut last month having taken only one point from their first six league games of the new campaign.

Omer Riza’s first match as interim boss ended in a 4-1 defeat at Hull last weekend, but his team responded by battling to victory against Millwall.

“For Omer Riza to get a reaction like this – he will be absolutely delighted,” Gabbidon added.

“They have defended well and ended up getting the win with a really well-worked goal from a set-piece. I thought they deserved it.

“There will be smiles on faces in the dressing room and they will be looking forward to the next game.”

Riza said after Millwall that he does not know how long his spell in charge will last.

Cardiff go to Bristol City next, on Sunday, and Gabbidon says the Millwall triumph has bought the club time as they search for Bulut’s long-term replacement.

“If Omer Riza is getting results, it takes the pressure off the hierarchy a bit," he said.

"They can take their time and they do need to get their decision right.”

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Cardiff City interim manager Omer Riza does not know how long he will remain in charge – or when the Bluebirds might appoint a new permanent boss.

The former Watford coach took the reins on a temporary basis after Cardiff sacked Erol Bulut last month following the club’s worst start to a league season.

Although the Bluebirds remain bottom of the Championship table, Riza led them to their first win of the season on Tuesday as they beat Millwall 1-0 in his second game in charge.

Asked what the latest was regarding Cardiff’s managerial situation after the game, he said: "I don't know. I'm just getting on with my job.

“I'm really not thinking about it. This is a great club and a great opportunity with a great fanbase. And I think there's more to come.

"I think we have proved that over the last two games in a small space of time. I don't know any more information, I'd be lying if I told you anything. It's only what you see and hear and read, which can be difficult at times.

"But it's about remaining positive, making sure the boys are ready and the team is ready and we approach every game like we want to win it. That's a professional way of acting."

Riza joined Cardiff in the summer after spending almost six years at Watford, where he had been promoted to assistant first-team coach after several years in the club’s academy.

Before his first game in charge – Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Hull City – Riza said his time as interim manager of Cardiff was an “opportunity” he’s “got to take”.

Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo were at Cardiff City Stadium for the Millwall game but they did not give Riza an update on the search for a new manager.

"They came in before the game, we sat down and had a chat,” Riza said.

“They wished me luck and wished the boys luck."

Gareth Vincent
BBC Sport Wales

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Neil Harris returns to Cardiff City for the first time since being sacked as Bluebirds boss when Millwall visit the Welsh capital on Tuesday.

Harris led Cardiff to the Championship play-offs in 2019-20 but was shown the door in January 2021 with the club 15th in the second tier.

Mick McCarthy, Harris’ replacement, only lasted until October 2021 and the next man in the hotseat, Steve Morison, was dismissed in September 2022.

Mark Hudson came next - and went after only 18 games in charge. Sabri Lamouchi’s reign was equally brief, with Erol Bulut lasting just over a season before he was axed earlier this month.

There were some who felt Harris was sacked prematurely, but managers have not tended to last long at Cardiff in recent years.

Interim boss Omer Riza will take the reins for the second time as Harris’ 15th-placed Lions come in search of their first away league win of the season.

Cardiff, of course, are yet to win anywhere in the Championship in 2024-25.

Riza acknowledged in the wake of Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Hull City that the Bluebirds must halt their dreadful start to the season as quickly as possible.

“I can’t question the players’ application and character – they have been superb,” he said.

“Now we have to look forward to Millwall, a real tough game at home.

“We have to kick on, we have to improve. We have not had much time to work on things, but there was a dramatic improvement in some of the things we did [at Hull] - but we have got to stop letting in goals and we have got to score more.”

As for Harris, he says he has only fond memories of his time with the Bluebirds, but admits the club's next manager will swiftly discover how tough the job is.

Speaking to London News Online about his time at Cardiff, Harris said: “Very enjoyable. Strange during Covid times, as well.

"Vincent Tan was class – an absolute class man. I got on great with him. Great support from above in Ken Choo and Mehmet Dalman.

“I loved it. Obviously we got very, very close to the Premier League – just fell short which was a huge disappointment at the time.

“It is a tough job at Cardiff City and the next manager will find that out as well! It’s very difficult to appease everybody.

