Wanted – A manager for a deeply damaged, dysfunctional foot

Wanted – A manager for a deeply damaged, dysfunctional football club


By Scott Johnson



May 2023


At this stage, does it even matter who manages Cardiff?

The turnover is so high that anyone joining is merely passing through and has very little chance to make any real impact. That is the general consensus anyway, but I would argue that the opposite is actually true.

Everyone knows that the club is a dictatorship with a board that exists only to execute orders from above, but Cardiff is a two-man show. At most stable, functioning football clubs, there is a whole organisation in place, all working towards a common goal.

At Cardiff, there is an owner and his manager. Everyone else has a role, but very little actual influence.




Once upon a time, a manager would be expected to do a bit of everything, but the function has in general been stripped right back over the years and roles are instead allocated to specialists. A manager’s job is to manage. The players and expectations. At Cardiff, the manager is expected to be a throwback. They will be the only person you see or hear from, so any questions about contract renewals, legal issues, the academy or the health of the club in general all get fielded by the manager.



It is a mighty undertaking and a task that has swallowed plenty of mangers whole. Sabri Lamouchi appeared to be a manager willing and able to shoulder that burden, but he is now gone. Why? We’ll probably never know because without a manager, there is no one there to tell us.

Maybe he called the club’s bluff in terms of his demands and lost? The club has become accustomed to paying a coaches wage for their managers after all. Football is an industry where you very much get what you pay for though and as Lamouchi said of Cardiff, if you only change a little, only expect little change.

At the time of writing, it looks like Sol Bamba might be promoted and offering him the job would put him in the difficult position of choosing his own career progression over his commitment to Lamouchi. We all love Sol, but the job is a big ask for someone new to the occupation.




What Bamba does seemingly benefit from is the admiration of Vincent Tan, as it is believed that there has long been a bond between the two. Whether it would be strong enough to stand a run of bad results is another matter entirely. History suggests, probably not.

The fact remains that Cardiff only stayed up due to Reading’s points penalty, but Cardiff would have approached their final two games very differently were anything riding on them. Nevertheless, you can imagine Tan baulking at advice to reward a manager that barely saved Cardiff from relegation.

I thought Cardiff were on something resembling the right track with the duo they had in place and were in a good position to make informed calls on the future of the squad. I guess Bamba taking over may see some of those plans actioned, but whatever way you cut it and however you choose to dress it up, breaking up the double act is destructive rather than constructive.




Nathan Jones is the people’s champ, largely because he’s a Cardiff fan, but that has the potential to go either very well, or terribly bad, with very little in between. I can’t imagine his demands would be any different to Lamouchi’s either. With Sunderland seemingly hell-bent on replacing Tony Mowbray, Cardiff would be worth monitoring that situation with interest because in terms of the job description, he would probably tick more boxes than most.

You felt that the longer Lamouchi was left in limbo, the less chance of him securing a new deal and so it proved. It still felt like a punch in the guts when it was finally confirmed though. Any thoughts on Lamouchi aside, after such a demoralising, painful season, going back to square one again makes me feel sick. It will do nothing for season ticket sales, morale or optimism. Also, what must the players think? Two thirds of them are out of contract next summer and remain in limbo.

Cardiff are back in the market for a new manager, with a reputation as a sacking club. That will only attract those that are heading towards the end of their career and looking for one last pay day, or rookies that likely won’t get this sort of opportunity anywhere else. Anyone looking out for their own best interests will stay well away because there is very little appeal in managing a deeply damaged, dysfunctional football club.

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Another report that is saying what we already know.

All of it just not instal confidence. We are all living in hope that whatever we end up with it will all work out, Don't worry because everything is going to be alright.

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Richard Lewis


I don’t want to sound defeatist here but it won’t matter who the manager is we are heading one way and that’s down to League One. Unless there’s changes at the top things won’t improve and we’ve survived by the skin of our teeth and due to points deductions from others these past two seasons that I don’t see us being a third time lucky.

We need Emperor Tan out and now. Maybe the fact that he’s selling Kortrijk is an indication that he’s getting out of football?

I sincerely hope that this is the case and we have a new owner or owners soon.

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As Barclay1 , I was the pariah ( to many). I had disagreements, but respected opinion, and there were those who respected but disagreed with mine.

I take no pleasure whatsoever in the current situation, and will not say the obvious. Its been coming, and for a number of years. I too had rose tinted specs when it came to Cardiff City and expected and dreamt that what we did would always give us the best hope of success.

Even a bit part, part time, casual, couple of games a season fan, can see whats going on and the absolute mess we are in, as can those who do not even follow the sport let alone the club.

Everyone is now against Tan, and the media have seemingly grown a set.

Ill tell you, there is still time for Tan to do a deal and keep his honour, but NOW is the time, because entering another season where, I guess, players dont even know their return date after the off season, or have been given off season training schedules (?), will be too late.

Great Post, spot on..

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As Barclay1 , I was the pariah ( to many). I had disagreements, but respected opinion, and there were those who respected but disagreed with mine.

I take no pleasure whatsoever in the current situation, and will not say the obvious. Its been coming, and for a number of years. I too had rose tinted specs when it came to Cardiff City and expected and dreamt that what we did would always give us the best hope of success.

Even a bit part, part time, casual, couple of games a season fan, can see whats going on and the absolute mess we are in, as can those who do not even follow the sport let alone the club.

Everyone is now against Tan, and the media have seemingly grown a set.

Ill tell you, there is still time for Tan to do a deal and keep his honour, but NOW is the time, because entering another season where, I guess, players dont even know their return date after the off season, or have been given off season training schedules (?), will be too late.

