Cardiff City are heading in the right direction, they simply must make this decision before the summer: Opinion | OneFootball

Cardiff City head to Preston this afternoon looking to get another three points to move them closer to safety.

Even though they still have a lot of work to do, there will be a confidence among the Bluebirds that they are in a position to survive without the need for a nervy ending to the campaign.

Once safety is secured, attention will turn to next season and there's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Welsh club and what's going to happen, as current boss Sabri Lamouchi has only signed a deal until the summer.

However, with the way the former Nottingham Forest chief has helped the club, offering him a longer contract seems a no-brainer.

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In fact, the Cardiff hierarchy should move quickly to ensure he is out of the reach of other clubs.

After a slow start, Lamouchi has got the side playing the way he wants. His Forest side were always hard to beat and three clean sheets in four, which were victories, show the Bluebirds are starting to replicate that.

They are capable of stifling the opposition with a good tactical setup that makes it very hard to play through the team, whilst they are aggressive with their defending as well.

Of course, this is a team effort as well. The centre-backs and defensive unit deserve credit but it starts from the front in Lamouchi's XI and the whole group are buying into what he wants.

The fans recognise that too, with the reaction to the impressive win over in-form Bristol City last time out further proof that all are pulling together.

It's also important to note that the boss arrived towards the end of the January window, so there was no real time for the Frenchman to get the players he wanted.

Realistically, we know Cardiff aren't in a position to spend big money in the summer but Lamouchi is happy to work under these conditions at Cardiff and will still be ambitious with his aims moving forward.

You can understand that there won't be any complacency at the club and, as Lamouchi says, talks about his future should wait until they know they're safe.

However, when that day comes the 51-year-old should be rewarded with an extended contract.

The past few weeks have been like the Cardiff of old under Neil Warnock where they battled and fought for points. Lamouchi is responsible for that and he has brought a spirit to the club that had been lacking.

After a miserable few years since the experienced boss left, they may have finally found the right man in Lamouchi and he deserves to be backed to lead a long-term project with Cardiff City.