Cardiff fans rarely hear from the Bluebirds owner. Cardiff City fans rarely hear from their owner, Vincent Tan, so when they do, his words have weight.
He is the driving force behind the club’s most important decision right now: whether to pursue a future with Erol Bulut as manager or to change course once more.
The present position, which you can read more about here, is that Bulut has an offer on the table and is contemplating whether or not to accept Tan’s terms.
Bulut signed a one-year contract with Cardiff, with the option for two more years provided specific requirements were met. That has not happened, and we are currently in uncertainty, similar to how Sabri Lamouchi closed the season as Bluebirds manager last year.
So, what did Tan say about Bulut? Let’s go back almost a year before his unveiling to see why Tan wanted the manager to lead the club in the first place. Subscribe to our Cardiff City newsletter here.
“I’d like to welcome Erol and wish him the best of luck as manager of Cardiff City,” Tan remarked on June 3, last year.
“This summer, we were able to review applicants for the manager’s post from around Europe, and after taking our time with the process, I’m certain that we’ve found the ideal candidate to lead us ahead.
“Erol has extensive experience as both a player and a manager, having played Champions League football and led European teams in 200 league games to date. This degree of experience is required at this time, and I believe it will be invaluable to the squad.
“Erol’s eagerness and drive for achievement impresses me tremendously. When we chatted, it was evident that his intensity and work ethic fit the core cultural values that I want our club to reestablish.
“His superb record in European football demonstrates a level of managerial experience that Cardiff City has not previously had. His knowledge in this field, I hope, will enable us to attract a higher profile and quality of player in the coming years.”
Tan’s statements clearly indicate a direction of motion for more than a year, notably in the last sentence. There looked to be a genuine desire to move the club ahead as a whole, as well as enthusiasm for transfer windows and enhancing the squad’s foundation.
Cardiff’s football last season wasn’t always high octane or exhilarating, but after two very difficult transfer windows, which Cardiff handled well in considering the terrible conditions both of them threw up, Bulut improved Cardiff’s league position.
For the first time in five seasons. Considerably, too, steering the club to 12th place, their highest result since 2021. The season began brightly, with the club rising to fifth place after defeating Bristol City in October, but there were setbacks, as there often are in Championship campaigns. Tan last talked on Boxing Day, when City was going through a slump and dealing with injuries.
“We trust Erol [Bulut], but we still have to consider budgets; we won’t simply acquire players. Hopefully in January we can bring in some… fantastic players; we have to research, you know?” he told the BBC ahead of the January transfer window.
“Some of our younger players may be
“I think we have a good manager in Erol and I believe we have a very good chance to be in the play-offs, hopefully, God willing.” Play-off discussion always looked too unrealistic for this group, especially given the inconsistent midfield balance and the obvious lack of a goalscoring threat up top.
However, the top six was never the goal at the outset of the campaign. You wonder if all the buzz about play-offs after such a strong start to the season did more harm than good. At the very least, this season should have served as an excellent foundation. on which to launch a more prolonged campaign on the top six positions. It is unclear how much direct contract Bulut has had with Tan throughout the season, since the manager has spoken primarily with chairman Mehmet Dalman, but when asked about his interactions with the owner, he stated: “We have had some phone calls. We generally discuss the games. I believe you [press] know Vincent better than I do since you’ve been here longer and know his personality.
“One positive trait is that he dislikes losing; similar to my personality, I dislike losing as well. But in life, you have to understand that you cannot always win! You have to consider what you have in your hands and what you can achieve; this is also a factor.”
Bulut replaced Lamouchi after his contract was not renewed last summer. One of the key reasons Lamouchi was permitted to leave was due to a lack of chemistry between him and Tan. However, Bulut dismissed any suggestion that his relationship with the owner was strained.
“We haven’t had any fights or anything like that!” he joked when asked last month. “We have had several conversations. I can also.Not saying it’s an ideal relationship.”
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