Cardiff City are reportedly considering the future of manager Erol Bulut following their fourth defeat in the opening five games of the Championship season.
According to reports in The Telegraph, Bulut is under serious threat of losing his position after Cardiff’s dismal start, which has seen them score only once while conceding 11 goals in five matches. The club’s solitary point came from a draw against Swansea City in late August, during the South Wales derby. Yesterday, they were beaten 1-0 at Derby County, as the Rams secured their ninth consecutive home win at Pride Park.
The pressure on Bulut has been mounting since last season. He narrowly held on to his job after a defeat to Hull City in South Wales threatened to end his tenure. However, the latest defeat in the East Midlands—courtesy of Kenzo Goudmijn’s first-half strike—has compounded Cardiff’s poor form, following earlier losses to Sunderland, Burnley, and Middlesbrough.
Cardiff’s next fixture is Leeds United, a tie sure to be a huge challenge, before a visit to struggling Hull City at the MKM Stadium, marking the Tigers’ 120th anniversary. It is possible that by then, Cardiff could have a new manager, with increasing speculation surrounding Bulut’s future.
Elsewhere in the Championship, the first wins of the season for Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle saw Hull slip to second-bottom, just above Cardiff, making a fortnight’s time even more critical. Meanwhile, Bulut’s decision to pass post-match media duties to assistant coach Omer Riza after the Derby defeat has only fueled further questions about his future.
Who is Erol Bulut?
Erol Bulut began his managerial career in 2017 with Turkish side Yeni Malatyaspor. In April 2019, he left Malatyaspor to join Alanyaspor, where he led the team to impressive results, including a run to the Turkish Cup final in 2020. His success at Alanyaspor earned him a move to Fenerbahçe, one of Turkey’s top clubs, in August 2020. However, after an underwhelming campaign, he parted ways with Fenerbahçe in March 2021. Bulut later took on the role of Cardiff City manager in 2023, tasked with revitalizing the team, but his time in Wales has been challenging, with early struggles in the Championship.
Writer’s View
Cardiff City’s poor start to the season under Erol Bulut leaves the club in a precarious position. The Bluebirds’ lack of firepower, with just one goal scored in five games, and their defensive frailties—conceding 11 goals—highlight significant problems. Bulut’s managerial style, which found success in Turkey, seems ill-suited to the demands of the Championship. The fact that he did not face the media after the defeat to Derby further suggests a lack of confidence within the squad.
If Cardiff are to avoid being mired in a relegation battle, the board may have little choice but to make a change. Bringing in a new manager could provide the spark the Bluebirds desperately need. But with the season still in its early stages, the decision is a delicate one. A fresh voice in the dugout might inject much-needed energy, but sacking Bulut now could also backfire if the issues run deeper than just the man in charge.
As a long distance supporter of Cardiff City even i can see two obvious errors during the close saason and transfer window:-
1) City’s lack of a prolific goalscorer has been obvious for months so why have the board, manager and scouting staff failed to find and sign a proven goalscorer. Robinson injured?Kanga will be disappointed that he hasn’t scored yet, but is he good enough for this league? Ok, Isaac Davies’ injury is unfortunate but it was naive of the club if they believed that the weight of goalscoring could be loaded onto his shoulders alone.
2) Given the goals conceded so far, how on earth did the club let Nat Phillips slip through their fingers (to Derby County of all clubs)? McGuinness leaving to another of our competitors, albeit a good financial transfer, is somewhat short sighted. Why not hold on for some premiership interest in January? We may have been mid table by then had he stayed.
Not fair to blame Vincent Tan. He has bankrolled City for years, so someone else has to be responsible.