Charlton Athletic will hope Cardiff City manager situation is fixed ASAP - View | OneFootball

Nathan Jones would love to manage Cardiff City one day, and Charlton Athletic will hope that the managerless Bluebirds look elsewhere

Charlton Athletic will be hoping that Cardiff City conclude their managerial search as soon as possible, with a concerning trend emerging following Nathan Jones' admission on the vacant hot-seat.

The Bluebirds are on the hunt for their 12th permanent manager in the last 14 years after the dismissal of Erol Bulut, who had failed to win any of his first six matches of the new season and was handed his marching orders over a week ago.

Indeed, Cardiff have finally claimed their first victory of the new season by edging out Millwall at home on Tuesday evening but they still remain rooted to the foot of the division with just four points to their name, and they are seemingly no closer to appointing a new permanent manager.

According to a report from WalesOnline, the Bluebirds have called upon the support of two former unnamed managers alongside one of the largest footballing agencies in Europe to assist their search for a new manager, an appointment which they are not expected to make until the international break with interim boss Omer Riza standing in until then.

However, Charlton will surely hope that they fill the vacancy sooner rather than later. Popular manager Jones, who hails from the Rhondda Valley, is invariably linked with the job whenever it becomes available and has made little secret of his desire to manage his boyhood club one day.

Nathan Jones' Cardiff City admission

Jones admitted in 2022 that he would "never turn down" the opportunity to manage Cardiff while with Luton Town. The Welshman took over Charlton in February, a year after a brief and ill-fated stint in the Premier League with Southampton, and admitted that he is enjoying the club's trajectory although there is every chance that he could be swayed by an offer.

According to reports, the Addicks would require significant compensation to allow the former Stoke City and Luton boss to move elsewhere and are yet to receive contact from Cardiff regarding Jones.

Just days after Cardiff elected to part ways with Bulut, Jones was quizzed on the vacant managerial job back in Wales by the South London Press.

He said: "When this kind of stuff comes up I’m very flattered to be linked with that. One day - I’ve made no secret and been totally open - I would like to manage Cardiff. It is my hometown club. My dad lives close.

"But, right now, I have got a fantastic job and I’m at a wonderful club where I’m really, really looking to build something.

"So that is where we are. I won’t be disrespectful to anyone in any way. So for me it is nothing, I get on with my job day to day and I love my job here and the people I work with. I’ve asked a lot of people to buy-in to that. There is nothing to say really.

When asked if he had received direct contact, Jones added: "If I had I’m not going to suddenly turn around and say it here, am I! There is nothing really to worry about.

"I’ve got a wonderful job here and I took this job for a certain reason - because I believe we can build something special.

"I make no secret about the Cardiff job, because it is my hometown club and all the affiliations I have there. One day I really, really would love to manage the football club.

"Right now I’m Charlton manager and I’m thoroughly enjoying the project we are building."

Charlton Athletic's form has tailed off following Nathan Jones, Cardiff City talk

Jones, who steadied the ship after coming in late last season, had taken Charlton up to fifth place after five games of the new campaign. However, Charlton's run of form following the sacking of Bulut may just invite the inevitable questions.

Bulut's situation at Cardiff was precarious long before he was eventually sacked, and Charlton lost 2-1 at home to Blackpool on the same day which proved to be the Turk's last in the dugout.

After Jones spoke about his desire to manage the Bluebirds one day, Charlton have gone on to lose their last two games against Stevenage and most recently, Bristol Rovers.

With that in mind, you do have to wonder whether the strong links to Cardiff have had an impact. Cardiff is widely viewed as a big job and it would represent the fulfillment of a long-term dream for Jones, so it would come as no real surprise if it has indeed turned his head somewhat.

It may be too early to rush to such conclusions just yet, but Charlton will hope that Cardiff bring a new face into the dugout as soon as they can to hand them some much-needed security and breathing room on Jones' future.