“I really look forward to my first return on Tuesday to see some really, really good people.

“It’s the capital of Wales. It is a big football club and you’re brilliantly backed by Vincent. Yeah, it is a really, really good job – but the demand is to get it right.”

There have been 17 goals conceded in Cardiff’s seven league games to date, while Callum Robinson’s strike at Hull was just their second in this campaign.

Cardiff's tally of one point from a possible 21 makes this one of the worst starts by any club since the second tier was rebranded as the Championship in 2004.

Surely, things have to improve soon, don’t they?

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Cardiff City kept up their 100% record at the start of the defence of their Adran Premier title with victory over The New Saints on Sunday.

But ahead of next weekend's women’s south Wales derby, manager Iain Darbyshire said the Bluebirds can get better.

Cardiff saw off the Saints at Cardiff City Stadium thanks to second-half goals from Lisa Owen and Laura Curnock to make it three wins from three this season.

It was TNS’ first defeat of the season and leaves Cardiff behind newcomers Briton Ferry Llansawel at the top of the table on goal difference.

Swansea – who won at Wrexham – are two points behind going into the derby.

“I was happy with the three points,” Darbyshire told Cardiff’s website.

“Performance-wise I thought there’s still a lot of room to grow. Out of possession we were really good, but in possession we can be a lot better and we know that.

“Credit to TNS, they matched us up, caused us some problems at times, they’ve got some quality players and you can tell they’re a well-coached team, so it’s a game where we had to rely on moments and thankfully they came for us.

“It's a sign of a good team that you can win even when you're not playing great."

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Cardiff City’s defeat at Hull City means the club are enduring their worst ever start to a season – and it is also among the poorest openings in Championship history.

The 4-1 weekend disappointment means the Bluebirds have taken just one point from their opening seven games.

The miserable return – which includes only two goals scored and 17 conceded – is among the lowest since the second tier was rebranded as the Championship in 2004.

Over those 20 years, only Wycombe in 2020 and Peterborough in 2012 have picked up fewer points from their first seven games, with both sides eventually going down.

And while eight others in that timespan also picked up just one point, none had a goal difference as poor as the Bluebirds’ current tally of minus 15.

Cardiff’s next chance to turn things around under interim manager Omer Riza comes on Tuesday night against Millwall, but former captain Jason Perry had his concerns after watching the mauling at Hull, where greater ambition going forward was undermined by a leaky defence.

“I’m trying to find some positivity. In the first half Cardiff showed a bit more attacking intent, that’s the only positive,” Perry told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“Defensively for 90 minutes they were poor, individually poor and collectively poor. Hull City are not a great team, Cardiff gifted Hull two goals in the second half.

“They must find a way of winning football games... another poor, poor afternoon.”

Cardiff, unsurprisingly, are bottom of the Championship table, three points adrift of 23rd-place Portsmouth and four shy of Coventry City, who are just outside the relegation zone.

But as the hunt continues for a new manager, there may be grounds for hope according to the history books.

Of those seven other sides who had recorded just one point by this stage, only three went down while one, Nottingham Forest, went on to finish fourth and win promotion via the play-offs after appointing Steve Cooper.

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Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza says the club currently have too many players who are unable to complete 90 minutes.

Defender Will Fish and midfielder Callum O’Dowda both went off injured in Saturday’s 4-1 win at Hull City, midfielder Manolis Siopis was injured in training and Cardiff also have several long-term absentees including Wales captain Aaron Ramsey.

Riza admits the mounting queue for the physios room is compounding the problems at the club.

“We’ve got a good group of players, all honest and hard working but the issue we have at the moment is not being able to get all of the players through the game,” he told BBC Radio Wales Sport.

“We’ve had to make substitutions early, Will Fish with his hamstring, we’ve got other injuries, we’ve got other players coming back from injury who can’t get through 90 minutes, we’ve got players who at times have had injuries through their careers who we have to manage and look after.

“Will had a slight strain before the game we needed to manage and he felt a little tweak there, we will have to assess it.

“Callum O’Dowda has put in a big shift and we have to manage him as well.”

