NATHAN BLAKE: VINCENT TAN TO BLAME

Tonight's Cardiff City news as legend points finger at board and post-Bulut era begins
walesonline

Cardiff legend Blake: Buck stops with the board


Former Cardiff City forward Nathan Blake has pointed the finger at the club's hierarchy following the dismissal of manager Erol Bulut.

Bulut was shown the door on Sunday, after a dismal start to the 2024-25 season that saw the Bluebirds without a win in six games, with just one goal and one point to their name - their worst league start in nearly a century.

Speaking to the BBC, Bluebirds legend Blake said: "It's not just a problem that's come around now, I've been saying it for six or seven years, maybe longer. I don't look at the hierarchy at Cardiff and think really they know what they're doing.

"They've been in charge 10, 11 maybe 12 seasons now so it's a massive gamble, you're gambling with a lot of money, but it seems to be, at the end of the day, one singer, one song, one person makes decisions and those decisions aren't always to the benefit of the club.

"Whoever takes the job is a brave person."

Blake believes the club's hierarchy need to take accountability and question whether they are doing things the right way.

"You've got to get to a point at some point where the owners and the chairman and CEO, they sit and look at themselves and ask the question 'are we doing this right, is this the right way to go about things?'" he added.

"But it won't happen, there's no sort of self-revision of anything or looking at anything they do, it'll just be the same old, same old. Whoever takes the job is a brave person, that's all I'd say.

"There'll always be someone because someone always thinks they can turn it around, 'I can do better, I can manage this situation'.

"But until you get in the situation that I think the last 12 or 13 managers have found themselves in, you realise it's not as straightforward as it should be. You've not got the backing, you're not making decisions, there's no sort of philosophy at the club. It runs deep."

Bulut and his assistant Nikolaos Karydas were let go on Sunday after a 2-0 home loss to Leeds United, leaving Cardiff winless and at the bottom of the Championship with only one goal and one point from six games - their worst league start in 94 years.

Trust chairman Keith Morgan stated: "There is once again uncertainty about the future direction of the club and there are many questions fans have.

"Therefore, the trust feels it important to seek an urgent meeting with club board members to discuss how the club moves forward."

The club has announced that Omer Riza, a recent addition to the coaching staff, will take over as interim manager, while chief executive Ken Choo leads the search for Cardiff's 12th permanent manager in 14 years under owner Tan's tenure.

Omer Riza today took the club's first training session since the sacking of Erol Bulut.

While Bulut, along with Nikolaos Karydas, was let go at the weekend, Riza, Tom Ramasut and goalkeeping coach Mario Galinovic have all remained in post while Cardiff search for a successor.

Riza was brought in this summer, with his most recent job being assistant to Valerien Ismael at Watford, with a focus of improving and changing the style of play, namely in attack. Sign up to our Cardiff City newsletter here.

The 44-year-old is currently 8/1 with the bookmakers to get the job permanently, which happened to previous caretaker managers Steve Morison and Mark Hudson.

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

Some of what he says is right but I often think Blake just says what he thinks the fans want to hear.

I may be being harsh and he could just be in tune with the fans, but it does seem a strange coincidence that he's always saying what people on here and social media are saying.

To be fair, a lot are criticising Tan this time - including Rob Phillips and Glen Williams, which doesn't normally happen.

Some of what he says is right but I often think Blake just says what he thinks the fans want to hear.

I may be being harsh and he could just be in tune with the fans, but it does seem a strange coincidence that he's always saying what people on here and social media are saying.

To be fair, a lot are criticising Tan this time - including Rob Phillips and Glen Williams, which doesn't normally happen.

Do you think it’s maybe that Phillips and Williams are in Dalman’s pocket (so to speak) and not Tan’s ?

Some of what he says is right but I often think Blake just says what he thinks the fans want to hear.

I may be being harsh and he could just be in tune with the fans, but it does seem a strange coincidence that he's always saying what people on here and social media are saying.

To be fair, a lot are criticising Tan this time - including Rob Phillips and Glen Williams, which doesn't normally happen.

Ned your right about Blake I've said exactly same thing previously when he's been on call Rob! No matter what question is he turns it into club bashing (tan) and its to massage his ego and to be one of the lads ! I'm not defending tan or dalman but they were onto a hiding to nothing over bulut because make no mistake if tan sacked him at end season exactly the response now would been same then... but surprisingly bulut lasted longer than most managers in championship in fact 7th longest and longer than the average 9mnths ..... there are 3 managers at risk now so not sure condemnation is totally justified given turnover of managers in championship....what we need is a decent youngish championship experienced manager something we've failed to get even when they've been available.

I'm no fan of Tan's but I can't see how he can be to blame for this season's horror show.
Bulut picked the same players time and again when clearly it wasn't working and binned most of the youngsters who did well pre-season.
He spent our only money on a striker we were desperate for, then sent him on loan.
When the chips were down, he screamed for change in the press, then picked the same players.
It's frustrating because we have the basis of a decent side.
After Leeds he spouted the usual nonsense even though the stats showed they mullered us.
The only good thing to come out of this is that most of the season is left to sort it out.

Don’t tell Wez, his hero Tan is being blamed and rightly so.

I could understand Tan is he was a few years younger and over here. Its his club, his "hobby" and wants to be hands-on, but for the life fo me I never understand how he hasn't got a DoF for the football side and choo for the commercial side. Dalman is just as absent.

He backed Bulut. Turnbull,Robertson, Daland, Fish, Willock, El Gazi and Chambers. All first teamers and no projects!!

He can be blamed for many things but this start is not his fault

I could understand Tan is he was a few years younger and over here. Its his club, his "hobby" and wants to be hands-on, but for the life fo me I never understand how he hasn't got a DoF for the football side and choo for the commercial side. Dalman is just as absent.

He backed Bulut. Turnbull,Robertson, Daland, Fish, Willock, El Gazi and Chambers. All first teamers and no projects!!

He can be blamed for many things but this start is not his fault

Most understand its simply down to bulut and his selection and tactics.... but there are some who will say tan picked the team and tactics so blame him as its convenient and suits them

Don’t tell Wez, his hero Tan is being blamed and rightly so.

Annis, wez has joined our side he's gone out to the local store to buy a huge banner saying tan out!