Football League World
·9 novembre 2024
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·9 novembre 2024
Omer Riza is still unsure whether he'll be the Bluebirds boss on a permanent basis
Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza still doesn't know whether he will be appointed as the club's manager on a full-time basis, despite holding the role for six weeks.
Despite two defeats on the bounce against Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers, Riza has credit in the bank after overseeing an upturn in form which has seen them register four wins in nine games.
The Bluebirds were rock bottom of the Championship table with just one point in six games when Riza was handed the reins following Erol Bulut's sacking, and he's earned plaudits from Cardiff supporters for implementing an exciting style of play which has unlocked the potential of some of their talented young players.
However, despite being in the role for six weeks since the end of September, the 45-year-old still doesn't know what the future holds for him in the Welsh capital, no doubt a hugely frustrating situation.
Prior to his side's defeat to Blackburn Rovers, Riza was quizzed by Sky Sports about what the future held for him at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Former Cardiff skipper Sean Morrison was a studio guest for Sky Sports, and he asked Riza whether he'd held talks with the club's hierarchy over becoming permanent manager.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Riza said: "For me, I’m just trying to do my job, I’m just trying to act professionally, which is what we’re paid to do.
“We’re trying to get the boys in a good place and performing, which is what we’re doing and conversations are always ongoing in terms of the club moving forward.
“I can’t really give any more information into what it looks like because I don’t really know myself.
“I keep saying the same thing, the most important thing is that the boys are going on the pitch and that they’re ready, performing and that there’s a plan.”
While Riza was adamant that he's not looking too far into the future, and he was just focusing on getting the squad ready, it must be hugely frustrating for him that there's still no clarity on his future, despite being the interim boss for nine games.
The 45-year-old will want to know sooner rather than later whether he's got the job or not, and the international break will surely give the club's hierarchy ample time to make their minds up.
The uncertainty over Riza's future can't be doing him or the players any good, and recent results against Luton and Blackburn show that performances have started to decline from the early weeks of his reign.
During the international break, owner Vincent Tan has to make a decision on Riza's future, and they can't afford to let this saga drag on any longer with the Bluebirds struggling at the wrong end of the table.
It shows how short-term the thinking is at Cardiff that Bulut was sacked in mid-September, and there's still uncertainty over who their next full-time manager is going to be.
The international break has come at the right time for Cardiff, both in terms of results and the managerial situation, and a decision has to be made before they travel to Sheffield Wednesday on the 23rd November.