“ Bulut: Cian Ashford stays with the first team “

Erol Bulut:

“ Cian Ashford “

“Cian won’t be going out on loan next season if I am here, he will be part of the first team.”

"What he shows today and also the two games before, this quality he has, you saw only two or three games of him, I see him many weeks in training.

He is a little bit nervous still. So if he's a bit more calm on the ball and more aggressive against the ball, he can be a really good player, for next season, he will be a good addition.”



Erol Bulut praised Cardiff City academy star Cian Ashford for producing a moment he will never forget after the teenager's 96th-minute winner against Southampton.

Ashford was handed his first start in a Bluebirds league game against promotion-chasing Saints and took it with both hands. Having played almost 100 minutes against a top team, he chopped inside and whacked the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards. With the help of a big deflection, but we don't have to mention that.

The Rhondda-born starlet earned his chance after standout performances for the under-21s this season and two cameos off the bench in the last two league games. Now, he has arrived.

"I think he will never forget it," Bulut said of the goal. "I spoke about what we've seen in training, he is doing really well. He played 15, 20 minutes, had good movements. But today, 90 minutes, he was great. Playing against Southampton, he did a really good job."

Bulut swatted away the notion that a loan move might do him good next season. Indeed, the manager predicts that Ashford will play a big part from this summer onwards.

"What he shows today and also the two games before, this quality he has, you saw only two or three games of him, I see him many weeks in training," he added.

"He is a little bit nervous still. So if he's a bit more calm on the ball and more aggressive against the ball, he can be a really good player, for next season, he will be a good addition.

"I was happy for Ashford, how he worked the last weeks to get this possibility from the start. We can't forget how Giles brought the ball to him and supported him! He also looks good. I hope these guys have a good future here."

With Cardiff having 11 players out injured, Bulut was forced to throw six academy players on the bench. He handed Raheem Conte his debut against the Saints before he brought on Luey Giles, the 17-year-old who ended up providing the assist to Ashford late in stoppage time.

Bulut revealed how nervous the trio were before the match, saying: "It's important for the young guys. When I spoke to them they were nervous.

"I came to the stadium, they were sitting there and when I shook hands with them and said, 'Hey, why do all of you look so nervous? Be calm! It's like an under-21 game with more fans!' They were laughing. I tried to relax them.

"I told them to play freely and show what they can show. Only two or three bits of advice I gave them."

Supporters sang, on more than one occasion: "Erol Bulut we want you to stay!"

They sang it loud and clearly Bulut heard it, giving them an ayatollah once or twice in the meantime. Speaking about the support he heard from fans, he said: "Of course, if you have support from the fans, from the board and everything is really positive here. I don't want to speak too much about this situation, it's up to the board either way. I appreciate this.

"The board, I think, they have opinions and thinking for the future of the club. I think they will make the right decision for the club. For my side, I hope to make the right decision for myself and my future."

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We have struggled to score goals all season yet we have a natural scorer at our club and only now he gets a chance - complete poor management

We have struggled to score goals all season yet we have a natural scorer at our club and only now he gets a chance - complete poor management

Go to bed mate. Your constant whinging won't work tonight.

Wheres your UEFA a licence?

Are you Wiggy?

Some people on here need to give their heads a wobble.

Ashford is a 19 year old kid that maybe wasn't the player he is now at the start of the season. Maybe it is Buluts influence that has made him progress? Maybe it's great man management?

Either way, sick of reading your shit.

Age has nothing to do with it , you are either good enough or you are not .

I'd pick him over Bowler. Wants to beat a man and not go backwards. He's got this skill of getting accross his chasing man which results in fouls, free kicks and yellow cards.

We have struggled to score goals all season yet we have a natural scorer at our club and only now he gets a chance - complete poor management

Go to bed mate. Your constant whinging won't work tonight.

Wheres your UEFA a licence?

Are you Wiggy?

Some people on here need to give their heads a wobble.

Ashford is a 19 year old kid that maybe wasn't the player he is now at the start of the season. Maybe it is Buluts influence that has made him progress? Maybe it's great man management?

Either way, sick of reading your shit.

Just ignore the Poundland Peps that pop up mate, they disappear after a few post after adding nothing.

Very pleased for CA, great goal of course but his work rate all game was impressive. Nice how the players all pushed him to the front of the Canton after the goal and at the end too. Quite impressed by all the youngsters yesterday actually and good on EB for giving them valuable minutes especially given he appears to be under a bit of pressure in these last few games to impress Tan and finally get a decision on his future.

But the youngsters display was a good thing to see, as most of us who monitor the U21s are concerned about Purse and development there, but it appears we do have latent talent despite DP, who to my mind needs to be replaced. Not sure about the Chesterfield thing either, he's good at "training the trainers" but has never run an academy at this level, I would have liked to see a proven pair of hands or a bit of ambition, seems like another cheap experiment to me like Morison managing the first team but I hope I'm proved wrong of course. Purse I think has to go in the summer, depending of course what Tans plan is for it.

The other positive yesterday, which is easy to say after a win, was the general attacking style against a team with a bit more quality and something to play for. I thought a drubbing, in fact I chatted to Sven about it and also said that now I've said it, we will get a win! You never really know of course.

The Soton fans said that they lost against a team that "didn't mess about" when they got a chance and are critical of RM's Tikki style, as that's what they should be doing, converting those chances, which they didn't. We've all heard similar before about us at times and also of EBs defend first style.

I maybe of course wrong but I'm kinda thinking that EB knows he's got to balance the transitions from out of possession to in possession but has been limited as to not having the players to do it. And he'd do that if he gets the 5/6 that we need in the summer to effect the attacking side of the game and we may then see a style that allows you to mix things up, which is what you need along with work rate and ruthlessness. If that happens, and it also now appears we may have a crop of youngsters coming through, it could bode well for next season and maybe beyond too.

I'm hoping we get some sort of announcement from the club this week, this continued radio silence concerns me as to Tans plan for next season. It's just odd something is not right. Surely his decision is not going to be decided on how we do in the last two games as to EBs future? Or is it something else? Watch this space I guess.

Ridiculous to say he is only 19 years old , so don’t push him into the first team before the end of the season. Siopis said he was impressed with his finishing- should have started before. Rooney was 16 years old when he made his deputy. If he is good enough get him in, especially as our strikers have been dreadful in scoring this season.