As usual honest post Jonny,

Believe it or not about 2% still back and love Tan and his cronies.
Wez, who I am still working on
Pembroke Allan, he is obsessed with Tan, but then he’s not a full shilling

Tan is doing his best to ruin the club we all love

From the idiotic rebrand, the £millions wasted on players, the criticism and sacking of managers on a whim, the interfering of team selection, the alienated fan base, the lack of any sort of forward planning the list goes on and on

With Tan in charge and running the show you know we are going to get a useless manager who will be sacked by October

It’s all getting so tiresome and depressing as we slowly drift towards inevitable relegation

Things could be so different if he stopped behaving like a tw*t and got some “proper” football people in to run our club

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Tan is doing his best to ruin the club we all love

From the idiotic rebrand, the £millions wasted on players, the criticism and sacking of managers on a whim, the interfering of team selection, the alienated fan base, the lack of any sort of forward planning the list goes on and on

With Tan in charge and running the show you know we are going to get a useless manager who will be sacked by October

It’s all getting so tiresome and depressing as we slowly drift towards inevitable relegation

Things could be so different if he stopped behaving like a tw*t and got some “proper” football people in to run our club

Sadly everything you have just posted is true.

The fans need to unite as one and turn big time on him and his regime next season.

Replies FB:

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

As Barclay1 , I was the pariah ( to many). I had disagreements, but respected opinion, and there were those who respected but disagreed with mine.

I take no pleasure whatsoever in the current situation, and will not say the obvious. Its been coming, and for a number of years. I too had rose tinted specs when it came to Cardiff City and expected and dreamt that what we did would always give us the best hope of success.

Even a bit part, part time, casual, couple of games a season fan, can see whats going on and the absolute mess we are in, as can those who do not even follow the sport let alone the club.

Everyone is now against Tan, and the media have seemingly grown a set.

Ill tell you, there is still time for Tan to do a deal and keep his honour, but NOW is the time, because entering another season where, I guess, players dont even know their return date after the off season, or have been given off season training schedules (?), will be too late.

As usual honest post Jonny,

Believe it or not about 2% still back and love Tan and his cronies.
Wez, who I am still working on
Pembroke Allan, he is obsessed with Tan, but then he’s not a full shilling

Annis, I saw the light mate lol
All we need now is someone with deep pockets hmmmm.

Many people, including myself have lost all interest in the club whilst Tan is slowly destroying it. Nobody I know wants to go to the games anymore or have anything to do with the circus. I hope this changes soon and Tan does the right thing and sells, which may lead to us dropping down the leagues, but we will anyway. I d rather watch us in the lower league's if it means Tan has gone and we can start enjoying the football and club again. Hopefully the current situation will not spoil it for the kids in the long term.

Tan is doing his best to ruin the club we all love

From the idiotic rebrand, the £millions wasted on players, the criticism and sacking of managers on a whim, the interfering of team selection, the alienated fan base, the lack of any sort of forward planning the list goes on and on

With Tan in charge and running the show you know we are going to get a useless manager who will be sacked by October

It’s all getting so tiresome and depressing as we slowly drift towards inevitable relegation

Things could be so different if he stopped behaving like a tw*t and got some “proper” football people in to run our club

Sadly everything you have just posted is true.

The fans need to unite as one and turn big time on him and his regime next season.

After giving the benefit of any doubt to the current owners and management for the last 3-4 seasons, I have now lost faith in them completely.

We are on a downward spiral of shit. It pains me to see the lack of football knowledge, lack of ambition and total lack of respect for us fans and season ticket holders. Court cases seem more important to the Emperor than actually sorting things out on what matters.....THE FOOTBALL PITCH!

Annis my friend, you have influence. Don't just talk about us uniting and "turning" on the Dictator.....organise it. I'll be there.

Surely tan has realised that his business adventures with football has been a disaster and time to sell up ,surely ffs he must know now , just please sell up , sick of this shit

Tan is doing his best to ruin the club we all love

From the idiotic rebrand, the £millions wasted on players, the criticism and sacking of managers on a whim, the interfering of team selection, the alienated fan base, the lack of any sort of forward planning the list goes on and on

With Tan in charge and running the show you know we are going to get a useless manager who will be sacked by October

It’s all getting so tiresome and depressing as we slowly drift towards inevitable relegation

Things could be so different if he stopped behaving like a tw*t and got some “proper” football people in to run our club

Sadly everything you have just posted is true.

The fans need to unite as one and turn big time on him and his regime next season.

After giving the benefit of any doubt to the current owners and management for the last 3-4 seasons, I have now lost faith in them completely.

We are on a downward spiral of shit. It pains me to see the lack of football knowledge, lack of ambition and total lack of respect for us fans and season ticket holders. Court cases seem more important to the Emperor than actually sorting things out on what matters.....THE FOOTBALL PITCH!

Annis my friend, you have influence. Don't just talk about us uniting and "turning" on the Dictator.....organise it. I'll be there.

We’ve know each other a long time and it hurts us beyond.

Jim,

Sadly we really do have an owner who does have NO Respect at all for us or our great club.

He loves his court cases beyond.

When I met unite, we can all unite and I will help big time next season to rise against Emperor / Dictator Tan and we will see a turnout against him like we did to get our identity back

He’s never forgiven us for getting our colours back to blue
Sell the bluebirds and fxxk off home
Sell the bluebirds and fxxk off home

Bang on, Tan said there'd be consequences if we went back to blue... & there is.

You got it bang on again...sell up & f**k off.