By Jake Maddaford
Cardiff City are being linked with a move for James Rowberry as their new manager following their decision to sack Erol Bulut.
Rowberry is currently working as head of elite coach education for the Football Association of Wales and was last month also appointed as one of Wales national team manager Craig Bellamy’s assistants.
But leading Welsh bookmaker DragonBet have Rowberry – who was at the Cardiff-Leeds match at the weekend – as their 6/1 favourite to succeed Bulut, following his successful spell as academy coach with the Bluebirds, a role in which he made a positive impression.
Less positive was the 39-year-old’s time that followed as manager of Newport County, where he was sacked in October 2022 after just 12 months in charge.
Cardiff City Football Club can confirm First Team Manager Erol Bulut has been relieved of his duties and will leave the Club with immediate effect.
The Board of Directors wish to thank Erol for all of his hard work and wish him well for the future.
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) September 22, 2024
Cardiff fired manager Bulut after their dismal start to the Championship season showed no signs of getting any better.
Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Leeds left the Bluebirds rooted to the foot of the table with just one point from their opening six matches, having scored just one goal and conceded 13.
In a short statement, the club confirmed Bulut “has been relieved of his duties and will leave the club with immediate effect”.
They added: “The board of directors wish to thank Erol for all of his hard work and wish him well for the future.”
Bulut was appointed by the Bluebirds in June 2023 and led them to a 12th-placed finish last season, earning him a two-year contract extension in the summer.
Cardiff confirmed that first-team coach Nikolaos Karydas will also leave the club, with Omer Riza taking charge on an interim basis.
🚨Bulut has had the bullet 🚨
Next Cardiff City manager Odds here ⤵️https://t.co/QbzhKhSHsy pic.twitter.com/PK1XfvxV5I
— DragonBet (@DragonBetWales) September 22, 2024
Riza is 8/1 third favourite with DragonBet to get the job on a permanent basis, just behind
Steven Schumacher, currently out of work, having been sacked himself earlier this month by Stoke City.
The 40-year-old left Stoke after less than a year in charge, having taken charge of the Potters for just 34 matches since getting the job last December.
Schumacher joined the club from Plymouth Argyle in December 2023, replacing Alex Neil, and steered the team to Championship safety with a 17th-placed finish last season.
He also led Plymouth to the League One title the season before last.
Rinse and repeat at Cardiff City. Erol Bulut knew game was up yesterday after Bluebirds’ worst start for 94 years but age-old problems around structure of club remain. No recipe for success.
— Phil Blanche 🏴 (@philblanche) September 22, 2024
Other names that figure in the running to step into the hot seat are Irishman Brian Barry-Murphy, former Bluebirds defender Darren Purse, Scotsman Neil, Welshman Nathan Jones and ex-Cardiff manager Steve Morison.
Bulut was appointed by the Bluebirds in June 2023 and led them to a 12th-placed finish last season, earning him a two-year contract extension in the summer.
The end came the morning after the defeat to Leeds and was not unexpected – least of all, it seems, to Bulut himself who appeared to be bracing himself for bad news
“For him it will not be something new I don’t think,” Bulut said of owner Vincent Tan’s record of firing managers. The Malaysian has now burned through 12 in his 14 years as owner.
They gave Erol a two-year contract in the summer now they've given him the Bulut. Cardiff City; truly a club that knows what it's doing. https://t.co/LLZ2uy0oLt
— Peter Jackson (@JackoRugby) September 22, 2024
Bulut added: “Why do I have to worry about that? Because he is the owner.
“Of course, he wants results and that the club is getting in a better position.
“I am sure we will have a meeting. (If) it comes like this (being sacked), I have to accept it. If the club takes this decision, they have to make this decision. I have to take it how it comes.
“What can I change when the board say we are not together any more? But I prepare myself for the training on Monday and I will prepare the team for the next game.
“We cannot say everything is wrong. The results are important and some things have to change. We can change it. When we see the first six games, this team, the way that we played deserves the position that we are.”
Since Neil Warnock left in 2019, Cardiff have had SEVEN managers 7️⃣:
– Neil Harris 🏴
– Mick McCarthy 🇮🇪
– Steve Morison 🏴
– Mark Hudson 🏴
– Dean Whitehead 🏴
– Sabri Lamouchi 🇫🇷
– Erol Bulut 🇹🇷Who’s next for the directionless Bluebirds? pic.twitter.com/Gc814aqKdD
— Three Little Birds (@ThreeBluebirds_) September 22, 2024
Cardiff’s next five Championship fixtures…
Saturday September 28: Hull City (A) – kick off 3pm
Tuesday October 1: Millwall (H) – kick off 7.45pm
Sunday October 6: Bristol City (A) – kick off 3pm
Saturday October 19: Plymouth (H) – kick off 12.30pm
Tuesday October 22: Portsmouth (H) – kick off 7.45pm