Omer Riza does not have long to stake his claim for the permanent position
THE UNCERTAINTY surrounding Omer Riza’s position as Cardiff City’s interim manager is becoming a problem.
After an initial ‘new-manager bounce’ in which Riza lost just one of his first seven games, the Bluebirds are now winless in five and are being dragged back down towards the bottom three.
Defeat to Watford at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday could begin to push the former West Ham and Arsenal man closer to the exit than the entrance.
Eight games in 28 days
Between December 7 and January 4, Cardiff will be in action eight times.
It is a run that has the potential to alleviate pressure on Riza and the squad or anchor them firmly in the relegation battle.
The visit of table-topping Sheffield United on December 21 is sandwiched by a double-header with in-form Watford.
Home matches against Preston North End and Coventry City look winnable but much will depend on confidence levels retained by a squad that has only won four games all season.
Cardiff will lose games in this run – that is the reality of life towards the bottom of the Championship – but they can hardly afford to drop points to teams around them in the table, handing their rivals a head-start for the second half of the season.
Fans call for clarity
The lack of forward-planning at the club is an issue that is not just affecting on-pitch results and performances.
Fans are growing increasingly frustrated at the inaction of the board to resolve the managerial situation and ensure the club’s immediate future is clear.
On Monday, The Cardiff City Fan Advisory Board issued an open letter to club chairman Mehmet Dalman and CEO Ken Choo.
In it, they warned of “irreversible toxicity and apathy” from the support base if the managerial impasse is not resolved.
“Once again, the club regrettably finds itself in a precarious position at the bottom end of the table, with no full-time manager, no clarity on hiring process and no clear plan or strategy evidenced,” they said.
Supporters are feeling let down by the board’s inaction and silence and are calling for urgent communication regarding the search for a permanent manager.
Season ticket holder Alfie Reynolds, 24, believes Cardiff City are one of the worst-run clubs in the league.
“Overall, the club have handled this atrociously – whether that’s the complete lack of communication with the fans or leaving Riza and the players in limbo over his future,” he said.
There is a feeling amongst supporters that the current inertia is putting the season in jeopardy.
“Regardless of who comes in, it needs to be decided quickly. We have already lost one relegation six-pointer [against QPR],” Reynolds added.
Riza, who thinks he has delivered a “good audition”, has been tight-lipped on his future and stressed that it was not his responsibility to make any decisions about the future.
But with the club’s silence comes increased speculation as to who may take charge permanently.
What are Cardiff’s options?
Finding the correct candidate who is willing to take charge of a club struggling at the wrong end of the table is always a challenge.
The fit must be right, and the board would have to be sure that any new appointment would be able to hit the ground running at such a congested point in the season.
Steve Cooper has been ruled out despite his availability.
Slaven Bilic, most recently in charge of Saudi outfit Al-Fateh, is available and has Championship experience.
Other managers that have been linked include former Preston boss Ryan Lowe and Steven Schumacher most recently at Stoke City.
Whether these options would be better fits for the Bluebirds than Riza is debatable.
He has been at the club since June, initially in a coaching capacity, and knows the squad well.
His first month in charge proved that he can get results. A successful December could lead to him securing the job on a permanent basis.