Riza is hopeful Siopis will return for Tuesday’s clash with Millwall, alongside Dimitrios Goutas who missed the Hull defeat due to a family issue that saw him return to Greece.

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Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza says he expects to lead the Bluebirds for Tuesday’s Championship game against Millwall.

Cardiff are bottom of the division with a single point and were beaten 4-1 by Hull in Riza’s first game in interim charge after the sacking of Erol Bulut.

Riza says he will prepare for the game as if he is taking charge.

“We have to look forward now to Millwall on Tuesday, a really tough game.

“We have to kick on and improve. We’ve got to stop letting in goals and we’ve got to score more.

“I am taking it game by game. I would like to think I’m taking the game on Tuesday, but things can change quickly.”

Riza admits Cardiff’s form is a cause for concern.

“We need to start picking up results, we need to pick up points,” he added.

“The longer it goes on, the harder it becomes. We have to clean up the mistakes we are making.”

Luca Muzzupappa
BBC Sport Wales

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Former Cardiff City captain Jason Perry believes any prospective new manager must be “desperate” to consider taking charge of the Bluebirds.

Cardiff sacked Erol Bulut last Sunday with the club bottom of the Championship table, having picked up just one point and one goal from six games.

The Bluebirds are now searching for a fifth permanent manager in three years.

“There’s one of two [types of] people that take the job," Perry told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"If he’s experienced it means he’s desperate because he can’t get a job. The other one is a young manager that’s just desperate to get a chance.

“Cardiff City have a very bad board, there’s nobody on there with experience in terms of football.

“Who’s going to come in? I wouldn’t know because there’s no plan and no identity at Cardiff City. The chaos starts above the manager at board level.”

Charlton Athletic manager Nathan Jones is one of the bookies' favourites to take the job at his hometown club.

“I think Nathan will stay where he is," said Perry.

"He would be a great fit, but he would look straight at the board and think ‘I can’t repeat what happened at Southampton'."

Southampton sacked Jones last year after just 95 days in charge, having lost eight of his nine Premier League games.

Despite all the negativity, Perry did say of Cardiff: “When you get it right there’s no better place to play, there’s no better place to be."

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Iwan Roberts believes it is unfair to criticise Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan over the sacking of manager Erol Bulut.

The Bluebirds axed Bulut last Sunday on the back of the club’s worst start to a season in 94 years.

The ex-Fenerbahce boss was shown the door only 111 days after he signed a new two-year contract with the Championship club.

Former City star Nathan Blake said the latest managerial change at Cardiff highlighted the failings of the club’s hierarchy, headed by Tan, while fellow ex-striker Robert Earnshaw believes his old club are in need of “a long-term strategy”.

Cardiff’s supporters’ trust, meanwhile, have asked for a meeting with the club.

But speaking on this week’s Feast of Football podcast, ex-Wales international Roberts pointed the finger at Bulut and his players.

“The owner Vincent Tan has taken quite a bit of stick from certain parts of the media, saying once again he hasn’t got a clue what he’s doing,” Roberts said.

“I don’t know what more he could have done in all honesty. A lot of Cardiff fans wanted Erol Bulut to start this season after they finished 12th last season.

“I was excited about the players they brought in, but it just hasn’t happened for them this season. He looked a broken man on Saturday [after defeat to Leeds].

“I think some of the players threw the towel in.”

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Roberts said he could not put forward one argument in favour of Bulut staying on after a miserable start to the 2024-25 campaign.

Bulut led Cardiff to mid-table last season, after the club's two years battling to avoid relegation, prompting Tan to sanction the former Turkey under-21 international’s new contract.

But Cardiff have taken only one point from their six league games so far this term – scoring just one goal in the process.

“Maybe the mistake the club made was giving him another contract,” Roberts added.

“Maybe at the end of last season they should have parted ways. If you look at the way they finished last season, they lost six of their last nine games. The writing was on the wall then.”

Cardiff are looking for a 12th permanent manager in 14 years under Tan, with coach Omer Riza in interim charge.

“It’s a fantastic job for someone,” Roberts said.

“Look at the training facilities they have, the stadium they play in… and I think the squad they have should be nowhere near the bottom of the Championship.”