Craig Bellamy backed for Cardiff City role as Erol Bulut linked with Besiktas | OneFootball

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Cardiff City are one of three Championship teams who have nothing to play for during the remaining games this season, with neither a play-off place nor relegation possible for Erol Bulut's side.

The Bluebirds will be thankful to have seen major improvement this season, having spent the last two second tie campaigns dangerously close to the relegation zone and burned through four permanent managers within that time as well.

The Welsh club avoided relegation after a turbulent 2022/23 campaign which saw Steve Morison and Mark Hudson dismissed before Sabri Lamouchi guided the club to safety.

Bulut was then appointed and in doing so took his first role in the EFL with Cardiff, having most recently been manager of Turkish side Gaziantep FK prior to this season. He has also taken charge of Turkish giants Fenerbahçe in his managerial career as well.

He was fairly well-backed with signings in the summer, with former Arsenal player Aaron Ramsey coming in as the most eye-catching addition. He returned to South Wales on a two-year contract. The 33-year-old last played for Cardiff in 2011 during a short loan stint but left the Welsh capital permanently for the Gunners back in 2008.

Given the resources at Bulut's disposal, it's been no surprise that they have been much more comfortable in the league, but that also heightened expectation, with fans no doubt keen to see an improvement on their league position from last season.

A signing like that is always enough to get the fans excited again, but Bulut was fundamentally going to be judged and defined when the campaign petered out in recent weeks, having flirted with the play-offs for large portions of the season.

Craig Bellamy linked to Cardiff to replace Bulut

Bulut has since emerged as a contender to take over at Turkish giants Besiktas, according to reports from Turkish outlet Mackolik. He only signed a one-year deal at the Cardiff City Stadium last summer and there has been no sign of a contract extension from the Bluebirds' hierarchy, so he may be a free agent at the end of the season.

Football League World’s Cardiff fan pundit, Ben Johnsey, has claimed he is keen for Bulut to extend his stay, but would love to see Craig Bellamy given the role, should Bulut depart South Wales this summer.

"For me, personally, if Bulut is to go, I don't see many options around and I don't want to see the merry-go-round of managers we so often see with other clubs.

"Bulut's already in the top ten of longest-serving Championship managers now and has only been here this season.

"I personally would really like for Bulut to stay and give it his best shot again. "But, if he does want to leave, or his contract expires, then I'd like to back a long-term project with someone that knows the club well. "I wouldn't mind trying for Craig Bellamy, the current assistant at Burnley. "I think if we offered him a long-term contract and the opportunity to build something at Cardiff, then I think he would. "He was previously an academy coach as well, so he would be one that I think would get the fans onboard.

"He also knows exactly what is expected of the club and our goals and aspirations going forward."

Craig Bellamy's relationship with Cardiff

Bellamy was born in Cardiff but didn't play for the club until the latter stages of his career, joining on an initial loan in 2010/11 and before finishing his career with the club in the final two years from 2012-2014.

Not only has he been an assistant to Vincent Kompany, but one of the most prominent figures in his backroom staff in recent years, so much so that he was in the dugout on Saturday against Brighton, with Kompany suspended for one match.

Johnsey alludes to his familiarity with the club as well, which would, of course, aid the bedding in process with the club, and give Bellamy his first opportunity to be the main man, which makes plenty of sense from his perspective.