Cardiff City appoint Interim Manager
Will this announcement mark an end to some of the uncertainty?
The club have confirmed Omer Riza as their manager on a deal lasting until the end of the season.
Riza, previously a coach at Watford, stepped in as interim boss after Erol Bulut was dismissed in September following the club’s worst start to a league campaign. Since then, Riza has guided the team to a noticeable improvement, collecting 16 points from 12 games and adopting a more attack-minded approach.
However, the Bluebirds have struggled recently, failing to win any of their last five matches, leaving fans concerned about the ongoing uncertainty around the managerial role.
Riza initially joined Cardiff as an assistant coach at the start of the season but was promoted to interim manager on 22 September when Bulut was sacked. He made an encouraging start, winning four of his first seven games, but the club's leadership took over two months to settle on a permanent appointment, drawing criticism from fans and former players alike.
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Supporters voiced frustration with owner Vincent Tan, chairman Mehmet Dalman, and CEO Ken Choo for their indecision regarding Riza’s future.
Cardiff now find themselves in 20th place in the Championship, just two points clear of the relegation zone after drawing twice and losing three of their last five games.
We are pleased to confirm that Omer Riza has been appointed as the Club’s First Team Manager until the end of the 2024/25 campaign. 💙#CityAsOne
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) December 5, 2024
Cardiff fans have been concerned about the direction of their club
The Cardiff City Fan Advisory Board published an open letter to the Cardiff City Owner, Chairman and CEO.
This letter starts by saying: "As we head towards the midpoint of the season, we write this open letter, on behalf of Cardiff City supporters to you. This letter has been agreed upon by all Cardiff City Supporter organisations (The Cardiff City Supporters club, The Cardiff City Trust, The Cardiff City Disabled supporters association and the Fan Advisory Board).
"We are seeking constructive conversation and want to raise the serious concerns surrounding the current situation at the Club - Particularly the lack of any clear short term and long-term plans for the football club."
You can read the rest of this letter by clicking here
We also spoke to Thomas, a Cardiff City fan who is relieved that the club has maybe a small bit of stability but, like the Fan Advisory Board, is still concerned about that overall direction. He said: "It's hard to believe we were in the Premier League a few years ago. We look miles away from that now.
Yet again, the team finds itself in a difficult position at the bottom end of the table. This appointment should bring some much-needed confidence and stability in the short-term but many fans like myself still have massive concerns beyond that. "
